The 30-year-old (31 in April) has thrown 368 innings for the Orioles since his debut in 2020. He spent his first two seasons in 2020-21 as a swingman before transitioning to a full-time reliever in 2022. He had a 3.20 ERA in 81 2/3 innings that year and stood out with a 49.3% groundball rate and just a 6.1% walk rate. He struggled mightily in 2023, posting a 6.85 ERA in 23 1/3 innings and missing most of the season with a lower back injury. He had his best season in 2024. Akin had a 3.32 ERA in 78 2/3 innings that year, while posting career-best strikeout and walk numbers (24.9% K-BB percentage).
This is the first time a team has won an arbitration hearing this season. Players had gone 5-for-5 before Akin’s loss. The left-hander is in his final year of arbitration. He made $825,000 in his first trip through the process, and $1.475 million last season. Akin and the Orioles were able to reach an agreement before going to an arbitration hearing the first two times.
Akin stepped into the closer role during the final two months of the 2025 campaign afterward Felix Bautista went down with a shoulder injury and Seranthony Dominguez was shipped to Toronto at the trade deadline. The left-hander made eight saves in August and September, although he also squandered three chances. Akin’s handling and average speed don’t make him an obvious candidate, but he entered the offseason as the potential favorite for the role. Baltimore then added a pair of backend arms Ryan Helsley And Andrew Kittredgeall but guaranteeing that Akin will slide back into a role focused on the 7th and 8th innings.
Last season saw Akin make a few adjustments to the on-field arsenal. He increased his substitution usage to a career-high 19.9%. The pitch held opponents to a measly .103 batting average. It was his most effective offering in terms of run value (+6). Akin also adjusted the movement of his fastball, adding two inches of horizontal break and more than an inch of vertical drop. That adjustment didn’t go so well, as hitters batted .566 against Akin’s heater. It generated a negative Run Value for the first time in its career.
#Keegan #Akin #loses #arbitration #hearing