MLB Offseason 2017: Top 50 free agents

43. Miguel Gonzalez

For all the mistakes the Baltimore Orioles have made when it comes to starting pitching over the past 20-plus years — and believe me, there are many — jettisoning Miguel Gonzalez on the eve of the 2016 season might be one of the biggest. The right-hander the club found in the Mexican League has a 4.21 ERA in 291 innings since his release. That is considerably better than what Wade Miley, Yovani Gallardo, Ubaldo Jimenez and Chris Tillman have given the O’s.

Gonzalez is a fly-ball pitcher who does not strike many out. That’s typically a recipe for disaster, especially in this launch angle/juiced baseball era. Somehow, Gonzalez has found a way to make it work. He is 52-54 with a 3.95 ERA in over 850 MLB innings. Veteran right-hander Jaime Garcia also profiles similarly to Gonzalez, but struggled with New York after being traded last summer.

Adding a cutter after leaving the Orioles and joining the Chicago White Sox helped Gonzalez get things pointed back in the right direction. The Texas Rangers acquired Gonzalez after the trade deadline as they tried to make a late playoff push, and he struggled to a 6.45 ERA in five starts. His arsenal just does not play well in a launching-pad ballpark like the Rangers.

Gonzalez had a late start to his MLB career, not making his debut until the age of 28. He’s 33 now and has never made more than $5.9 million in his career. Gonzalez will top that and then some this winter in free agency.