Korean pitcher Suk-min Yoon has an agreement with the Orioles pending a physical, sources said. MLB.com Orioles reporter Brittany Ghiroli reports the deal is for three years and $5.75 million.
Considering the Orioles' soap-operatic winter, this may be especially welcome news in Baltimore.
Yoon's deal is pending a physical, but early word seems to be that he's in good shape to pass -- something that's been no certainty with the Orioles this offseason.
Yoon added an element of drama when he appeared to transmit the news via a tweet of a picture with himself in an Orioles cap. @MyKBO, a Korean baseball expert, understandably interpreted the tweet to mean that Yoon was headed to the Orioles -- though later reports from Baltimore suggested no deal was yet in place.
The Orioles are described as "tight-lipped" following the public issues with the physicals of Grant Balfour and Tyler Colvin. Balfour wound up signing with the Rays after a physical issue allegedly surfaced in the Orioles' medical exam, and a pre-existing back injury derailed the Colvin agreement on a major-league deal.
The third one may be the charm for the Orioles, though. Yoon is a former Korea Baseball organization MVP, going 17-5 with a 2.45 ERA and winning the honor in 2011. He was 3-6 with a 4.00 ERA and seven saves last year. The Orioles may consider him as a starter or reliever -- assuming the deal soon becomes final.
