The Orioles are exploring the bullpen market, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. Additionally, a right-handed hitting outfielder is a possible pursuit, while the club will wait until closer to the deadline to decide about the rotation.
General manager Mike Elias is clearly in a position to look for upgrades between now and the July 30 deadline. The club have a record of 44-22, one of the strongest in the majors. They are second in the American League East thanks to an excellent start from the Yankees, but the O’s are still firmly in playoff position. They currently hold the top Wild Card spot and are 11.5 games ahead of the Red Sox and Blue Jays, who are currently the top teams outside of playoff position.
The Orioles shouldn’t be in desperate need of bullpen help, as they have fared well even without Félix Bautista this year. The relief corps as a whole has an earned run average of 3.24, fourth in the majors, behind only the Guardians, Dodgers and Yankees. But with most clubs having eight-man bullpens these days, even strong clubs can find room for an upgrade while bumping each guy down a peg. The O’s could perhaps look for a bit more swing-and-miss, as their 23.4% strikeout rate is fairly average.
Craig Kimbrel had some shaky outings earlier in the year but has generally been doing well overall. He has a 2.70 ERA on the year and 35.9% strikeout rate. His 10.9% walk rate is a tad high by league standards but just barely above his career rate of 10.2%. Yennier Cano has a 2.37, though there’s perhaps a bit of worry under the hood. Continuing to strand 89.5% of runners will be challenging, which is perhaps why his 4.26 FIP is almost two runs higher than his ERA. Somewhat similarly, Jacob Webb has an ERA of 1.76 but with an unsustainable .220 batting average on balls in play.
Bullpens are inherently unstable in terms of performance but also health. Left-hander Danny Coulombe has a save and 13 holds for the O’s this year, posting a 2.42 ERA, 30.4% strikeout rate and 3.3% walk rate in 29 appearances. However, he was placed on the 15-day injured list yesterday with left elbow inflammation and now faces an uncertain future. As relayed by Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com, manager Brandon Hyde says that Coulombe felt sore recently and will be going for further testing.
It’s tough to tell who will be available on the market this summer, as the trade deadline is still over six weeks away and very few teams are clearly out of contention. Thanks to the expanded postseason, only five of the 30 clubs are currently more than 4.5 games back of a playoff spot.
Several teams could decide to trade some relievers if they play poorly in the next few weeks. But as of right now, Mason Miller is the guy getting the most attention. The power right-hander on the Athletics has a 2.12 ERA and insane 49.5% strikeout rate as he his fastball averages 100.9 miles per hour. The A’s are reportedly setting a massive asking price since they can control Miller for five more seasons after this one and may stretch him out as a starter as some point in the future.
Apart from Miller, some names that could be available include Michael Kopech and John Brebbia of the White Sox, Tanner Scott of the Marlins, Carlos Estévez and Luis García of the Angels, and others.
Turning to the outfield, the O’s have Cedric Mullins, Colton Cowser and Anthony Santander getting most of the playing time these days, with Austin Hays and Kyle Stowers also in the mix. Santander is a switch-hitter who is modestly better from the right side, as he has a 118 wRC+ against lefties and 106 wRC+ otherwise, but Mullins, Cowser and Stowers are all lefties. Heston Kjerstad, currently on optional assignment, also hits from the left side. Mullins has hit righties better in his career but isn’t hitting anyone this year, with an overall line of .174/.222/.310 in 2024. Cowser is having a strong season but is hitting just .191/.264/.340 against southpaws.
Hays is a righty but he’s hitting just .234/.291/.362 this year for an 87 wRC+. That includes a massive .361/.378/.444 line against lefties and a dismal .155/.242/.310 showing otherwise, but his career splits are more modest. He has hit .272/.324/.458 with the platoon advantage and .256/.308/.421 without it, leading to respective wRC+ numbers of 115 and 102.
Taking all those facts together, the pursuit of a right-handed outfielder is fairly logical. Stowers isn’t getting much playing time and is still optionable, so his roster spot could be better utilized by an external addition. As mentioned, several teams may not decide to sell until closer to the deadline. But even among the few teams that are clear sellers now, right-handed outfielders are in decent supply.
The White Sox have Luis Robert Jr., though it would take a king’s ransom to get him, considering his immense talent and modest contract. He’s making $12.5MM this year and will get $15MM next year, with two $20MM club options to follow. Apart from him, the market should also feature Taylor Ward of the Angels, Brent Rooker of the A’s and Bryan De La Cruz of the Marlins, among others, though De La Cruz has reverse splits in his career and wouldn’t be ideal for the O’s.
Ward still has a couple of years of club control after this one but is 30 years old and playing for a team that will struggle to compete in that time frame. He’s already drawing trade interest, which is understandable based on his .263/.343/.449 batting line since the start of 2021. That includes a .298/.376/.468 line and 135 wRC+ against lefties. Rooker has hit .251/.334/.499 since the start of last year for a 134 wRC+ with almost even splits. He will reach arbitration this winter and can be controlled through 2027, though the A’s will likely make him available as he’s 29 years old.
On the starting pitching side, the O’s recently lost both John Means and Tyler Wells to season-ending surgery, while Dean Kremer is also on the injured list at the moment. They have a strong rotation core of Corbin Burnes, Grayson Rodriguez and Kyle Bradish, but the latter two have both been on the injured list this year. Bradish was given the ominous diagnosis of a sprained UCL in his throwing elbow and managed to get back on the mound without undergoing surgery, but that likely leaves the O’s with at least some worry of another injury later in the year.
Based on Rosenthal’s report, it seems they will sit tight for now and see how things look in the coming weeks. Prospect Cade Povich was just promoted and the club can see what they have in him, while Cole Irvin and Albert Suárez provide some stability at the back end. If the club decides to pursue starters, the market could feature guys like Jesús Luzardo, Erick Fedde, Garrett Crochet, Patrick Sandoval, Tyler Anderson and others. Each of those pitchers can be controlled beyond 2024 as well, with could allow the O’s to proactively bolster next year’s rotation before Burnes departs via free agency.
Austin Hays for Gregory Soto +
Trading Hays to improve the bullpen would kind of just be filling one hole by opening another hole elsewhere on the roster that would then need to be addressed via a separate trade.
Hays and Bañuelos for Soto and Merrifield.
After looking at Soto’s Baseball Savant page, I’m going to have to decline. Yikes.
What are you smoking dude. O’s not making the crappy deal.
Not really, the O’s have Santander and Cowser on the MLB roster to cover the corners with Stowers, Burdick, Johnson, Kjerstad and Norby waiting at AAA
Cowser has struggled pretty badly against lefties and Mullins is struggling horrifically against EVERYONE.
Trading Hays would absolutely necessitate adding another OF who hits well against lefties.
All of the key OFs who could fill in are left handed. Hays is the only right handed OF. The LHP splits of the OFs are the point of any potential trade. It’s not just about filling in an OF slot
Let’s not discount jays’ defense in that newly designed left field either.
Hays. Jeez
Skubal for Holliday and Bassella(The catcher)
What have you been smoking. The Orioles aren’t trading either of those guys. The Tigers are trading Skubal.
The O’s would not trade those two prospects. They are untouchable at this point. You might get Dylan Beavers, Jud Fabian or McDermott. To even include Kjerstad in a trade would be a long shot.
All 3 of Beavers, Fabian, and McDermott wouldn’t be enough for Skubal.
Heck, even adding Kjerstad might not be enough to get it done.
Keep smoking the good stuff dude, you are out of your mind.
Lol at thinking Baltimore wouldn’t give up that catcher prospect for skubal in a deal. Silly Bobby
They wouldn’t. give up Holliday AND Basallo. That’s for damn sure. One or the other with maybe another top 20 prospect would certainly have to be considered. Having said that, I don’t think Detroit will be looking to move a stud like Skubal.
Basallo is more suited for First Base/DH.
And he’s 19 so he will stay in the O’s organization.
The Os spent all offseason working their damndest to avoid trading any of their top 5 to get Burnes. Why would they reverse course now, and trade two of their top 5 for Skubal now?
Don’t get me wrong. He’s a great pitcher who’s having a Cy Young caliber year, but the Os believe these are two franchise cornerstone players in the same level as Adley and Gunnar, who they can have for the next 7-8 years for little cost. They’re both reasonably close to the majors. This time next year we’ll all be talking about them having big seasons. The Orioles have built a machine now, the likes of which, potentially we’ve never really seen before.
Skubal is really great and all, but no thanks.
Helsely form the Cardinals in return for…. Go.
Go plays for Miami.
Not anymore
No no buddy. The Oriels play in Baltimore, not Miami. That’s ok though. You’ll get it!
Soto is garbage, no thanks
They will claim Diego Castillo and trade for Michael Kopech and be disappointed.
No, please. Not Kopech!
I’d be wary of trading for a Closer that has more Losses than Saves
We actually faced Kopech and got to him hard. I think that may have taken some of the wind out of Os trade rumors for him. He threw hard but the Os had no trouble hitting his fastball.
To any GM, just line up at Getz’ door. I guarantee Crochet, Robert, Fedde, Sheets and Moncada will be gone at the deadline or during the off-season. Maybe Vaughn and Eloy too. Robert and Moncada are making far more than the skinflint owner will pay. Also, the rest of the GM’s know that Getz can easily be taken.
Getz overestimates what he can gets for his guys.
Only way Getz is getting rid of Moncada is if he is a throw in in a trade for Robert to bring down the prospect capital going back to the White Sox in return
I suspect there’s not going to be much behind the Robert Jr rumors. Everyone wants to talk about him, but his contract is a massive risk when you consider his injury history. So teams will try to de-risk it by offering less in prospects, and it likely won’t be enough for Getz. I’m sure he’s going to set a huge price
Helsley would be a perfect rental for my birds.
Helsley is my #1 “realistic” trade deadline want this year but unfortunately (or fortunately if you are a Redbirds fan lol), the Cards have clawed their way back into contention.
If they fall out again though, Mike Elias should be all over him.
Of all the rumored closers, he’s the single one that feels the most realistic, who could be a legitimate game changer for the Os.
The Os would also be acquiring him w an extra year of control, and he would be a pretty great backup for Felix when he’s back. Based on what I’ve read, the Cards also may match up well with the Orioles infield prospect surpluses too.
Get a SP. Coulumbe injury is a big deal. Slot Irvin back to bullpen to cover that loss.
RH hitting OF? What’s switch hitter Aaron Hicks up to? He was huge for Birds last year.
Coulombe was arguably our best high leverage RP, so I’d much rather just trade for another high leverage lefty like Tanner Scott since Irvin wouldn’t really fill the role opened by DC’s injury (which I am assuming to be season ending until proven otherwise).
I like it Floch. Not a Scott fan, though. Chapman?
Yeah, if he is still pitching well in late July, he would definitely be another guy on my radar.
It’s really the LHP part of it. Columbe slots in that role. We’ll start to notice it soon in the moves we’re not going to be able to make late in the game, because we don’t have that LHP move. So I’m worried about the Yankees series because of exactly this. There’s a LH hitter over there with the name of Soto, who I’ve heard is pretty decent. Hyde’s been able to manage great, and for the most part, not put bullpen arms facing disadvantaged matchups for an out or two. He might be forced to do that next week.
Also, I personally think we need Irvin’s starts more than him in the pen. He’s a nice luxury to have if we have 5 starters, but we’ll start to see the impact later in the year, if he’s not eating innings.
Elias to call A’s master of all trades Billy Beane – oh he is around believe me – or his top lieutenant David Forst on top closer Mason Miller. Here is a package that might entice the Athletics:
Jackson Holliday, SS/2B
Samuel Basallo, C/1B
Colton Cowser, OF
Coby Mayo, 3B
Heston Kjerstad, OF
I think Billy boy would at least listen to Elias’ proposal…
gr8 b8 m8, I r8 it 8/8
LOL
Heck no dude. Sacrificing a third of the top prospects for miller who might have to go under the knife next year. Jackson, sam, cowser aren’t going anywhere. I don’t think any team has ever traded the rookie of the year. Mayo Heston or stowers can go. 2 out of 3 on that one.
@July, that’s all?
Maybe also the deed to Camden Yards and a few bushels of steamed crabs.
Throw in Gunnar and Adley and that might just push this trade across the line
As far as letters to Santa go thats a good one but no way Elias offers even a half of that for a reliever
Keep smoking the good stuff dude. The O’s aren’t trading those top 2 prospects for any deal.
The Os spent all offseason negotiating because they didn’t want to trade any of those guys for Corbin Burnes, a Cy Young winner. Why would they do that and more for Mason Miller? The guy is having a great rookie season, but he’s not Nolan Ryan just yet. He’s not even Buddy Ryan.
Lmao. That package would entice LA for Ohtani
Don’t bet on it…
The cluster of middling teams will make this years deadline brutal for buying teams, With the bar being so low for the wild card spot the only teams really out of it are the Angels, A’s, White Sox, Marlins, and Rockies. All other teams are close enough for a hot streak to put them in a playoff spot.
I’m not really seeing the need for a RHH OF- Santander and Hays hit lefties well, plus Mateo and Norby are both RHH and OF-capable. Also, Stowers has never had particularly pronounced platoon splits during his rise through the system, even if they have dogmatically shielded him from facing LHPs at the big league level so far in his young career. Likewise the rotation is in pretty good shape with 7 viable options for 5 spots (only 3 or 4 of which actually even matter in October), even after losing Means and Wells for the year.
The bullpen, OTOH, feels like it could completely disintegrate at any moment and absolutely needs meaningful reinforcements. That is the obvious place to expend our prospect capital.
I’m with u on this. Even though the BP has good numbers to this point I believe they’ve blown or lost a lead 12 times. Fix that problem and we’re in first place right now in the East. When your 8th inning guy and closer make up into a nervous wreck that’s not a good sign.
*make me
And now we’ve lost arguably our best overall RP in Coulombe, quite possibly for the year.
Y-Yay… *nervous laugh*
Webb’s having a pretty good year, too.
I think it’s a weakness.
I’ve noticed it sometimes in the way teams pitch us. And I suspect it might be part of how the team can sometimes go into these occasional funks, when a third of the order disappears esp. vs LHPs. Or late in a game, a key LHP can give the opposing team an easy inning. Last year the Os had more balance, esp. late In games. This year they haven’t been that way.
We haven’t yet been burned by this in losses though, but in the playoffs, against strong teams with good pitching staffs, these things get exposed.
The Orioles have some excess premium young talent and are seeking starting pitching, bullpen help and a right-handed hitting OF.
The White Sox have 2 solid SP’s (Garrett Crochet, Erick Fedde), a couple of useful relievers (Michael Kopech, John Brebia) and a stud CF (Luis Robert Jr.) who could help Baltimore win a championship or 3.
Robert definitely has very loud, very sexy tools, but he struggles to get on base and has only ever exceeded 100 games played in one season of his career because of injuries, so I kind of doubt the Orioles (or really any team for that matter) could reach an agreement on his trade value with Chris Getz after watching the Cease saga unfold this past offseason.
Like, Getz would be well within his rights to demand one of Holliday, Basallo, and Mayo, and Mike Elias would be perfectly justified in saying “hell no” and hanging up the phone.
Well Aroldis Chapman is hitting 104 on the gun and seems to have found his control recently.
The O’s would do well trading with the Tigers. We have both starters and BP arms.Baltimore has good prospects, so should be a great match up. Not suggesting O’s giving up anything more than a top 5 prospect, unless Skubal is involved.
@Brassroo
I can’t believe I’m saying this after his tepid performance last yr but a Jack Flaherty return could allow Irvin back to the pen.
He’s both got his strikeouts back and has been eating some innings to give the pen some much needed rest and as a good partner to Albert Suarez’s 5 and dive. Suarez has been getting it done as a backend starter but his shorter stints do put a little more pressure on the team.
I’d love Skubal but he’s not going anywhere.
The Sox are not going to get a king’s ransom for Robertt due to his injury history. He has immense talent and all, but I’d pass. As they say, the best ability is availability.
Yes they will. He has a dream contract
He has a dream contract if he’s on the field. But you could possibly be left with paying him 20M/YR for a season he’s on the IR for a big chunk of it. We can’t say there’s a zero chance of that. There’s a higher chance of that happening than him playing 125+ games.
I agree coop, it’s borderline impossible to pin down a trade value for Robert that would be acceptable to both sides.
Like, yeah, he’s got MVP-level tools, but he also doesn’t get on base much and can’t stay healthy to save his life. Any trade offer that I would be comfortable with making for him would surely be considerably less than Getz would be willing to accept for him.
Put him on a better team & id imagine he’ll be available for more games. And Kopech with a legitimate pitching coach can be a dominant setup man or closer. And Crochet is an amazing SP but, he’s on a pitch count.
Take a run at one of Tampa’s guys. They’ll probably do the right thing and do a small shuffle rather than plays for that 6-slot. Unless they pick it up the next 6 weeks.
I’m all in for pulling the trigger on Miller
Either him or if too expensive, like if they demand Holiiday or Basallo plus whomever else, then I’d target Helsley
They are trading those top guys.
They aren’t trading those top guys.
I’m not.
I think there’s more sound options available, who don’t present the same future injury risk, and would cost much less in prospects. I’ve watched baseball for 40+ years. He’s being hyped because he’s young, but so many young guys like him shine bright but flame out. It’s a story as old as time, and each time it feels like no one’s ever heard it before.
I’m all for Helsey. He too throws 100+ mph, but he’s a proven closing track record, doesn’t get injured, and wouldn’t cost the same in prospects because you’re not trying to buy out 5+ control years. But he would come with one more year of control anyways. We don’t need a star in closing role. We already have many stars (one of them is a closer in Felix) We just need a guy who can do the job. And getting a guy who can do that job may result in winning a WS.
@scott
100% chance you’re right on one of those predictions.
I enjoy reading these projections and I’m sure my state (CO) enjoys the revenue from all those smoking something.
I can see the Orioles making a minor move for a cheap bullpen arm. They’re adept at finding them, but the large splashes are rare. If they weren’t all in last year on a 101 season they’re not all in this year.
We didn’t know it was going to be 101 wins before the season would end. But they’re definitely all-in now. Elias said it, and they dealt for Burnes. Everyone in Baltimore isn’t talking about just reaching the playoffs. They’re talking about the ultimate goal, a World Series.
Get Krehbiel back
Jackson Holliday for Paul Skenes straight up. LFG! Lol