Orioles agree to terms with free agent pitcher Jordan Lyles right before lockout

The Orioles snuck in one last bit of pending news last night before MLB owners unanimously halted all offseason action by imposing a lockout on their players. The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal reported that the team has agreed to terms with free agent pitcher Jordan Lyles on a one-year contract that guarantees $7 million.

Due to the lockout, this contract will be in official limbo until transactions resume, as it is still pending a physical. We all know that with the Orioles more than any team, the physical step of the contract always has the potential to cause a snag, but even for the Orioles it is an uncommon occurrence to have a contract that gets reported by mainstream press get wiped out before it’s completed by the physical. Lyles will probably become an Oriole eventually.

Lyles has essentially already been an Oriole in spirit for at least two years. The most recent team he’s been playing for in his 11-year MLB career is the Rangers. In both the shortened 2020 season and the regular-length 2021 season, Lyles led all American League pitchers in earned runs allowed. His combined ERA with Texas was 5.60.