Headlines

Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Orioles Rumors

Orioles Designate Emmanuel Rivera For Assignment

By | at

The Orioles have designated infielder Emmanuel Rivera for assignment and reinstated Jordan Westburg from the 10-day injured list, per a team announcement. Baltimore also optioned lefty Grant Wolfram to Triple-A Norfolk, clearing a spot for the activation of lefty Jose Castillo, whom the O’s claimed off waivers yesterday.

Rivera, 29, came to the Orioles following a DFA in Miami last summer. He erupted for a .313/.370/.578 slash and four homers in 73 plate appearances down the stretch, prompting the O’s to tender him a $1MM contract in the offseason. He hasn’t replicated that output in 2025, however. Through 127 turns at the plate, Rivera has logged a tepid .250/.291/.283 slash that more closely resembles his career .245/.305/.360 output in 1169 plate appearances.

He’s still a quality defender at third base and has added some experience at first base, but Rivera is out of minor league options and thus couldn’t simply be sent to the minors without first being removed from the 40-man roster by way of a DFA. He’ll now be made available to the game’s 29 other teams via outright waivers. If and when he clears, Rivera would have the right to reject a minor league assignment in favor of free agency (both by virtue of having more than three years of MLB service and a prior outright in his career).

It’s been a stop-and-start year for the 26-year-old Westburg. He’s been highly productive when healthy enough to take the field but has endured lengthy IL stints owing to both a hamstring strain and a right ankle sprain. He’s just now returning from the latter of those two maladies after spending nearly a month on the shelf.

When he’s been able to take the field, Westburg has popped 25 extra-base hits (15 homers, nine doubles, one triple) and recorded a stout .276/.326/.473 batting line while splitting his time between third base and second base. Dating back to last season, Westburg has belted 33 home runs in just 751 plate appearances — despite being a right-handed hitter in a ballpark that overwhelmingly sapped right-handed power in 2024 (before altering their left field dimensions this past offseason).

Westburg is controllable for another four seasons in Baltimore and won’t be eligible for arbitration until after the 2026 season. He’s been limited to just 73 games this season, but he’s demonstrated potential 30-homer pop if he can remain healthy for a full year. He’ll enter the offseason lined up as the Orioles’ starter at third base, joining shortstop Gunnar Henderson and second baseman Jackson Holliday as locks in the infield at Camden Yards.

Former top prospect Coby Mayo is currently getting plenty of run at first base but has yet to solidify himself as a credible hitter at the MLB level. Samuel Basallo, another touted prospect (whom the Orioles recently extended), will also be in the mix for reps at first base. Longtime O’s slugger Ryan Mountcastle is also still in the picture, but he’s slumping badly to close out a down year overall and will be owed a raise on this year’s $6.78MM salary ahead of his final season of club control, making him a non-tender or trade candidate.

Orioles Claim Jose Castillo, Designate Carson Ragsdale

By | at

The Orioles announced Monday that they’ve claimed left-handed reliever Jose Castillo off waivers from the Mariners. Righty Carson Ragsdale was designated for assignment in a corresponding move. Baltimore also placed righty Albert Suarez on the 15-day IL due to right elbow discomfort and recalled fellow righties Chayce McDermott and Yaramil Hiraldo from Triple-A Norfolk.

Castillo, 29, joins his fourth team of the 2025 season. He’s suited up for not only the Mariners but also the Mets and D-backs. The well-traveled southpaw has pitched 24 2/3 innings and turned in a 4.38 ERA with a 19.5% strikeout rate and 9.3% walk rate. He’s tallied three holds in five situations, but lefties (.390/.469/.561) and righties (.300/.377/.455) have both hit well against Castillo in limited appearances.

This marks Castillo’s first generally healthy season since his rookie year in 2018, when he pitched 38 1/3 innings of 3.29 ERA ball for the Padres. Injuries decimated the lefty’s career; he pitched only 1 2/3 big league innings combined from 2019-24 and didn’t top 37 2/3 innings at the minor league level in any season along the way. Castillo can still be controlled another two seasons beyond the current year, if he sticks on the Orioles’ 40-man roster.

Ragsdale, 27, is a longtime Giants farmhand who made his way to the O’s via waivers earlier this summer. He made his big league debut with Baltimore, tossing three innings but serving up eight runs on nine hits and a walk with two strikeouts. The 2020 fourth-rounder had solid numbers throughout much of his minor league tenure but has stumbled to a 4.87 earned run average with just a 19.7% strikeout rate and a 12% walk rate.

Ragsdale notched a 2.93 ERA in High-A and a 3.49 mark in Double-A, but he’s barely kept his ERA under 5.00 in parts of two Triple-A seasons. He’s sitting 92.6 mph on his four-seamer this year, complementing the pitch with a high-70s curveball and a splitter — the former of which has previously drawn plus grades in scouting reports. Ragsdale has two minor league option years remaining beyond the current season, which could heighten his appeal to clubs in need of pitching depth.

As for the 35-year-old Suarez, this elbow issue will end his season. He’s missed most of the 2025 campaign due to a separate shoulder injury. Suarez pitched well in 11 2/3 big league innings between injuries, logging a 2.31 ERA with a 10-to-2 K/BB ratio. The journeyman righty was a godsend for the O’s in 2024, going from a minor league signee to a key member of the staff who tossed 133 2/3 innings with a 3.70 ERA.

Suarez pitched in the majors with the Giants from 2016-17 and then spent the 2019-23 seasons starring in Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball (2019-21) and the Korea Baseball Organization (2022-23). The O’s can control him for three more seasons via arbitration, but it’s not clear how severe his current elbow ailment is or how much time it might cause him to miss.

Orioles Notes: Kantrovitz, Dubin, Ragsdale, Rutschman

By | at

The Orioles reached out to Cubs VP of scouting Dan Kantrovitz about a possible interview for their general manager opening, according to 670 The Score’s Bruce Levine.  However, it appears as though Kantrovitz declined the offer, as he isn’t looking to leave the Cubs organization.

Kantrovitz has over 21 years of baseball operations experience, split over stints with the Cardinals, Athletics, and Cubs.  He has been in his current position since leaving Oakland for Wrigleyville in September 2019, and he received some interest from the Angels (in 2020) and Mets (in 2023) for higher-level front office positions.  There wasn’t any indication that he actually interviewed for those jobs either, yet it isn’t surprising that clubs keep showing interest considering the Cubs’ strong prospect depth

Since Kantrovitz started overseeing Chicago’s drafts, the team has amassed a farm system that many pundits rank among the game’s best.  Such homegrown names like Cade Horton and Matt Shaw are contributing to the Cubs’ success in 2025, and the club has also used its prospect depth to swing some prominent trades, such as last winter’s blockbuster with the Astros that saw 2024 first-rounder Cam Smith included as part of the package that landed Kyle Tucker.

There are some past ties between Kantrovitz and Orioles president of baseball operations Mike Elias, as the two worked together in the St. Louis front office from 2007-09.  This naturally doesn’t mean that the O’s are looking just for candidates Elias is personally familiar with, but Kantrovitz’s amateur scouting background is perhaps a hint about what the Orioles are prioritizing in their GM search.

It was only earlier this week that we learned a GM search was even underway, when news broke about Elias’ promotion to PBO last offseason and the Orioles’ plan to hire a general manager to act as Elias’ chief lieutenant in baseball ops.  Levine writes that Kantrovitz was a “short list” candidate for Baltimore, which indicates that the team might have moved beyond an initial stage of the process, even as they’re still rounding up interview candidates.

In other Orioles news, the club placed right-hander Shawn Dubin on the 15-day injured list (retroactive to September 13) due to right elbow discomfort.  Interim manager Tony Mansolino told the Baltimore Sun’s Jacob Calvin Meyer and other reporters that Dubin will undergo an MRI, and there is “some concern there” over a possible serious injury.

Dubin has been with the O’s for less than three weeks, since he was claimed off waivers from the Astros.  Now in his third MLB season, Dubin struggled to a 5.61 ERA over 25 2/3 innings with Houston this year, but he improved to a 3.38 ERA over eight innings and seven appearances since arriving in Baltimore.  Dubin didn’t allow a run over his first six outings as an Oriole, but in his final appearance before his IL placement, he was charged with three runs in 1 2/3 innings against the Blue Jays on Friday.

Injuries have been the larger story of Dubin’s season.  Shoulder problems and then a sprained ankle kept him sidelined through all of Spring Training and delayed his 2025 debut until May 11.  He later missed about seven weeks due to a forearm strain, and the combination of that forearm issue plus this new elbow discomfort raises the ominous specter of UCL damage.

To fill Dubin’s spot on the active roster, Carson Ragsdale was called up from Triple-A Norfolk, and the righty made his Major League debut in today’s 11-2 loss to the Blue Jays.  It was far from a dream debut for Ragsdale, as he allowed eight runs over three innings against the AL East leaders.

Ragsdale is another new arrival in the organization, as the Orioles claimed him off waivers from the Giants in early August.  A fourth-round pick for the Phillies in 2020 draft, Ragsdale struggled with San Francisco’s Triple-A affiliate over the last two seasons, though his bottom-line numbers picked up in Norfolk.  For the season as a whole, however, Ragsdale’s strikeout rate plummeted to 19.7% after posting K-rates of well over 30% in the lower minor league levels.  His homer rate also spiked during his time with Triple-A Sacramento and the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League, but he had better luck in keeping the ball in the park during his brief time in Norfolk.

Finally, it looks like Adley Rutschman is on pace to make it back to the Orioles’ lineup before the season is over.  The catcher hasn’t played since August 17 due to a right oblique strain, but Mansolino said Rutschman is probably going to be starting a rehab assignment in the near future.

Though Baltimore is playing out the string, getting into a few more games will hopefully allow Rutschman to finish a tough year on some kind of high note.  The former All-Star has hit just .227/.310/.373 over 348 plate appearances, while missing extended periods of time due strains of both his right and left oblique.

Latest On The Orioles’ Managerial Plans

By | at

The Orioles fired manager Brandon Hyde back in May, and since then Tony Mansolino has taken over managerial duties on an interim basis. Mansolino has done reasonably well in the role, as the Orioles have gone on to post a 54-50 record during his time as their interim manager. Turning a team that had one of the worst records in baseball around enough that they’ve won more games than they’ve lost over the past four months is an impressive feat, but Rich Dubroff of Baltimore Baseball suggests that this success doesn’t necessarily mean that Mansolino is a lock to be hired on a permanent basis.

Instead, Dubroff suggests that newly-minted president of baseball operations Mike Elias is likely to conduct a “lengthy” search, and while Mansolino could still be hired in the end the vacancy is likely to attract interest from a number of interesting candidates. It’s easy to see why that would be the case, when comparing Baltimore to the other teams with managerial vacancies. The presence of Paul Skenes gives the Pirates tantalizing potential, but they’ve already wasted his first two seasons under club control and have shown little interest in investing in the team’s payroll to improve the on-field product. The Rockies may not be quite as bad as the 2024 White Sox, but they’re close enough with 108 games already lost this season. The Nationals, meanwhile, have been mired in a rebuild for years and have struggled to get consistency out of even their most talented pieces.

By contrast, the Orioles have an impressive group of positional talent led by a legitimate star in Gunnar Henderson. Jordan Westburg and Adley Rutschman are reliable, proven pieces, and young talents like Jackson Holliday, Coby Mayo, Samuel Basallo, and Colton Cowser offer reason for optimism that more offensive output is on the way in future seasons. While the club’s pitching staff needs work and the offense is perhaps a little too reliant on young talent stepping forward next year, Baltimore seems likely to be more aggressive in improving the team this offseason than any of the aforementioned clubs on top of having a stronger baseline of talent.

Given the likely attractiveness of the Orioles job, Dubroff suggests that a wide range of potential names could emerge as candidates. He specifically name-checks a handful of former managers such as Brad Ausmus and Scott Servais and a trio of active bench coaches (Ryan Flaherty of the Cubs, Danny Lehman of the Dodgers, and George Lombard of the Tigers). One name Dubroff makes clear will not be leading the Orioles’ dugout in 2026 is former manager Buck Showalter, who he notes would “not be a good match” with Elias.

One internal candidate aside from Mansolino gets a mention from Dubroff, as well: John Mabry. Mabry was hired as a senior advisor not long after Hyde’s firing, and brings 14 years in the big leagues to the table as well as stints as a hitting coach for the Cardinals, Royals, and Marlins. Dubroff describes Mabry as a “long-shot” candidate for the role, however, which makes some sense; it would be something of a surprise if the Orioles decided to go with an internal hire and didn’t simply retain Mansolino in the role, given his overall success this year.

While it stands to reason that the Orioles are at least considering many of the names Dubroff mentioned, it should be noted that with two weeks to go in the regular season it’s very likely that the full field of managerial vacancies and candidates won’t come together for a while yet. Atlanta skipper Brian Snitker, for example, has not yet decided on whether he’ll retire following the 2025 campaign. There’s always the possibility that another position or two open up as we get closer to the end of the season, when teams around the league take the annual opportunity to evaluate their dugout and front office personnel.

Orioles Promoted Mike Elias Prior To 2025 Season

By | at

Mike Elias quietly received a promotion in the offseason, per reporting from Ken Rosenthal and Brittany Ghiroli of The Athletic. His previous title with the Orioles was general manager but he was promoted to president of baseball operations before the 2025 campaign began. No announcement was made and the development wasn’t publicly reported until today. Today’s report adds that the O’s plan to hire a GM to work under Elias.

The title change is largely ceremonial. Elias was already the leader in the Baltimore front office. Bumping his title presumably came with some kind of pay increase and contract extension but his job duties should be essentially the same.

He was originally hired by the O’s in November of 2018. The club had just seen their competitive window slam shut. They were a good team for most of the decade up until that point but many of their biggest investments had fallen flat as key players aged.

The early years of the Elias tenure saw the club clearly in rebuilding mode. They spent almost nothing in free agency for many years. Established major league players were traded for prospects. The club lost at least 108 games in each full season from 2018 to 2021.

The consequence of all that losing was the ability to build up a strong farm system. MLB had not yet implemented a draft lottery and the associated rules around teams getting strong draft picks in consecutive years. From 2019 to 2022, the O’s had one of the top five picks in the draft. They took Adley Rutschman first overall in 2019, followed by Heston Kjerstad second overall, Colton Cowser fifth and Jackson Holliday first in the following years. They were also able to grab Gunnar Henderson with a second-round pick in 2019 and Jordan Westburg with a competitive balance round pick in 2020.

The roots of that system eventually blossomed in the majors. The O’s went 83-79 in 2022. They didn’t make the playoffs but that was a huge step forward from their 110-loss campaign in the prior season. More progress followed, as they won 101 and 91 games in 2023 and 2024 respectively. The former campaign saw them win the American League East, while the latter led to a Wild Card spot.

The O’s were swept out of the postseason in both of those years but the trend lines appeared to be fairly good. The club was winning and a lot of the core players were still young, controllable and affordable.

During that span, there had been a change in ownership. The Angelos family sold the club to a group led by David Rubenstein. That sale became official in March of 2024. The 2024-2025 offseason was therefore the first of the Rubenstein era. It seems the new owner was pleased with the way the front office was being run, based on the news of this promotion.

There was plenty of optimism around the club as of last winter, though a lot of that has dissipated since. Many expected Rubenstein to take the O’s to a greater level of spending on the player payroll. The O’s did sign a few guys but didn’t do anything really bold. Their three-year, $49.5MM deal for Tyler O’Neill was a bit bigger than anything they had done in recent memory but not by too much. They also made a few one-year investments in older pitchers like Charlie Morton, Tomoyuki Sugano and Andrew Kittredge.

Those investments largely didn’t work out. Many of the club’s core players got injured and/or underperformed this year. Put together, that resulted in a dreary first half, which led to a deadline sell-off. The O’s traded away Morton, Kittredge and plenty of other players ahead of the deadline. They are now 68-77 and 9.5 games back of a playoff spot. They will certainly miss the postseason and will likely finish with a losing record as well.

Elias received his promotion prior to all of that happening but it will naturally lead to more pressure to turn things around. The O’s still have a lot of talent on the roster but they traded away a lot of their bullpen and might be without Félix Bautista for all of 2026. The rotation is also a big question mark with Morton gone, Sugano an impending free agent and Grayson Rodriguez having missed the entire 2025 season.

It’s possible the club can be better next year simply by getting healthier seasons from their controllable core but the front office might also want to increase the margin for error by more aggressively making offseason upgrades. Time will tell what kind of approach they take. As for the GM search, it’s unclear what sort of timeline they have in mind but they will likely want to make a hire by the early part of the offseason, if not sooner.

Photo courtesy of Tim Heitman, Mark J. Rebilas, Imagn Images

AL East Notes: Abreu, Kremer, Sugano, Goldschmidt

By | at

Wilyer Abreu was (retroactively) placed on the 10-day injured list on August 18 due to a right calf strain, and some eyebrows were raised last Sunday when both Abreu and Red Sox manager Alex Cora didn’t have any sort of timeline in place for the outfielder’s return, other than Abreu stressing that he wanted to “be ready for the playoffs.”  Some literal steps in the right direction were taken this weekend when Cora told MassLive.com’s Chris Cotillo and other reporters that Abreu took part in running activities on both Friday and Saturday.

Cora described the drills as “the start of the progression,” and noted that Abreu “wasn’t at full speed.”  The skipper didn’t have any more details about when Abreu could be tapped for a minor league rehab assignment or an activation from the IL.  While naturally the Red Sox won’t rush Abreu for fear of re-aggravating his injury, there is some increased urgency to bolster the outfield now that Roman Anthony’s regular season has possibly been ended by an oblique strain.  What was once an overcrowded outfield picture in Boston has been thinned out by the loss of two regulars, leaving the Sox with a Rob Refsnyder/Nate Eaton timeshare in right field since Anthony’s IL placement.

More from around the AL East…

  • It seems like Dean Kremer has avoided the worst, as an MRI came back clean on the Orioles starter’s right forearm.  Kremer had to make an early exit from Friday’s start due to forearm soreness, and interim manager Tony Mansolino told MASNsports.com’s Roch Kubatko and other reporters that the O’s will skip Kremer’s next turn in the rotation as a precaution.  However, Kremer has already been throwing to test his readiness, and may be able to avoid the injured list altogether.  The righty has been a source of stability within an injury-marred pitching staff, as Kremer has a 4.43 ERA over a team-leading 158 1/3 inning pitched.  The hits kept coming for the Orioles today, as the team announced that “foot discomfort” forced starter Tomoyuki Sugano out of the game in the fourth inning, after Sugano was struck in the foot by a hard comebacker to the mound.
  • Paul Goldschmidt’s playing time has already been reduced by his struggles at the plate, and Yankees manager Aaron Boone told media (including MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch) that the first baseman is also dealing with a bone bruise on his left knee.  Tests revealed no structural damage and Goldschmidt is officially day to day, though Boone said Goldschmidt only would’ve played yesterday in an emergency scenario.  After a scorching start to 2025, Goldschmidt has been in a slump that has now stretched beyond three months, as he has hit just .219/.265/.342 over his last 255 plate appearances.  Goldschmidt might’ve already been trying to play through a knee sprain suffered in mid-August, and the bone bruise only adds to his difficulties in attempting to get on track for the postseason push.

Davey Johnson Passes Away

By | at

Longtime Major League manager and infielder Davey Johnson passed away on Friday at age 82.  A four-time All-Star during his 13-year playing career, Johnson went on to manage five different teams over 17 seasons as a manager, capturing a World Series with the Mets in 1986.

Breaking into the majors with the Orioles in 1965, he emerged as Baltimore’s everyday second baseman the following year, and finished third in AL Rookie of the Year voting.  Johnson also won his first World Series ring that same season, adding a second with the Orioles in 1970.  Such superstar teammates as Brooks Robinson, Frank Robinson, and Jim Palmer drew most of the headlines during this golden age of Orioles baseball, but Johnson provided excellent glovework (three Gold Gloves) and above-average offense while locking down the keystone.

Johnson delivered one more All-Star season with the Braves in 1973, hitting 43 home runs in what stood as the single-season record for a second baseman until Marcus Semien went yard 45 times with the 2021 Blue Jays.  Johnson’s production then declined in 1974, and he spent the 1975-76 playing in Japan with the Yomiuri Giants.  It was something of a tumultuous two-year run that saw Johnson fight through some injuries to ultimately help the Giants reach the 1976 Japan Series, and Johnson then returned to the majors for his final two MLB seasons with the Phillies and Cubs in 1977-78.

Regarded as a future manager even early in his career, Johnson indeed turned to minor league managing almost immediately after retiring as a player, and started managing in the Mets’ farm system beginning in 1981.  This led to a promotion as the Mets’ big league skipper in 1984, and Johnson immediately led New York to a string of five straight seasons with at least 90 wins.  This excellent run included a pair of NL East titles in 1986 and 1988, highlighted by the 108-win team in 1986 that remains the most recent Mets club to capture a World Series title.

Things eventually soured between Johnson and Mets GM Frank Cashen, leading to Johnson’s firing in 1990.  This essentially set the tone for the rest of Johnson’s managerial career — he would lead a team to success, yet would be dismissed relatively quickly due to clashes with ownership or upper management.  Johnson’s next four stints as a skipper saw him never stay with a team for longer than three seasons, even though Johnson had a sub-.500 record in just one of his eight final full seasons as a manager.

For instance, Johnson’s feud with infamous former Reds owner Marge Schott saw Johnson dismissed after the 1995  season, even though he led Cincinnati to the NL Central title and a NLDS victory over the Dodgers that remains the Reds’ most recent postseason series win.  Johnson then returned to his old stomping grounds and led the Orioles to postseason appearances in both 1996 and 1997, but even winning AL Manager of the Year honors in 1997 didn’t smooth over a dispute between Johnson and O’s owner Peter Angelos.

Johnson managed the Dodgers to a 163-161 record in 1999-2000, marking the only time Johnson didn’t lead a team to at least one postseason berth as a manager.  He spent much of the next decade managing in international baseball, while also working for the Nationals in a consulting role (beginning in 2006) that paved the way for his final managerial job in 2011, when Johnson took over as interim skipper following Jim Riggleman’s resignation.  Johnson was made the full-time skipper following that initial year in Washington, and won NL Manager of the Year honors for leading the Nats to their first NL East crown in 2012.  Johnson was 70 years old during his final season in Washington, however, and the Lerner family didn’t view him as a long-term manager, so Johnson retired after an 86-win season in 2013.

Known for his brash personality, Johnson’s outspoken ways may have hurt him in terms of keeping steady employment, yet it certainly aided his ability to manage a clubhouse.  Johnson was viewed as being somewhat ahead of his time in terms of running a team, being one of the first skippers to use some analytics to help in formulating his game plans.  A mathematics major during his college days, Johnson’s reputation for using analytics to gain an edge on the field earned him the ironic nickname of “Dum-Dum” from his Orioles teammates.

Johnson’s career managerial record was 1372-1071 over parts of 17 seasons.  His resume as a player includes 136 homers and a .261/.340/.404 slash line over 1435 games and 5465 plate appearances during his 13 MLB seasons, good for a 112 wRC+.  Though Johnson has fallen short of Hall of Fame induction on multiple veterans’ committee ballots, his overall body of work in baseball would certainly seem worthy of Cooperstown, and it can be argued that Johnson could deserve a HOF nod based on his managerial work alone.

We at MLB Trade Rumors express our condolences to Johnson’s family, friends, and peers.

Diamondbacks Claim Elvin Rodriguez

By | at

The D-backs have claimed righty Elvin Rodriguez off waivers from the Orioles, per announcements from both teams. Arizona transferred first baseman/designated hitter Pavin Smith to the 60-day injured list to open a spot on the 40-man roster. Smith was placed on the 10-day IL in late August, so the move to the 60-day injured list officially ends his season.

Rodriguez signed a split major league deal with the Brewers over the winter after pitching well in Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball from 2023-24. He pitched 18 2/3 innings with Milwaukee and just one inning with Baltimore, combining for an ugly 9.15 ERA between the two teams. He’s been far better in Triple-A, logging a combined 40 1/3 frames with a 4.46 ERA, 18.3% strikeout rate and 5.3% walk rate between Norfolk and Nashville.

The now-27-year-old Rodriguez made his MLB debut with the 2022 Tigers (29 2/3 innings) and pitched even more briefly with the 2023 Rays (3 1/3 innings). He’s allowed more than a run per inning in his 52 2/3 big league frames but has a decent track record in Triple-A and turned in a sparkling 1.80 ERA in 45 innings pitching in Japan. Rodriguez is in the second of three minor league option years. If the D-backs hold onto him into the 2026 season, he’d still have one option remaining, but given his rough performance in the majors this year, it’s far from a sure thing he’ll stick on the roster that long.

As for Smith, the quad injury will formally end a season that started in impressive fashion but faded as the year progressed. Smith hit .270/.348/.547 in 158 plate appearances last year and came roaring out of the gate with a .291/.347/.473 slash in 174 plate appearances through the end of May. He’s since cratered with a .208/.310/.375 batting line in 114 plate appearances and now won’t get a chance to pull himself out of that slump.

Even with the poor finish, Smith touts a .262/.357/.475 slash and 17 homers in 446 plate appearances dating back to last year. By measure of wRC+, he’s been 29% better than average in the batter’s box. The lefty-swinging Smith has the benefit of being platooned, and the D-backs will surely look to pair him up with a righty bat next year, but he’s emerged as a viable contributor on the strong side of a first base or DH platoon — a welcome development for a former top-10 pick who hit just .240/.319/.379 through his first 1094 MLB plate appearances from 2020-23.

Orioles Outright Corbin Martin

By | at

The Orioles announced that Corbin Martin accepted an outright assignment to Triple-A Norfolk. The right-hander cleared waivers after being designated for assignment on Tuesday. There has not yet been a resolution on Elvin Rodríguez, who was also DFA two days ago.

Martin spent a couple months in Tony Mansolino’s bullpen. He gave up 12 earned runs over 18 innings. Martin recorded a solid 25.8% strikeout rate but was plagued by walks and the home run ball. He gave up three runs apiece in his final two appearances against the Giants, though his defense let him down with a pair of errors in his last outing on August 31. While there was some poor luck in that appearance, Martin was pushed out when the O’s needed 40-man roster spots for Tyler Wells and Jorge Mateo.

Baltimore also ran Martin through outright waivers around the All-Star Break. He elected free agency that time but re-signed one day later. The 29-year-old decided not to try his luck on the open market this time around. It would’ve been too late into the season to be playoff eligible elsewhere. He’d likely have been looking at a minor league contract with a non-contender. It made more sense to stick with the O’s for the final weeks of the regular season. He’ll elect minor league free agency going into the offseason if the Orioles don’t call him back up this month.

Trevor Rogers’ Reemergence

By | at

At the 2024 trade deadline, the Orioles traded upper minors hitters Kyle Stowers and Connor Norby to the Marlins for reclamation starter Trevor Rogers. Many perceived it as an overpay, and the deal immediately went south. Rogers, who was carrying a 4.53 ERA for Miami, allowed 16 runs in 19 innings over his first four starts with the Orioles. Baltimore optioned him to Triple-A within three weeks and he was a non-factor for a postseason bound club.

This season didn't start out any better. Rogers began the year on the injured list with a right knee subluxation. Baltimore optioned him back to Triple-A when he was healthy. Outside of one strong spot start on May 24, the 6'5" lefty wasn't on the radar into the middle of June. Baltimore's big league rotation -- which was without Grayson Rodriguez, Kyle Bradish and Zach Eflin -- pitched so poorly that their season was more or less finished by the time they recalled Rogers on June 18.

Stowers added insult to injury by carrying Miami's lineup with a pair of power barrages in April and July. He's streaky but now looks like the Marlins' best position player. Even if Norby doesn't work out, Miami is thrilled with their end of the deal. As recently as the middle of June, it looked like a complete bust for Baltimore. It wasn't a lock they'd even tender Rogers a contract for his final season of arbitration.

Two months later, Rogers is the favorite to be on the Camden Yards mound for Opening Day 2026. He had a rocky first start after being recalled, giving up three runs without escaping the third inning against Tampa Bay. He has taken the ball 12 times since then and been the best pitcher in baseball.

Unlock Subscriber-Exclusive Articles Like This One With a Trade Rumors Front Office Subscription

BENEFITS
  • Access weekly subscriber-only articles by Tim Dierkes, Steve Adams, and Anthony Franco.
  • Join exclusive weekly live chats with Anthony.
  • Remove ads and support our writers.
  • Access GM-caliber tools like our MLB Contract Tracker
Show all

MLB Trade Rumors is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, MLB or MLB.com

Do not Sell or Share My Personal Information

hide arrows scroll to top