Outfielder Dexter Fowler re-signed with the Cubs just like everyone said he would … oh wait!

It was one of the stranger stories that surfaced over the past few days. It appeared that Cubs outfielder Dexter Fowler was going to leave Chicago and sign with the Baltimore Orioles. It was a done deal. There was nothing that was going to stand in the way of Fowler leaving the Cubs and taking his talents eastward. But a funny thing happened at Spring Training. He returned to the Cubs.

But let’s backtrack. Let’s look back at what happened. It seemed like this was a done deal for the Orioles. When you have one of the national MLB insiders like ESPN’s Buster Olney saying Fowler to the Orioles for three years, you believe it’s a done deal:

Orioles & OF Dexter Fowler have agreed to terms on a 3-year deal. (via @Buster_ESPN & multiple reports) pic.twitter.com/GHcmGgAJM5

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) February 24, 2016

Jon Heyman was on board:

orioles agree to 3-year deal with dexter fowler. theyve been busy. @masnRoch 1st

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) February 24, 2016

Multiple reports? Yes. Plenty of them:

MLB Trade Rumors: “Orioles to Sign Dexter Fowler”

WGN: “Former Cubs outfield Dexter Fowler signs with the Orioles: Reports”

Fox News: “Orioles, Dexter Fowler reportedly agree on 3-year, $35 million deal”

And there are other sites that reported that Fowler signed with the Orioles, but they changed their stories once he returned to the Cubs. Fowler’s agent issued this scathing statement attacking the O’s after Fowler’s return to the Cubs was made official:

Casey Close Statement Regarding Dexter Fowler: pic.twitter.com/z4wQ8q312U

— excel sports (@excelsm) February 25, 2016

Interesting how these things happen. While everyone was certainly led to believe that Fowler-to-the-Orioles was set in stone, it’s funny how something happened on the way to the signing. It appears that Fowler asked for an opt-out clause, something the Orioles were not willing to give, so the deal fell apart. Funny how these things happen.