The Orioles granted Watkins free agency Monday after outrighting him off the 40-man roster over the weekend, Rich Dubroff of BaltimoreBaseball.com reports.
The 29-year-old right-hander reached the majors for the first time in 2021, but he did little to prove he belonged there. Over 16 outings (10 starts) with Baltimore, Watkins delivered an 8.07 ERA and 1.70 WHIP in 54.2 innings. He'll almost certainly have to settle for a minor-league deal with the Orioles or another organization this winter.