Miguel Gonzalez, who was placed on release waivers on Wednesday, was a key fixture of the Orioles’ playoff runs in 2012 and ’14. He was part of the group that brought winning baseball back to Baltimore, and was one of the most universally well-liked players to wear an Orioles uniform over the past four years.
Ultimately, Gonzalez didn’t pitch well enough this spring to erase the club’s concerns about his rocky 2015 season. And both Mike Wright and Tyler Wilson performed better than he did.
But Gonzalez’s release couldn’t have sat well inside the Orioles’ clubhouse, especially given the fact that Gonzalez had a minor league option.