O's exercise O'Hearn's team option amid flurry of moves

SAN ANTONIO -- When the Orioles acquired Ryan O'Hearn via a minor cash trade with the Royals on Jan. 3, 2023, the move didn’t make many headlines. After all, the first baseman/corner outfielder had struggled to stick in the big leagues over five years with Kansas City.

But O’Hearn has become a key cog in Baltimore’s lineup over the past two seasons. And now, the 31-year-old is set to come back for another year.

On Monday, Baltimore picked up O’Hearn’s $8 million team option for the 2025 season amid a flurry of contract decisions. The O’s also exercised the ‘25 team options for right-handed reliever Seranthony Domínguez ($8 million) and lefty reliever Cionel Pérez ($2.2 million).

However, in a surprise move, the Orioles opted to decline top left-handed reliever Danny Coulombe’s 2025 team option, which was worth $4 million.

Baltimore had already declined designated hitter Eloy Jiménez’s $16.5 million 2025 team option on Saturday.

"Any time you look at option decisions, you’re looking at price point on a salary and you’re looking at putting together a budget and a plan for the offseason that encompasses the entirety of your roster," general manager Mike Elias said at the GM Meetings in San Antonio on Tuesday. "Ultimately, it comes down to a fit and your talent evaluation, and the fit that you see going forward. We had hard decisions in both directions with these option decisions. Sometimes, you make a decision not to kick off your offseason with exercising an option, but you remain in position to stay in touch with a really good player.

"Danny’s somebody who has done a ton for us, been enormously successful the past couple of years and we really enjoyed having him, and he’s somebody that we’re going to want to continue talking to throughout the free agency, as long as that lasts. But I’m sure he’s going to have a lot of good opportunities, and we’ll see where it goes."

O’Hearn and Domínguez become the two highest-paid players on the Orioles’ payroll for next season, at least for the time being. The free-agent signing period is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. ET.

Over his first two seasons in Baltimore, O’Hearn slashed .275/.329/.450 with 43 doubles, 29 home runs and 119 RBIs in 254 games. In 2024, he set career highs in hits (117), homers (15), walks (46), runs scored (60) and bWAR (1.9).

A left-handed hitter, O’Hearn has split starts at first base with righty Ryan Mountcastle, who is arbitration-eligible this offseason. It’s possible that timeshare will continue next season, though Mountcastle was featured in rumors ahead of the 2024 Trade Deadline and could be a potential trade chip this winter.

The Orioles’ bullpen is set to return both Domínguez and Pérez next season, with each likely to again serve in a high-leverage role.

Domínguez, who was acquired from the Phillies ahead of the 2024 Trade Deadline, recorded a 3.97 ERA over 25 appearances for Baltimore. The 29-year-old also became the closer due to the struggles of veteran righty Craig Kimbrel (who was eventually designated for assignment in September), as Domínguez picked up 10 saves down the stretch.

However, the Orioles will move Domínguez back to a setup role in 2025, when All-Star closer Félix Bautista is set to return. Bautista is expected to be ready for the start of Spring Training after missing all of ‘24 while recovering from Tommy John surgery.

Pérez owns a 3.12 ERA in 193 appearances for the O’s over the past three seasons, though he posted a 4.53 mark in 62 outings this past season. The 28-year-old southpaw would have been arbitration-eligible this offseason had his team option not been exercised.

It had been widely assumed that the Orioles would pick up the option for Coulombe, who pitched to a 2.56 ERA in 94 appearances the past two seasons. The 35-year-old had a 2.12 ERA and a 0.67 WHIP over 33 games in 2024, though he missed a little more than three months due to a left elbow injury that required surgery to remove bone chips.

The decision to decline Coulombe's option -- which was not related to the southpaw's health -- was a difficult one. But it also doesn't guarantee the end of his time in Baltimore, as Elias reiterated.

"I'm very much looking forward to staying in touch with him throughout the free-agent process, but just at this point in the offseason, we decided to decline from that option setup," Elias said, "and we'll see what comes afterward."