Dexter Fowler’s tenure in Baltimore was short-lived.
Two days after the free-agent outfielder reportedly agreed to a deal with the Orioles, he showed up at Cubs camp. Reports soon followed that he had backed out of the Baltimore deal and re-inked with Chicago on a one-year, $8 million deal with a $9 million Cubs option for next season and a $5 million buyout.
It had been widely reported Tuesday that the 29-year-old had a contract set with Baltimore worth $35 million, and only upon his arrival in Mesa, Ariz., to new, unsuspecting teammates, did word get out that he had spurned Baltimore and passed on a difference of $22 million guaranteed.
That’s not the story Fowler’s agent wants being told, though.
Casey Close released a statement Thursday night blasting the team that allegedly spread the “rumors” of a deal being reached, and the media for reporting it.
“In my 25 years in this business, never before have I witnessed such irresponsible behavior on so many fronts,” the statement from Excel Sports Management said. “Both the Orioles front office and members of the media were so busy recklessly spreading rumors that they forgot or simply chose not to concern themselves with the truth.”
The truth, according to Close: A deal was never reached, and Baltimore broke free-agency rules in leaking out that one had.
“The Orioles’ willful disregard of collectively bargained rules governing free agency and the media’s eager complicity in helping the Orioles violate those rules are reprehensible,” the statement reads.
According to the Baltimore Sun, Fowler had a three-year deal struck with Baltimore before deciding Chicago “is where my heart is.” Suddenly without Fowler, Baltimore has unknown Dariel Alvarez plugged in at right field as rumors begin anew about the Reds’ Jay Bruce.
Fowler played 2015 with the Cubs, batting .250 with 17 home runs, 46 RBIs and 20 steals. On a one-year deal with a mutual option for 2017, he re-joins an already formidable outfield, which features phenom Kyle Schwarber, free-agent splash Jason Heyward and top-prospect Jorge Soler.
It makes a stacked Cubs lineup that carried the team into the NLCS last season even more imposing and more deep, which is bad news for the Mets and the rest of the National League. And especially bad news for the Orioles.