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Orioles re-sign Michael Bourn to minor-league deal

The veteran outfielder returns to Baltimore after a long winter.

MLB: AL Wild Card-Baltimore Orioles at Toronto Blue Jays Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports

The Orioles have re-signed outfielder Michael Bourn to a minor-league deal, as first reported by MASN’s Roch Kubatko. The deal will reportedly guarantee $2 million at the major-league level.

Bourn has been consistently linked to the O’s throughout the winter, though other teams were surely involved considering how far his free agency pushed into spring training. He would appear to have a strong shot at making the club’s Opening Day roster, serving as a backup option alongside Joey Rickard behind projected starters Hyun-soo Kim, Adam Jones and Seth Smith.

Bourn, who turned 34 in December, appeared in 24 games for the Orioles last year after coming over from the Diamondbacks in a waiver deadline trade on Aug. 31. He hit .283/.358/.435 with two steals in 55 plate appearances for Baltimore, ending the season with a combined .264/.314/.371 line in 113 games for Arizona and Baltimore.

Despite exclusively playing in center previously in his career, Bourn has appeared at all three outfield spots in each of the last two seasons. He is a veteran of 11 major-league seasons with the Phillies (2006-07), Astros (2008-11), Braves (2011-12, 2015), Indians (2013-15), Diamondbacks (2016) and Orioles (2016).