Orioles general manager Mike Elias spoke with MASNsports.com’s Roch Kubatko, Baltimore Baseball’s Rich Dubroff, and other reporters Friday about what the American League leaders might do in advance of the August 1 trade deadline. Speaking in broad terms about needs, Elias said that “I think that if we are going to make additional acquisition trades, I would bet heavily they are going to be on the pitching side of things. I think it’s no secret that that would be the areas of the team where we could (A) either use more depth, or (B) look for upgrades.”
Elias obviously didn’t address specific reports or players, but the Orioles have been linked to such pitchers as Michael Lorenzen and (before the Angels pulled him off the market entirely) Shohei Ohtani on the rumor mill, hinting that the team in looking for rotation help. The Orioles’ current starters are roughly around the middle of the pack in most statistical categories, with Kyle Bradish and Tyler Wells standing out as the best two starters in terms of pure results. Kyle Gibson and Dean Kremer have been more hit-and-miss, while Cole Irvin and highly-touted youngster Grayson Rodriguez haven’t delivered much in the way of results. Apart from one Keegan Akin start, the top six hurlers have taken the ball for every other Baltimore game this season, so this durability and reliability has been helpful.
Beyond the rotation, Elias also suggested that middle relief was a target area. The O’s have made one move in this regard by acquiring Shintaro Fujinami from the Athletics, with Elias saying that Fujinami can take over one of “a couple spots that were in flux.” The Orioles gave up minor league pitching prospect Easton Lucas in that deal, a relatively minor expenditure given Baltimore’s deep farm system.
It remains to be seen if the O’s are willing to go into the upper levels of its minor league ranks for further trades. On paper, the Orioles have enough top-tier prospects to get into the conversation about almost any trade asset, yet after years of rebuilding, “we can’t set the minor league system on fire just because we’re in first place,” Elias said.
“A big part of my job is worrying about the overall health of the team over the next several years. So, you just try to balance all those things….Ultimately we’re measured on the results of how all these things go over a several-year period and it’s really not easy to do or get it right, so we’re just trying to take all of that into account. But clearly, we’re going to want to stretch a little bit and try to help this really good 2023 team if we get within arm’s reach of something.”
While Elias didn’t close the door on the idea of trading any prospects, he also left open the possibility of moving big leaguers, even if that isn’t his first option. “We have no intent of subtracting from the 26-man roster….but it comes up in conversations and if that’s something that we need to consider to make the trade that we want to make, we’ll balance all that. I can’t rule it out,” the GM said.
In keeping with this overall “wide open” approach, Elias also said that the Orioles have some extra money to spend, as ownership has given the front office some ability “to make good baseball trades that could add to our payroll if we find them,” Elias said.
“I think the ball’s kind of in the court of the baseball ops department, which is great, and I think it’s a big testament to the management environment that we have here and how much trust this group’s gotten from partnership level, ownership level, John Angelos. But it’s up to us to kind of navigate this and we have to find a match with other teams, and they’re doing their things, too.”
Given Elias’ generally cautious approach, it is probably safe to assume that the Orioles won’t suddenly take on a huge contract at the deadline. For instance, their interest in a high-priced star like Ohtani might have been due diligence, or perhaps a singular pursuit given Ohtani’s uniquely elite skillset. Still, considering that the O’s were spending $148MM as recently as 2018, adding one notable salary at the deadline doesn’t seem out of the question, considering that Baltimore has less than $61MM on the books for the season. In theory, the Orioles’ potential ability to absorb salary might help them obtain a noteworthy player without giving up much of anything from the active roster or minor league ranks, though that naturally depends on how much financial “flexibility” Elias might truly have.
“highly-touted youngster Grayson Rodriguez haven’t delivered much in the way of results.”
well, other than going head-to-head with Cole last night in a pitcher’s duel par excellence.
6 ER in 17 IP since returning.
Half were stranded runners allowed by relievers after he tired – 2 after 5.1 shut out innings in previous outing.
His secondary pitches need development but he’s come back pitching off an elite fastball.
Just came here to say GRod has a 3.18 ERA in July and looked every bit the part of a #1 vs Cole and the Yanks last night.
Not mentioned in this article, but Elias also called out Joey Ortiz by name, saying “we love Joey Ortiz and he’s a big part of our future”. I would have thought Ortiz is one of the bigger trade chips they’d dangle. Apparently not.
But that got me thinking…maybe they have been showcasing Westburg?
I don’t know. Elias is so hard to read. He rarely calls players out by name, so the fact that he named Ortiz specifically confuses me a bit since he’s not up with the big club in lieu of Mateo – who’s been really awful of late. Even his defense has taken a “hit”.
If he’s one of the biggest trade chips, you dont come out and say that he is probably the odd man out and the one you want to trade. Elias saying that he is a big part of the future could just be a ploy to increase his trade value.
@beajd27
That’s my read on it too. My guess is Elias has been making calls like “What’s it going to take for us to get [insert player name]?” and the name he’s been hearing back a lot is Joey Ortiz.
Elias really does love Joey Ortiz. What you guys said may be true but the org is really high on the guy. If you read his FG scouting report from the off-season—it says as much.
Montgomery is the biggest addition they might add. Otherwise, I don’t see many feasible upgrades to the rotation. Ohtani’s off the table. Verlander is too much of a pay increase. Who else makes sense?
Monty has a lot of ALE experience and would do well in Baltimore.
As does Snell. If Elias can send a package to San Diego for Snell and Hader it would likely be all the pitching they need to acquire. I still think they need another bat too but obviously secondary to the pitching.
ERod would be helluva acquisition. Unfortunately for the Orioles thier are several pitchers that would be a upgrade to that starting 5 they are rolling out there.
If the Cubs decide to sell,I always liked the idea of Kyle Hendricks for the O’s.
And hicks and Stratton for the pen one trade all taken care of
What are the Cardinals getting back that makes sense?
Excellent point by Astros Hot Takes! I might add GRod out-pitched Shane McClanahan in his last start before last night’s stellar outing!
thanks Curt! But you hurt me a bit with your user name, as not a week goes by that I don’t bemoan trading Cuellar for you!
What you 2 gentlemen are pointing out is that the Orioles – like the Astros and Braves – are a developmental organization. I’m talking the majors as well as the minors.
They like to take on players that appear to have been so-so or even failed elsewhere, work with them a bit, and make them a productive part of a winning team. The did it with Jorge Lopez, Wells and Bautista last year. This year they’ve done well with Coulombe, O’Hearn, Frazier, Hicks, Cano, and Fujinami has looked very good his last 2 relief appearances.
Many fans seem to think there’s some sort of master plan. I don’t think they understand the mentality of Mr. Elias and the organization. They coach up and work with players they bring in and give them opportunities to play in a number of roles. If the players do well they’ll give them more opportunities. If not, at some point they’ll cut bait as the players doing well get the playing time those that are not doing well had (one of my faves – Jorge Mateo – is currently in this category). They’ve done a wonderful job of getting the young players slowly assimilated onto the major league club without putting too much pressure on them. This is all a part of delegating authority and responsibility and rewarding those that succeed as well as encouraging them to continue to grow and produce more.
–
Fujinami has made 4 relief appearances with the O’s. The first 2 he looked out of kilter and was awful. I figured the coaching staff needed to let him do what he was doing so they could get some ideas on how they needed to work with him. The last 2 appearance he’s looked at ease, and under control….and subsequently the control of his pitches has been very good. I’m not saying he’s another Bautista or Cano – or that he won’t have a few bad appearances in the near future – but he’s on the track that they’ll need from him (or a few others) in middle relief come late-August right through the playoffs.
Me too. Mateo fan. Grateful for his play. Showing up at the park everyday knowing his eventual fate, it’s gotta feel like a “dead SS walking” vibe to him.. Hang in there young fella, IMO, we need you!
That’s a bit of a reach. You’re making it sound like they have a solid track record of development and reclamation projects. When in reality that’s not true. Sure this year they’re doing great but what about the last decade? And it’s not hard to develop prospects when you’re picking in the top 5. And not exactly sure why you’re using Mateo as a good example. Besides the first month of the season he has been far from good
Yeah, that turned out to be rather uneven. I had forgotten the Stro’s flipped Blefary for Joe Pepitone the following year. I was 7 years old when Blefary, my favorite player, was ROY!.
@Astros Hot Take. Yes, we got you pretty could with that Mike C trade but you more than got redemption with that Glen Davis fleecing.
yo CYards – yeah, that was supreme, Orioles NEVER should have done that, and never WOULD have done that under Paul Richards or Macphail or Dalton or Cashen or Hank Peters. Then they did stupid things for 35 years. Then they hired Elias.
THIS is the Oriole Way!
On the other hand, SOMEBODY over here had NO IDEA about Schilling, and moved him for nothing, after 1 full season, in the pen. AND, we traded Finley to the Padres 3 years later.
Current controlling owner is rubbing off on me. Closest resemblance of a Hoffberger style ownership model since, well, Mr. Hoffberger. And of all people it’s Peter’s son. Mind-blowing.
@Astros Hot Take, Schilling. Wow. His mentality in big game environs was special. The only other pitchers that I can think of that reminded me of him were Jack Morris and Bob Gibson.
@ CYards and the Bagwell/Biggio Astros just SUCKED in big games – I thought trading Schilling was a bad move at the time we did it. I KNEW it was a bad move, in fact.
Go get Snell from the Padres. Probably take Santander and a mid level prospect, but he has been the best pitcher in baseball the past 2+ months.
Why would the padres give up one of the best pitchers for a 28 year old DH type and mid level prospect
The Padres need a big bat that can play the OF or DH. Plus Santander has another year of team control. He fits their needs.
Snell is a rental.
Unless they want and really think they can re-sign them the Padres should sell their rentals for prospects.
Trading Santander makes no sense with Colton Cowser not doing anything with the bat yet and with Mullins and Hicks on the IL. They would effectively be giving up on the season — unless they included him as part of some monster package that also included Juan Soto. In fact, the O’s trading 4-5 top prospects for Snell, Hader and Soto makes a lot of sense, but the O’s would never do it because it would be mortgaging too much of the future for short term players.
Not exactly giving up on the season but there’s no shot we’re trading away our starting RF today.
@bstrowman9
Agreed. Tony could be moved for the right return but it certainly isn’t for a rental on Snell, regardless of how good he’s been pitching lately.
As the headline guy for a more long term rotation piece? Now maybe we’re talking there doesn’t seem to be many teams that could fit that bill this year though (Bieber hurt, Sox seem like they’re keeping Cease, etc.)
Nearly every O’s fan was calling for Santander to be traded this offseason saying he can’t play defense and now he’s too much to give up for the best starter in baseball right now?
No one is trading a controllable starter for Santander. Love the guy. It won’t happen. One dimensional players don’t bring back that type of return in trade.
This I totally agree with. The O’s could go all in and be heavy favorites this year to win it all.
Seeing what they did last year and listening to their deadline plans I think they won’t do much.
Which is fine they will still have a chance and be good. Though every season is different and sometimes it makes sense to really go for it.
How so? There’s not enough high caliber SP’s available on the market to make the O’s the heavy favorites to win it all either way. The Braves have to be the favorites. They already have the starters along with the young talented offense.
Not a fan of mortgaging the future to shorten a window that just opened.
You don’t have to mortgage the future to be a legit contender. To say you aren’t as good as the Braves and justify not making a move is ridiculous.
& even if we did get 2-3 starters or something. (We won’t) That doesn’t change the fact that this entire core has never gone through the postseason before. This will be all new to them.
Atlanta has that experience with their young guys already. They’re more likely than us to win it all regardless. Houston has the experience too. But this team could certainly make a run. You simply never know but I’m not significantly harming future runs to make this one a couple percentage points better.
We’re not losing any key players off this team next season. The whole squad is back and will have playoff experience if this one doesn’t end up winning it all.
The Cardinals won a championship in 2006 by winning 83 games in the regular season.
In 2011 everyone said the Phillies were the best team in baseball. And they were. And I watched Chris Carpenter show up like a freaking stud in game 5 of that 5 game series against Roy hallday and we went on to win the championship.
“You play to win the game”
Herm Edwards
& the orioles keep winning games.
Legit contenders make moves at the deadline to fortify their team for the stretch run.
Cardinals traded Colby Rasmus in 2011. He reminds me a lot of Colton Cowser. You think the Cardinals miss Rasmus? Do you think they ever missed him???
Flags fly forever dude.
You like the Astros. As you should. Astros first postseason run was 2015. At the deadline they traded Brett Phillips, Domingo Santana, Adrian Houser, and Josh Hader for Fiers and Cargo. That’s their only move.
You think they’d like to have that one back? Gomes nor Fiers were the reason they won anything. If they had Hader—good lord you might have another couple chips. Think Elias took some notes from that trade and realized he wants to watch his guys develop before he trades the wrong ones.
I don’t like the Astros
Who did the Astros trade for Verlander in 2017?
Who cares…….
I don’t know, Bstrow – Fiers was the only uninjured starter we had most of the year, led in IP, and kinda held us together until rest of staff healed up and Verlander came.
“I don’t know, Bstrow – Fiers was the only uninjured starter we had most of the year”
I’m speaking of 2017 here
That’s the point. The orioles aren’t the 2017 Astros. .they’re the 2015 Astros…….
Fiers also wasn’t particularly good and that was 2 years later. …Point being the stros would’ve been better off not making that transaction in 2015.
Wrong
Hindsight is 20 20. That trade for Verlander sure looks smart right about now.
Who the F said it wasn’t. They made that trade in 2017. Not 2015. What do you not get about that?
That was their 3rd straight postseason run. Not #1
2015 and 2016 they barely made the playoffs.
Orioles have the best record in the AL do they not?
You are ridiculous man. This isn’t wrestling Braun all teams have a chance here. You gotta take it when it’s there to take.
Lol name is Brian. Not the wrestlers poster that’s hanging on your wall!
Take a lot more then that for all three.
They are all rentals!
Soto isn’t a rental.
Take much more then that to get that trio. Going to be eating into the major league roster and include a whole lot of prospects I would rather not see Elias give up to get a trade for all 3.
Just go for the one that would help the O’s the most this season.
The Orioles would not trade Santander for 2 months of Snell,
They wouldnt???
Lol OK then
Santander is far more productive than anyone your Cards have in the outfield!
Santander is expensive and a free agent after 2024.
$7.4 mil is expensive? Snell is a FA at the end of 2023.
Snell is also the best pitcher in baseball the last couple months
Bradish has a career high of 145 innings.
Wells is 119.
Anyone else want to look up the rest of their rotation?
Not sure of Bradish and rest of rotation but per local media sources, Wells is definitely on an innings watch/count that could have him done with a chunk of the season still left. Ugh.
Seems like the Orioles are definitely not prepared to go on a deep playoff run.
Oh well, they’ll get valuable experience for 24,25,26 when they’ll be actual legit contenders.
First place in the best division in baseball. The former top pitching prospect in all of baseball just shut the Yankees down last night in a huge victory.
And you are telling me the Orioles are not legit contenders????
Dude…..
Sketchy indeed, very average rotation IMO. That said, and I hope I’m not jinxing my Os, but the rotation has stayed healthy all season. At least we’ve got that working for us! Fingers crossed.
See while you are crossing your fingers and hoping other contenders are making moves to improve their team.
That’s how it works guys.
I just watched the LAD add Lynn, Kelly, KiKi, and Rosario. I give you that they were making moves, but I seriously question whether they improved their team.
I agree those don’t seem to be good moves just moves. Dodgers need starting pitching really bad I don’t get what they are doing.
Still time left. I think they will do more. If not they are in trouble.
You make it sound like the Yankees are a scary offense. They’re in fact the opposite of that.
he gave up zero runs last night, 6 and a third innings, 3 hits 2 walks, 4 Ks, Orioles won in the 9th, 1-0
People who think their team is cheap should take a good look at the Orioles to see what cheap looks like. They still could do some things to change my opinion, but they look pretty cheap as of now.
yo suit, when I take a good look at the Orioles, I don’t see cheap, I see winning.
I see winning too. I think they could be even better if they spent a little more money. Maybe they have enough in their farm system to cover their needs. It will be interesting to watch.
Funny how spending more money automatically makes you better.
I hope that’s sarcasm, hayzee; it doesn’t.
@whyhayzee:
yup, 100% correct. 2nd best record in baseball but that’s not #1 so that proves it
Cohen’s accountant agrees as well.
It sure helped the Astros…..
Spending is what gets plenty of clubs in trouble. They spend and get sooo many bad contracts they can do anything but tank and wait for the bad money to come off the books.
Did spending get the Astros in trouble?
They were like the Orioles once upon a time. But they stopped pinching pennies and spent to supplement their roster.
You want to be the Astros or the Pirates?
The Astros made 2 deadline acquisitions last year that had no impact on the fact that they won the World Series.
Tell me how much Vazquez and Mancini “put them over the top”
In reality they gave TB a startIng CF’er and Baltimore 2 pitching prospects for a team that was good enough without those 2.
The Astros have been to the NLCS 6 straight years. We aren’t simply talking about last year. Every year they make moves at the deadline. They don’t sell the farm but they make moves every year. That’s what legit contenders do.
And they spend money……
@King – here are the payroll figures starting 2015, when Astros were where Orioles are now, only not quite as good. 1st column is Astros payroll, 2nd column is average MLB payroll, 3rd is +/- from average.
Other than keeping Verlander for 2 rounds of free agency at a substantial cost, after trading for him, and Grienke’s salary after trading for him,almost the entirety of the rest of the $s spent is arbitration raises or extending our own home-grown players. Some of the cheap relievers we’ve traded for (Pressly) have become kind of expensive, and Brantley, (about 16 million per) the only real outlay in free agency we’ve done until Abreu this year (18 million)
2015 $72,464,200 $125,458,486 $-52,994,286
2016 $98,793,700 $130,290,910 $-31,497,210
2017 $124,343,900 $136,573,000 $-12,229,100
2018 $160,393,900 $135,681,867 $24,712,033
2019 $158,043,000 $134,776,225 $23,266,775
2020 $210,899,457 $138,296,485 $72,602,972
2021 $187,448,657 $129,635,938 $57,812,719
2022 $165,879,000 $146,735,744 $19,143,256
2023 $165,555,000 $148,244,355 $17,310,645
This looks more like the 2017 Astros to me not the 2015 Astros. And that team went and got Verlander and ended up winning it all.
Start it at 2017. Like I said the Astros made moves and spent a lot of money to maintain their success.
Nothing wrong with being the Orioles.
Orioles picked up a reliever from the A’s. Guess that makes them a legit contender.
That move was like the Dodgers moves.
We will see on Tuesday when the dust settles who is a legit contender and who is not.
Cards, the thing I keep disagreeing with you about, regarding the Orioles, is the need for MAJOR moves. Elias apprenticed under the smartest baseball mind of our time, Darth Luhnow – he knows EXACTLY how to get this done.
Define major
The Orioles have the best record in the toughest division in baseball. Are they second best overall behind the Braves? I think that’s the case. This team is ready to win right now with a couple good trades. I truly think if the Orioles went and got Montgomery and Goldschmidt they could win it all this year. But that’s not the only move to make there are lots of options. Eduardo Rodriguez would make a ton of sense. Snell and Hader both that’s a legit move there. Gotta do something and something big.
Like “Darth Luhnow”
heh – I don’t just “like” Darth Luhnow, I LOVE HIM! Might be biggest MLB genius since Branch Rickey or Paul Richards – if you do twitter, go to Gina Luhnow (@ginaluhnow) and check her most recent tweet – it’s a chart of % of MLB draft picks by each team (last 10 years) that made the majors
Astros Hot Takes;
Paul Richards laid the foundation for the Orioles teams that were exceptional in the 60’s and 70’s – beginning with starting pitchers including the bonus babies – Jerry Walker and Jim Palmer.
Keep in mind that the Orioles were the old St. Louis Browns which Rickey had run before the Cardinals hired him in St. Louis. Richards used the same theories – start your team with a Catcher that can run the pitching staff and a SS that can pull the defense together…both of which support your pitching which is the most important component of a winning team.
Whitey Herzog did the same thing when he rebuilt the run down/pathetic Cardinals as a GM/Manager – 2 of his first moves were bringing in Darrell Porter to Catch and trading SS and NL Batting Champion Gerry Templeton for Gold Glove wining Padres SS Ozzie Smith….that couldn’t hit.
The Astros are a high-tech Branch Rickey team – Luhnow’s only baseball experience prior to the Astros was with the Cardinals.
Average MLB payroll is a bit skewed. I’d use the median. The high spenders can inflate the average pretty easily. The mets and pads certainly bumped the # up. Not sure how different the median is but that’d be a more interesting number to me.
Dean Kremer and his George Washington ponytail has been solid for the most part
A few hiccups sure, but he has been solid all year really
Who does Number 2 work for?
I’m fine with Kremer as a 3. He’s been really solid after a slow start his first few times out. Typically when guys get off to slow starts they get written off and forgotten about. People also forget he was really solid last year too. 3.23 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP.
We have a bunch of 2/3 types. Kremer, Gibson, Bradish and Wells. Which is not a bad thing.
O’s are in an odd position because their starting pitching has really improved the past month — Grayson has looked quite good the past two starts — while the bullpen looks tired and shaky. And the offense has tailed off a bit with Mullins and Hicks on the IL. Even with John Means hopefully coming back soon they may look for another starter, but right now the bigger need appears to be in the bullpen and in the outfield.
The OF is ok. Hicks should be back shortly. Hays and Santander have been solid all year. Sounds like Mullins will be back before the middle of August. O’hearn/Frazier can take some corner work in the interim.
Another leverage arm and another starter would be what I was looking for.
But Hicks gets hurt a lot and his bat could go cold on a moment’s notice. They really need Mullins back, but this is his second trip to the IL. He seems like he needs extra time to recover. Cowser is just ok in CF but he’s not hitting at all yet. The O’s are in better shape on the corners but Hays has cooled off a lot and Santander doesn’t look to be a full time outfielder. O’Hearn is firmly at 1B/DH and Frazier much more an infielder. All this is why I suggest another outfielder though maybe Mountcastle could get some time back in the OF as well.
If anyone goes to the outfield it would be O’Hearn. Leave Mountcastle at 1st!
Posters have been writing about how bad certain players / areas of the team on the O’s have looked literally every day this season.
The team has the best record in the American League. They’re beating all teams – including the ones with big reputations.
This is a world-class professional sports team FO. They know it’s not how you start – it’s how you finish. They’ve set some structures and are getting ready to give a lot of players opportunities during the stretch run and playoffs – something all competitive professional athletes thirst for….and through no fault of theirs don’t often get.
I wouldn’t predict doom here. MLB is not rotisserie league or computer baseball. It’s human beings competing against other human beings, and brings out the best in what prove to be the winners….and often the runners-up as well.
Means will be back, Grod has looked better…I think middle relief is the bigger issue.
Agreed, the “average rotation/elite bullpen” strategy got both the Orioles and Royals to the ALCS in 2014 so I could probably live with giving that route another shot this year. Better than giving up someone like Ortiz or Norby for a 2 month rental when they could potentially be used to acquire a starter with more team control in the offseason.
The O’s rotation is very gradually starting to look better than average while the bullpen, other than their closer, does not look elite. Maybe more help can come from within as DL Hall, but the pen needs some help.
If you upgrade the rotation, Wells can handle late inning duties like the last couple years. He excelled in that role previously.
I like Brady Singer from the Royals. Having a real down year but has team control and I’d bet we can get him back in line.
Saw the Dodgers made an inquiry about him. That’s a guy that I’d happily give up a Connor Norby for.
The market is too much a sellers market for Elias to do anything. They have impact bats that can come up in September and hopefully shorten up Hall and McDermott for relief help.
DL Hall’s face was on the milk carton as I was eating my Froot Loops this morning.
@Mac lol. I have no hope that DL hall is helping the squad this year any longer. Means and Dillon Tate? That’s a maybe.
@Bstrow
The legendary sage, Meatloaf, said that “2 out of 3 ain’t bad”.
I have no hope that either Hall or Tate give the O’s anything this season. So unfortunately for the O’s, that’s 1 out of 3… and by Meatloaf definition, “bad”.
Ah, I don’t have high hopes for Tate but perhaps he gets squared away.
Lol But yeah highly unlikely. He’s been toasted.
Elias said in this interview session just that, that it is a seller’s market. He said it in response to a question about going after players with playoff experience which, outside of Hicks, the Birds have little of. IE ideally it would nice to get bodies on board with playoff experience but, per his view, not a realistic priority.
Been writing it for 3 weeks…..
The O’s will probably not trade for a name player. First off they’re probably not trading multiple young prospects away.
They have a track record of fixing players. They’re looking for players like Fujinami that are under producing based on their talent and abilities.
The starting pitching trade market is pretty meh this year and GrayRod has looked really solid since his recall, so if Elias chose to improve our already good bullpen even further instead of overpaying for a rental mid-rotation SP, I could probably live with it.
Weirdly not mentioned here: Grayson killed it last night against Cole and the Yanks.
If Logan Gilbert is traded and it’s not to the O’s, I would be pretty upset. He’s just the kind of controllable starting pitcher Elias has suggested he’s looking to get. Aaron Civale would be 2nd!
I say maybe get some bullpen help and stick with who got us to this point. We can hold our own against anyone. Gives us more time to evaluate our young talent and play with our blocks (building blocks and trading blocks).
While I would like to hope Grayson has gotten a better feel now and will be more consistent for the rest of the way, O’s still need another reliably consistent starter in my opinion. They have a great defense, good hitting in general with some quality hitting in high leverage situations and some absolute shut down relief pitchers that can slam the door shut. One quality starter might not make the rotation great but it would certainly be very welcome.
ERod makes tons of sense for the Orioles. John Means is expected to start a rehab assignment soon and that would be another boost for the staff down the stretch
ERod won’t go to BMore and that’s good. He can opt in or out of the next portion of his contract, which is a big risk for the O’s. No thanks. Gimme Lorenzen or Montgomery and some middle relief help and no strings attached and LET’S GO O’S!
O, and TWells to the pen. Solid!
E-Rod has no choice if he’s dealt. I don’t think he’s going to opt into that deal either. I wouldn’t mind having him for that price tag if he did.
Elias also said that DL Hall is about to throw in the FCL and he is nearly all the way back to his old stuff. He could be a major part of the bullpen by the end of August, but you just never know with him.