Bud Norris signed a contract with the Orioles on Thursday to avoid arbitration, the Baltimore Sun's Dan Connolly reports.

Norris signed a contract with the Orioles on Thursday to avoid arbitration, the Baltimore Sun's Dan Connolly reports.

Analysis:

Details weren't initially available but Norris will likely get a modest raise from his $3 million salary in 2013. With the Orioles yet to make any noise in free agency this offseason, Norris looks like a strong candidate to open 2014 in the starting rotation. After coming over from Houston in a July 2013 trade, Norris posted a 4.80 ERA in 11 appearances (nine starts) for the Orioles, with 57 strikeouts and 24 walks over 50.2 innings. As always, he has the potential to rack up strikeouts but isn't a good bet to help fantasy owners with ERA or WHIP. If the Baltimore offense is among the league's best again, Norris could be a nice source of wins, whether or not he's effective on the mound.