Orioles GM Mike Elias addressed the media today regarding an unfortunate development for the team’s pitching staff. The conversation also drifted into the upcoming trade deadline — Elias’s first at the helm of the Baltimore baseball operations department.
In particular, as Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com covers, the rookie GM discussed the potentially tricky issue of how to handle young outfielder Trey Mancini. The 27-year-old has been the club’s most productive player this year, as Elias readily volunteered. Mancini is controllable through 2022 and will reach arbitration for the first time this fall.
Elias looked to walk a line in his comments, inviting offers while also making clear that he’s not going to just take whatever he can get for the team’s best trade chip. “We’re not looking to part with Trey,” said Elias. “That said, as I’ve said all along, we’re open to anything.”
Elias called Mancini “an integral part of this team.” He also left rather a wide door in discussing what it would take to make a deal. Rather than suggesting that the club would need to be overwhelmed or specifying the type of return he’d want, Elias said a trade would at least be possible if his front office “feel[s] that what we’re getting back is better for the organization than what we’re giving up.”
The rebuilding O’s are focused on the future, giving them ample reason to consider deals while Mancini is in good form. (After all, he wasn’t in 2018.) But it’s not the only option by any stretch. There is still some time left to enjoy Mancini. It never hurts to have at least one popular, homegrown star to please the fans that show up and help bridge to a new period of competitiveness.
If that’s the path that Elias takes, then it certainly would make sense for the club to check in on the possibility of an extension. It doesn’t sound as if talks have occurred to this point, but Elias said that it’s “certainly a thought that’s crossed my mind.” Labeling Mancini a player the team would like to keep “around for the long haul,” the new chief baseball decisionmaker certainly opened the door to that possibility without setting any expectations. Mid-season deals for younger players are rather rare, but some chatter over the winter or next spring would hardly be surprising — if Mancini remains in Baltimore.
Baltimore should absolutely trade him for prospects. While he’s a solid player he’s unlikely to be relevant the next time baltimore is good, baltimore needs to build up there farm a lot still.
Trade him. Don’t F it up like you did with Machado.
Elias had nothing to do with the O’s trade of Machado or anything O’s related before this year so he didn’t F anything up
Facts? You’re letting facts get in the way?
Trade him if you can get something close to a top 100 prospect. Otherwise for the reasons stated in the interview it might actually be worth more to the overall process to keep him around. Baseball is a business but the culture of a team and development of younger players is something a great teammate and homegrown player like Mancini is important for. Be plenty of new players in Baltimore by 2022 that he can have a positive affect on, especially as someone who was never really considered a top prospect.
You have the best/weirdest
screen name ever!
Pretty obvious you trade him if you get a fair offer. If not, let him hit in the middle of your order until you do, whether that’s three months or three years from now.
I want his bat in RF to go with Eloy and Robert next year. His defense, not so much.
What’s with the rush to trade a late bloomer who is one of the few good players on your roster? Baseball is entertainment. Let the fans enjoy watching him for a little while!
So they can trade him when his stock is at the highest it’s been. He would bring back a nice package
You said “Nice Package”
That’s what “she” said…
He;s a solid but not spectacular by any means 1B/corner OF. He won’t embarrass you defensively but he’s not a plus defender. He does everything you want a player at that position to do at an above average level but he doesn’t have a single facet of his game that would be considered outstanding. In a trade the only reason he would get more than a mid level prospect is the number of years of control he has left.
Framklin Barretto for mancini. Blocked in oakland, just turned 23, still alot of talent,
I’d probably take that with another lotto ticket attached. The orioles have no upper level middle infielders with any real shot of being a big league starter.
Nick Markakis 2.0. He also went through a lot of losing and bridged the gap to a competitor.
@Cleveland Indians – this is your kind of pick up!