The Orioles have re-signed left-hander Wade LeBlanc to a minor league contract with an invitation to MLB camp, Jon Morosi of MLB.com tweets. LeBlanc will earn a $700K salary if he makes it to the majors this year.
The Orioles signed LeBlanc to a minors pact last offseason, and while he did ultimately earn a roster spot, he didn’t perform especially well or stay healthy. The journeyman ended up posting an 8.06 ERA/5.77 SIERA in 22 1/3 innings and six starts. LeBlanc’s season concluded near the end of August because of a stress fracture in his pitching elbow.
Although the soft-tossing LeBlanc wasn’t effective in 2020, Baltimore is still willing to take a low-risk chance on him again. The 36-year-old swingman does own a useful 4.55 ERA in 882 1/3 innings since he debuted in 2008, and the Orioles could use a veteran option – particularly if their potential Alex Cobb trade with the Angels goes through.