With both the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Washington Nationals looking to revamp or at least upgrade their bullpen, it’s not very surprising to see both teams very interested in Darren O’Day.
O’Day, 32, made the All-Star game for the first time in 2015, his finest season since joining the Baltimore Orioles. He had a 1.52 ERA, playing in 68 games and finishing 19 of them, finishing with a 6-2 win loss record. He also struck out 11.3 batters per nine innings, the best mark of his career by far.
The Orioles would like to keep him, but with O’Day looking for a four-year deal that’s going to pay him at least $16 million overall if not more (made $4.25 million last season), a team like the Dodgers seems more capable of accepting him into their fold, although we have heard the Dodgers trying to cut back on expenses, figuring that outspending everyone isn’t getting them any championships.
The Nationals might be considering O’Day for their closer role. The Jonathan Papelbon future has been put in doubt, as the trade for the in-division player, a closer with a big mouth who didn’t really help the clubhouse chemistry after joining, probably took them backwards instead of towards improving as a ballclub.
O’Day has been to the playoffs three times in his career, the last of which in 2014 with the Orioles. Despite his great regular season performances, it seems that in the postseason he falls off quite a bit from his usual standards, posting a 5.02 ERA in 20 games with an 0-3 win-loss record.
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