SARASOTA, Fla. -- The Orioles' spring search for pitching took another big turn on Tuesday night, as the club has reached a four-year agreement with the best remaining free-agent arm, starter Alex Cobb, with the deal worth between $56 million and $60 million, sources told MLB Network insider Jon Heyman and MLB.com.
The club has not confirmed the deal, which is not official and is still pending a physical. Still, the agreement represents a significant change in philosophy for the Orioles, who have been incredibly reluctant to hand out deals longer than three years to free-agent starters. Their last four-year pact to Ubaldo Jimenez ended up being a disappointing contract, but sources told MLB.com that Cobb's camp wanted the length and ultimately the Orioles agreed to it.
The O's have long been rumored to have interest in Cobb, whose experience in the American League East is seen as a major plus. Cobb logged a career-high 179 1/3 innings and 12 wins to go with a 3.66 ERA in what was his first full season back from Tommy John surgery in 2017.
Cobb was among nine free agents who received a qualifying offer this offseason, which means the signing will result in the Orioles forfeiting a Draft pick. Because Baltimore is among the 16 clubs that receive revenue sharing, it will lose its third-highest pick in the Draft as a result of this deal -- the No. 51 pick overall.
The Rays, on the other hand, will receive Draft-pick compensation by virtue of losing Cobb, and they are benefiting from the size of the reported contract: Because they also receive revenue sharing and the deal exceeded $50 million in overall value, that pick will come after the first round and before Competitive Balance Round A.
The Rays will get pick No. 31, because they had a worse record than the Royals, who got pick No. 33 for losing Lorenzo Cain and No. 34 for losing Eric Hosmer to free agency. The Rays were locked into the No. 32 spot after they were unable to sign Drew Rasmussen, who was the No. 31 overall pick last June.
• Explaining the qualifying offer rules
The 30-year-old Cobb spent all six of his prior big league seasons with the Rays. He has a career 48-35 record with a 3.50 ERA in 115 starts. Cobb's arrival marks the third addition to the rotation since Spring Training started, with the O's also signing Andrew Cashner and Chris Tillman.
His addition creates a welcome amount of depth for a rotation that includes Dylan BundyKevin Gausman, Cashner and Tillman. It will, initially at least, force guys like Mike Wright Jr.Miguel Castro and Rule 5 pick Nestor Cortes Jr. -- who were fighting for the No. 5 spot in the rotation -- into a competition to make the team's bullpen. Wright and Castro are out of options, and Cortes has to make the club or be offered back to his original team, the Yankees.
Orioles starters last year finished with the Majors' worst ERA (5.70) and fewest innings (846) in the American League.
The Orioles' other spring additions include outfielders Colby Rasmus and Alex Presley, infielder Danny Valencia and designated hitter Pedro Alvarez. Rasmus is expected to make the team, while Valencia is vying for a utility spot and Alvarez could be a factor given Mark Trumbo's injury.
Yahoo Sports first reported that Cobb was nearing a decision, with Baltimore one of the likely landing spots.
Brittany Ghiroli /MLB.com
 

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