MLB rumors: Baltimore Orioles losing interest in Kendrys Morales?

The Baltimore Orioles have been in the market for a slugger for quite some time now, so their reported interest in former Seattle Mariners first baseman/designated hitter Kendrys Morales made sense.

For a while, it appeared as if the two sides would be able to hammer out a deal and Morales would be clubbing home runs from the middle of the Orioles’ lineup. However, the two sides were unable to find a middle ground and now according to MASN Sports, it appears as if the Orioles are losing interest in the free agent power threat:

"What about a designated hitter? Well, the Orioles’ interest in Kendrys Morales appears to be waning. That’s my read on the situation.Quite simply, the Orioles would much rather hold onto their first-round pick. It would take a special player for them to surrender it, and a full-time designated hitter who turned down a $14.1 million qualifying offer from the Mariners just doesn’t seem like a fit, no matter how much I’ve beaten that drum."

As suggested above, not only does Morales come with a relatively high price tag, the team that signs him will have to forfeit a draft pick.

It really comes down to a matter of value at that point and given the money you’d have to pay Morales combined with the loss of a pick, it looks to be too rich for the Orioles blood.