Robinson Chirinos came to Baltimore as a 10-year veteran destined to back up Adley Rutschman. Many speculated that the Orioles would hold Rutschman in the minors long enough to manipulate his service time, but an injury prevented the rookie’s long-awaited debut until May 21.
The Orioles briefly went without a catcher on the 40-man roster before signing Chirinos to a major-league contract. Chirinos agreed to a one-year deal worth $900,000 with an opportunity to earn an extra $75,000 with incentives. The backstop could have earned an additional $100,000 if he played well enough to be traded during the season.