With less than 10 days to go until Opening Day, the Orioles are nearing their biggest upgrade of the offseason: a deal with former Tampa Bay Rays right-hander Alex Cobb, according to an industry source.
The Orioles had interest in Cobb, 30, since the first weeks of the offseason, but the starting pitcher’s demands never seemed to be in line with what the club was willing to give, especially in terms of the years of commitment
Still, the pairing of Cobb and the Orioles made sense. Even with the additions of right-hander Andrew Cashner and the return of Chris Tillman on a make-good, one-year deal, adding Cobb — with his track record of success in the American League East — always seemed to be a move that could legitimately move the Orioles from pretender to contender in a bulked-up division.