Seattle designated Taveras for assignment in mid-June. He cleared waivers and was sent straight to Triple-A Tacoma. The Mariners acquired him in early May via a waiver claim from Texas. Taveras declared free agency a few weeks ago.
Taveras played the past five seasons in the big league with the Rangers. He made his debut in 2020 in a part-time role. Taveras didn’t provide much at the plate over his first three seasons, but offered strong defense in center field and some speed on the base paths. The following year he was given a bigger role, playing in 143 games. After totaling 660 plate appearances from 2020 to 2022, he reached 554 in 2023. Taveras hit 14 home runs and stole 14 bases while slashing .266/.312/.421.
The strong 2023 helped Taveras maintain a big role in 2024, although he fell off as a hitter. He posted an 84 wRC+ over 529 plate appearances. Taveras stole 23 bases in his career, but hit only .229. Notably, Taveras qualified for arbitration ahead of the 2024 season given his Super Two status. He earned $2.55 million that year. Taveras and the Rangers agreed to a $4.75 million deal through 2025, but luxury tax considerations sparked trade rumors. Texas ended up keeping him around, but Taveras hit the board. He slashed .241/.259/.342 in 30 games with Texas before being let go. He continued to struggle after joining the Mariners, hitting .174 over 98 plate appearances.
Baltimore will take a flyer on Taveras as potential center field depth. Tyler O’Neill will be back for the Orioles, likely accompanied by a combination of Colton Cowser, Dylan BeversAnd Dylan Carlson in the outfield. Although Taveras had disappointing results this past season with Statcast’s Fielding Run Value, the Orioles could still view him as a reliable defensive alternative to their current options.
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