Orioles' Cobb wanted to help contending team win: 'It's almost the opposite'

The offseason didn't go the way a lot of free agents had planned, and Alex Cobb has now found himself in an especially precarious situation early in his tenure with the Baltimore Orioles.

Cobb was one of a couple free agent starting pitchers to go unsigned until spring training camps had already opened. In late March, the right-hander wound up agreeing to a four-year deal with the Orioles worth $57 million.

The 30-year-old Cobb got chased after 3 1/3 innings against the Detroit Tigers on Thursday, allowing seven runs - five earned - on 10 hits and one walk while striking out four. Over two starts with his new team, Cobb has a 15.43 ERA in seven innings.

"You come into the offseason wanting to, when you're a free agent, to join a team and join a winning team and contribute and be a big reason why they're winning ballgames," Cobb told Jon Meoli of The Baltimore Sun after getting swept by the Tigers on Thursday. "I feel like it's almost the opposite right now."

"It's my job to get better and get better as quick as possible and come out here and try to be that guy I wanted to be in the beginning."

With Detroit's sweep of Baltimore, the Orioles dropped to 5-14 on the season, sliding into last place in the American League East; behind the similarly-destitute Tampa Bay Rays at 5-13. Heading into Thursday, the Orioles' pitching staff ranked 12th in ERA in the AL, ahead of the Rays, Kansas City Royals, and Chicago White Sox. Dylan Bundy alone has been worth 1.1 WAR, while the remainder of the Orioles' staff has combined to be worth minus-0.4 WAR.