The Orioles placed Mark Trumbo on the 10-day DL due to a strain in his right rib cage, and the slugger will undergo an MRI tomorrow to determine the full extent of the injury. O’s skipper Buck Showalter told The Baltimore Sun’s Jon Meoli and other media that he is concerned Trumbo may have suffered an oblique strain, which generally means a DL stint of at least a month. After hitting 47 homers and posting a 123 wRC+ in 2016, Trumbo has delivered sub-replacement production this season, with -0.5 fWAR thanks to below-average defensive numbers and a .238/.300/.405 slash line and 17 homers through 443 plate appearances.
Here’s some deadline aftermath reaction from around the AL East…
- The Orioles weren’t deadline sellers nor were they significant buyers, leaving Dan Connolly of BaltimoreBaseball.com feeling underwhelmed by the team’s midseason deals. The acquisitions of Jeremy Hellickson and Tim Beckham, in Connolly’s opinion, leave the O’s just treading water instead of firmly making a postseason run or beginning a rebuild. “They aren’t significantly better. They didn’t keep up with their division rivals. And they didn’t get considerably better for the future,” Connolly writes.
- The Red Sox looked far and wide for bullpen help, with president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski telling reporters (including Chad Jennings of the Boston Herald) that the team considered over 20 right-handed relievers “and a lot of lefties, too.” Without revealing names, Dombrowski said that the Sox had interest in another relief pitcher who was traded within the last week, but the team that landed this mystery bullpen arm “gave a little more than we were willing to give at that particular time.” Of course, Boston’s quest for relievers ended in a big way today when the Sox acquired Addison Reed, who will step right into the eighth-inning role to set up closer Craig Kimbrel. Also of note, Dombrowski said that he didn’t get into any serious talks with other teams about starting pitching.
- The Blue Jays dealt away Francisco Liriano and Joe Smith today, though GM Ross Atkins told reporters (including Sportsnet’s Ben Nicholson-Smith and MLB.com’s Gregor Chisholm) that the team was “pretty close” on roughly 15 potential trades. Jose Bautista’s name was mentioned in talks, though “Nothing came to fruition where we had to say, is this something you would do or not do?” Atkins said, in regards to Bautista having no-trade protection via his 10-and-5 rights.
The Orioles have mad some mistakes, like any team. But the Chris Davis contract is a horrible overpay. The trumbo contract was an overpay. They need to blow it up, they have 1.5 years of machado if I remember correctly so their window slams shut when that happens with no help from their farm in sight
They won’t. Every fan and commentator and pundit and Keith Law can scream from now until kingdom come that the O’s can’t compete with their current roster, but as an O’s fan since the 70s I can say with 100% certainty that Angelos will NEVER approve blowing up the team. He will never try to sell the fans of Baltimore that losing badly for three years is the best way to gain long term success, because it doesn’t always work out that way. He will never intentionally field a non-competitive team.
Do I agree with his strategy? For the most part, no. Do I think I could build a better team than Duquette? Absolutely. Do either one of them care what I think? No. Angelos is a lawyer. He is a conservative, low-risk owner. Duquette has a scouting background, which explains why he goes looking at those players who were highly touted by scouts but for whatever reason haven’t lived up to their potential (see Beckham, Tim). The Orioles had 14 years of losing in their recent past. Angelos will never go back to that if he can at all avoid it, and especially would never do it on purpose as part of a rebuilding plan. Before Showalter came in and changed the culture here, the O’rioles were only relevant until Ravens training camp opened, and Angelos hasn’t forgotten this.
As an O’s fan myself our saving grace is that Angelos is 87. He can’t muck up the works for too many more years.
Baltimore better take a good hard look at the White Sox. I don’t know if that fan base would embrace a rebuild, but they seem to always take 1 step forward 2 steps back. I love Angelos as a person but I think he’s the main reason this team can never really excel.
A fine analogy. Both teams show that when you’re trying to win every year, you wind up never really trying to win.
As I said above, has nothing to do with the fan base embracing a rebuild and everything to do with Angelos not wanting to do it.
Same exact problem the White Sox had up until this year. Reinsdorf was the reason they wouldn’t rebuild, not the fans.
I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone say “I love Angelos as a person” on a sports site before.
I love Angelos — dying. Is that what you’re used too?
I’m relishing the thought of this team being stuck in the doldrums for the next 4 years. Hopefully the fan base will vote with their wallets and stay away. And when the O’s lose their MASN appeal, the RSDC is going to make Angelos wish he had just accepted their last decision. Now that this dispute has languished for so long, the RSDC will have real data indicating what “fair market value” is for the Nats, and they will get it. But due to Angelos incessant greed, the Os will get that amount too (the contract stipulated both teams gets the same amount.)
And since outside of baseball, the only programming MASN has is ESPN News and rodeos MASN will be unable to pay and become insolvent. And -poof- bye bye MASN. And the ensuing litigation (this time brought by the Nats owners) will expose exactly how much Angelos has used the Baltimore and DC regions to line his own pockets at the expense of not only the fans, but his minority partners. We already have a good idea of how much he has made to an extent, but it will be laid bare for all to see.
Attendance at Os games are going to be so low you would think every day is Freddie Gray day. Fire up those Mayflower moving vans and send the team to Indianapolis.
Why did Baltimore give Trumbo that contract? He hit 40 homers and was still an unimpressive player. That was a land mine deal waiting to happen that they should’ve seen.
Angelos. He is the O’s Chris Carter.
if the Orioles want any sort of competitiveness in the next 10 years they have to trade Britton & Machado during the winter. I don’t see either resigning, and with the Orioles giving away their international signing money like it grows on trees, and them historically not drafting very well, the only way for them to rebuild back to being a competitive team is trading Britton & Machado. If they both start 2018 with Baltimore the Orioles will be stuck in mediocrity for a very, very, long time.
You are absolutely correct.
Was really expecting a bold trade or two today to obtain high-ceiling starting pitching that would get here sometime in2018…disappointing.
Got to find out what other 15 Trades that could have been done that should of because more for the MLB Network Insiders to Report on. Also on coverage no Richard Justice but he was on Rich Esien’s show,Nick Carfado and so on to.
I loathe Angelos.
Angelos really cant blow the team up with the MASN dispute unsettled and the Nats doing so well as a team and rating wise. A plunge in ratings at MASN and accusations they are not trying to be competitive will hurt their case when it goes back to the committee
That said, the state of the farm system and the awful rotation coupled with some large contracts probably means tough times ahead for Orioles fans.
Perfect. The O’s make zero impact moves and then put Trumbo on what is probably a season ending oblique injury. Why can’t the O’s ever do the right thing, instead of the expedient thing? I know, I know. Angelos.
If it means anything, O’s fans, I really, really liked that Beckham trade. If Beckham meets his potential (for what it’s worth, he’s been decent this year), this’ll be a great trade. They got a controllable position player for almost nothing.
Probably my favorite trade of the deadline.
I watch the oriole’s almost every night they won’t resign manny or Britton so sell while they have value. The farm system is terrible and no pitching
Tough times ahead for ther O’s? What about the Blue Jays? What Atkins isn’t saying is what those 15 trades actually were and probably for assets involving players not going to FA. Like the O’s the Jays have little good starting pitching now and little coming.
All the pitching acquisitions in the past offseason except for Smith were useless [see Howell, Grilli etc] and the depth in AAA is terrible. Why wouldn’t Atkins blow it up entirely? If you have 15 trades on the table, you have 15 other clubs wanting your assets, work it to fruition.
I beleive that there is a philosophical problem in this front office of how to run a team. “Long term competativeness” is for suckers that do not want to win a champion in MLB. Longterm competative teams are good for selling tickets and money for owners and bonuses for club Presidents. I hope the fans wake up to the phoney Kool_aid being sold by Shapiro and Atkins that this Jays team can compete.
Winning teams are cyclical. Dombroski has emptied the Bosox farm system building a potential winner. I am calling for the Jays to either do the total rebuild or do a Dombroski and build a winner, in between long-term competative thinking means years of mediocrity. I suspect replacing Ross Atkins is the answer.
Comparing to the Orioles only, the Jays have a far superior farm.
Also, the Jays starting pitching is miles ahead of the O’s with the potential of Sanchez and Stroman and Happ still under contract next season.
15 trade offers doesnt necessarily mean for 15 individual players on the roster.
He could of had multiple offers for the same player such as Liriano and Smith.
Yes, Happ and Estrada were available according to rumors but I’m sure he didn’t want to just give them away.
I find Trader Dave’s comments humorous. When a guy like that can’t make trades for bullpen help it’s not because of the market. His supply chain has run dry. He has minor league pawns that are unattractive. End of discussion.
Proposed trade within East division:
Even out the money on this so it’s an even swap:
Hanley for Trumbo
Hanley hits line drives at Fenway out of many parks like Camden for singles or doubles.
Trumbo hits them long and high perfect for Fenway.
Both are made to be DH’s. Both will pass through Waivers. I realize Trumbo is on the DL.
Do you also realize that Hanley is the far superior player with the far superior past and expected future? Why on earth would any team make that trade?
Is Tillman still a starter