There were two aspects of the Orioles’ biggest free-agent signing this offseason, catcher Welington Castillo, that stood out. One wasn’t expected, but the other was. Both together could go a long way toward informing what the Orioles do for the rest of the winter.
Castillo’s contract, a one-year deal worth $6 million, has a $7 million option that he can exercise that could keep him in Baltimore for the 2018 season.
A year ago, as the Orioles were pursuing the likes of Chris Davis and Yoenis Cespedes, the team seemed to be at a disadvantage because it didn’t want to commit to long-term deals that include opt-out clauses.