J.J. Hardy is unlikely to return to the Orioles for the 2018 season. He has been in serious decline with some injury issues over the last couple of seasons. The Orioles have a $2 million buyout that they will be exercising because Hardy did not reach his plate appearance threshold to guarantee his option.
These next handful of games are likely to be Hardy’s last few game in an Orioles uniform. So, I thought I’d fulfill a tweet of mine from a year ago, in which I vowed a 4,000 word love letter to Hardy’s defense.