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Baltimore Orioles may lose two key players in MLB Free Agency

By Nick Ziegler

Oct 4, 2015; Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Orioles first baseman Chris Davis (19) waves to the fans as he walks off the field after the game against the New York Yankees at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. The Orioles won 9-4. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 4, 2015; Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Orioles first baseman Chris Davis (19) waves to the fans as he walks off the field after the game against the New York Yankees at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. The Orioles won 9-4. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports /
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After having two qualifying offers declined, the Baltimore Orioles may lose two of their key pieces of the 2015 season in free agency

The Baltimore Orioles extended qualifying offers to a few key players on their team, but two of them have declined and will be heading into free agency.

Both Chris Davis and Wei-Yin Chen declined their qualifying offers, which makes them two of the better free agents at their respective positions.

Davis is coming off of a great 2015 season, as he totaled a .262 batting average, 47 home runs, and 117 RBIs. Coming into 2015, Davis was a big question mark for the Orioles, as he had a very poor 2014 season, as he totaled a .190 batting average with just 26 home runs. Davis never seemed to get it going in 2014, and that led to people believing that his impressive 2012 and 2013 seasons were just a fluke.

In 2015, Davis proved that it was the 2014 season that was a fluke, as he led the American League in home runs and was second in the American League in RBIs behind only Josh Donaldson. True power hitters like Davis are hard to come by, and he could be considered as one of the best hitters in free agency.

Like Davis, Chen also decided to decline his qualifying offer, as a left-handed pitcher with the success that Chen has hand will be paid handsomely in free agency. Chen has been an extremely solid pitcher for the Orioles in the last four seasons, as he has totaled a 46-32 record, 3.72 ERA, and 1.25 WHIP. Chen hasn’t had a bad season in the majors, but he has really developed into a very good pitcher in the last two seasons.

In 2015, Chen totaled an 11-8 record and set career-bests with a 3.34 ERA, and 1.22 WHIP. There are a few aces on the market in this free agency class, but Chen is certainly in the next tier of pitchers and will be receiving a very nice contract from a team. The Orioles will have to monitor Chen, as the division rival New York Yankees have already expressed interest in the left-hander.

The Orioles have been very successful in recent years under Buck Showalter, but that success is now starting to result in players needing to be paid. Just last season, the Orioles lost Nelson Cruz in free agency to the Seattle Mariners, and they may be looking at another offseason of losing key players.

Baltimore didn’t make the playoffs in the 2015 season, and if they lose both Davis and Chen in free agency, they could be looking at a long 2016 season in the AL East.

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