Orioles, Darren O'Day agree to two-year deal

The Baltimore Orioles have avoided arbitration with all of their eligible players. Darren O'Day was the last player left to sign, and the team took care of his extension today. O'Day is getting two years from the Orioles and will be paid at least $5.8 million.

Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun reports that the extension includes a team option for the 2015 season. If the club picks up that option, they will have to pay the 30-year old pitcher an additional $4.25 million. If the Orioles do not exercise the option, they will have to pay a $400,000 buy out. O'Day was in his third year of arbitration eligibility. This deal buys out his final two years of eligibility, and if Baltimore exercises the 2015 option, the contract will buy out one year of free agency.

Connolly points out that the Orioles generally require physicals before finalizing any extensions. O'Day will have to undergo one before he is officially given the two years guaranteed. If there's anything we've learned this offseason, it's that physicals are not just for show (we're looking at you Mike Napoli and Francisco Liriano).

Related: Orioles sign Jim Johnson.

O'Day has been with four Major League teams in his short career thus far. He was signed as an amateur free agent by the Los Angeles Angels in 2006. From there he made his big league debut with the Angels, was drafted by the New York Mets in the 2008 Rule 5 Draft, and then was eventually selected off waivers by both the Texas Rangers and the Orioles. It's been a long journey for O'Day, but he is finally getting guaranteed money.

Last season, O'Day made 69 relief appearances for the O's. He posted a 2.28 ERA. And that's not a fluke. In his career, O'Day has a 2.72 ERA. He had an incredibly low 1.84 ERA in 68 games combined between the Mets and the Rangers in 2009. The Orioles love him in their pen, and the team has shown it is committed to a strong bullpen. They understand that's part of how they ended their playoff drought this past season.