Baltimore Orioles: 5 Left-Handed Relievers the Orioles Could Pursue

1. Tony Watson

Tony Watson spent some time as a closer for the Pittsburgh Pirates, but that role eventually stuck with Mark Melancon, and Watson was sent to the Los Angeles Dodgers around the trade deadline.

Watson has had plenty of success throughout his career, including a season in 2014 for the Pirates in which he pitched 77.1 innings and had just a 1.63 ERA with a 9.43 K/9.

Last season was actually a down year for Watson, pitching 66.2 innings and a 3.38 ERA, though it wasn’t a bad season by any stretch, as he logged 10 saves and 15 holds.

Watson throws a mix of three pitches: a sinking fastball that comes in around 94 MPH, a changeup around 86 MPH, and a slider that comes in around 85 MPH with some sharp bite that you can see here:

Watson has experience in high-leverage situations, as he’s been a set-up guy for the majority of his career, filling into a closer role when needed.

Next: Orioles Interested in Jason Vargas, Andrew Cashner

He’s also shown that he can have a good bit of success in the MLB, and given that last season was the worst one he’s had so far in his career, he might not be as expensive for the Baltimore Orioles to acquire as he would’ve been in the past.