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Orioles Outright Levi Stoudt

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The Orioles have sent right-handed pitcher Levi Stoudt outright to Double-A Bowie, the team announced this morning. He was designated for assignment last week to open up a spot on the 40-man roster after Baltimore traded for Seranthony Domínguez and Cristian Pache. This is the first time Stoudt has been outrighted in his career, and given his limited MLB service time, he has no choice but to accept the assignment.

The Mariners selected Stoudt in the third round of the 2019 draft, but due to a UCL injury and the canceled minor league season in 2020, he did not make his professional debut until 2021. After parts of two seasons in Seattle’s system, he was sent to Cincinnati ahead of the 2022 trade deadline as part of the package for Luis Castillo. He made his MLB debut with the Reds in 2023, making four appearances (two starts) over four separate stints with the big league club. Across 10 1/3 innings, the righty gave up 11 earned runs on 16 hits. He was once a well-regarded pitching prospect, but given his poor performance in the majors and similarly disappointing minor league numbers (6.23 ERA, 7.40 FIP), it came as little surprise when the Reds DFA’d him over the offseason.

The Mariners claimed Stoudt off of waivers this past February, but his second stint in Seattle was short-lived. After he pitched to a 6.92 ERA in 12 games (11 starts) at Triple-A, Stoudt was DFA’d again in June. This time, the Orioles picked him up and brought him back down to Double-A to work exclusively as a reliever. He has a 4.26 ERA but a much more impressive 3.23 FIP over nine games (12 2/3 innings) with the Bowie Baysox. He has struck out 31.0% of batters he has faced, a huge improvement over his 14.9% strikeout rate as a starter with the Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers. Presumably, he will continue to work as a multi-inning reliever with Bowie after the outright.

Red Sox Select Nick Sogard, DFA Yohan Ramírez

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The Red Sox have promoted infielder Nick Sogard, the team announced to reporters (including Christopher Smith of MassLive). He will make his MLB debut when he first appears in a game. To make room on the 40-man roster, the team designated right-hander Yohan Ramírez for assignment. In additional Red Sox news, the team has activated right-handed reliever Lucas Sims and optioned second baseman Jamie Westbrook.

Sogard, 26, is the cousin of former big league infielder Eric Sogard. He was selected by the Rays in the 12th round of the 2019 draft and traded to Boston in what then looked to be a small swap sending righty Chris Mazza and eventual breakout left-hander Jeffrey Springs to Tampa Bay. The younger Sogard has enjoyed a career-best showing in Triple-A this season — his third stint at that level — slashing .279/.382/.439 with a dozen home runs, 17 doubles, a triple and a 10-for-15 showing in stolen bases. For a third straight season, his walk rate tops 13%, and while his 20.4% strikeout rate is a career-high, it’s still lower than average.

Although he’s played all over the diamond, Sogard has spent the bulk of his time on the left side of the infield. He’s played 1144 innings at shortstop and 1404 innings at third base, in addition to 944 frames at second base and a handful of games across all three outfield spots and at first base. The switch-hitting Sogard will give the Red Sox an option at multiple spots on the diamond and give Boston a right-handed-hitting option in the middle infield that they sought but didn’t secure heading into the trade deadline. He’s posted roughly even splits in 2024 but in the past has handled himself considerably better as a right-handed hitter against lefty opponents.

Ramirez, 29, has remarkably pitched for four different teams this season, spending time with the Mets, Orioles and Dodgers in addition to the Sox. He’s tallied 45 frames — mostly with Los Angeles — and struggled to a 6.20 ERA but more promising rate stats (21.6% strikeout rate, 8.2% walk rate, 43.8% grounder rate). Ramirez has averaged just shy of 95 mph on his heater but had a hard time getting swings and misses or chases off the plate. Opponents have posted a dismal 47.9% contact rate when they do chase (nearly 10 percentage points below average), but Ramirez has the second-worst overall chase rate among big league pitchers (min. 40 innings).

Ramirez has pitched in parts of five big league seasons, recording a 4.58 ERA, 22.8% strikeout rate and 11.3% walk rate in 169 MLB frames. With the trade deadline now passed, the Red Sox’ only option will be to place him on outright waivers or release him. They still technically have five days to do so, but with no option of trading him he’ll presumably head straight to waivers and be made available to the league’s 29 other clubs.

Pirates Agree To Terms With First-Round Pick Konnor Griffin

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The Pirates have agreed on a contract with first-round draft selection Konnor Griffin, as first reported by Andrew Destin of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. The team chose Griffin with the ninth overall pick, which came with a slot value slightly under $6.22MM. He signed for a bonus of just over $6.53MM, retracting his prior commitment to LSU.

After celebrating his 18th birthday in April, Griffin was the youngest player (and the only high schooler) taken with one of this year’s top 10 picks. Baseball America and MLB Pipeline ranked him as the No. 9 prospect entering the draft, while Keith Law of The Athletic had him at No. 10 and FanGraphs had him at No. 12.

Griffin excelled as both a hitter and a pitcher at Jackson Preparatory School, but he will begin his professional career as a position player. However, the evaluators at Baseball America suggest he has “a real fallback option as a pitcher.” That should tell you just how strong his tools are as a hitter and defender. Nearly every source agrees he has plus power, terrific speed, a strong arm, and the skills to be a valuable defender at shortstop or in center field. With so many tools at his disposal, it’s easy to see plenty of All-Star appearances in his future. That said, most evaluators have Griffin in the high (or even extreme) risk category given his youth and questions about how his hit tool will hold up against tougher competition.

Baseball America has Griffin immediately slotting in as the top position player and the second-best prospect in the Pirates’ system.

Cardinals Select Michael McGreevy, Place Lance Lynn On IL, DFA Jacob Bosiokovic

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12:04 PM: Speaking to reporters (including John Denton), Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol explained that McGreevy was called up because the team presumed Lynn would need an IL stint for his knee. However, the skipper noted that Pallante, not McGreevy, will remain in the rotation while Lynn is out. The team does not believe the injury is especially serious (per Katie Woo), and it is not expected to require surgery (per Jeff Jones). Instead, Lynn will take a rest and rehab approach to his recovery.

11:02 AM: The Cardinals have formally selected Michael McGreevy’s contract from Triple-A Memphis, the team announced. To make room on the 40-man roster, Jacob Bosiokovic has been designated for assignment. Bosiokovic, 30, had his contract selected at the end of June, but while he spent four days with the big league club, he did not get into a game to make his MLB debut. In 33 appearances this year for Memphis, he has a 3.95 ERA and a 29.4% strikeout rate, though his 14.1% walk rate is a cause for concern. He will now have a week to pass through waivers. If he clears waivers, the Cardinals will have the option to send him outright back to Triple-A.

In additional Cardinals news, the team placed Lance Lynn on the 15-day injured list with right knee inflammation. Lynn pitched well against the Rangers last night, limiting Texas to one run on three hits over five innings. However, he told reporters after the game (including Woo) that he was nursing pain in his knee. Woo noted that he was walking with “a pretty noticeable limp.” John Denton of MLB.com suggests that Lynn’s injury is “pretty serious,” and that the veteran fears his right knee could be “severely damaged.” However, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reported last night that Lynn and the Cardinals will “monitor” the injury and “see how he recovers.” While Lynn is out, St. Louis could choose to give McGreevy a couple of extra turns in the rotation. Alternatively, they could push back Andre Pallante’s move to the bullpen.

By placing Lynn on the IL, the Cardinals made room for McGreevy on the active roster. St. Louis also recalled right-handed reliever Ryan Loutos from Triple-A and optioned fellow righty reliever Chris Roycroft.

July 30: The Cardinals are planning to promote pitching prospect Michael McGreevy to start Wednesday’s game against the Rangers (per Katie Woo of The Athletic). It will be the right-hander’s MLB debut. St. Louis will need to make corresponding moves to make room for the rookie on the 26 and 40-man rosters.

McGreevy, who turned 24 earlier this month, was the Cardinals’ first-round pick in the 2021 draft. His prospect stock has fallen significantly since he was drafted 18th overall, but he remains a consensus top-30 prospect in the Cardinals’ system. Keith Law of The Athletic remained particularly high on McGreevy entering the 2024 season, ranking him at No. 8 in the organization. Law made note of his durability and suggested, “He would be an easy No. 4 starter if he could get left-handed batters out.” Unfortunately for McGreevy, he has continued to struggle against opposite-handed opponents during his second season at Triple-A. While he has held righties to a .628 OPS in 207 trips to the plate, lefty batters have torched him for an .839 OPS in 261 plate appearances. Thus, his overall numbers have been lackluster. In 20 starts, he has a 4.45 ERA and a 4.31 FIP, only a slight improvement upon his 4.49 ERA and 4.52 FIP in 24 starts at Triple-A last season. Nevertheless, the Cardinals have decided he’s ready to give it a go in the majors, at least temporarily.

McGreevy’s debut will likely just be a spot start. Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat explains that the Cardinals are looking to get their starting five a little extra rest amid a stretch of 16 games in 16 days. Lance Lynn is starting for St. Louis tonight, and after McGreevy’s turn on Wednesday, the rotation will line up as follows: Sonny Gray, recent trade acquisition Erick Fedde, Kyle Gibson, and Miles Mikolas (per Jones). It is unclear how Andre Pallante, who has been in the Cardinals’ rotation since the end of May, fits into this equation. According to Lynn Worthy of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, manager Oli Marmol has “not sat down yet” with Pallante to discuss his role moving forward. However, Marmol did confirm that he plans to return to a five-man rotation after this week (per Worthy). Thus, Pallante will most likely head to the bullpen. While the right-hander will surely bolster the team’s relief corps, it is noteworthy that the Cardinals are presumably choosing to promote McGreevy for a spot start rather than giving Pallante one last look in the rotation.

Red Sox Agree To Terms With First-Round Pick Braden Montgomery

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The Red Sox have signed 2024 12th overall pick Braden Montgomery, as first reported by Alex Speier of the Boston Globe. The 21-year-old outfielder will receive a $5MM signing bonus, slightly less than the $5.48MM slot value of the 12th overall pick.

After two years at Stanford University, Montgomery transferred to Texas A&M for his junior year. Across 61 games (295 PA), the powerful switch-hitter batted .322 with 27 home runs, good for a 1.187 OPS. While he also pitched in 25 games over his two years with the Stanford Cardinal, he only pitched twice with the Aggies, giving up four earned runs in two innings of work. While he can touch the mid-90s with his fastball, he will presumably focus on hitting and playing the outfield as a professional.

Montgomery suffered an ankle injury in June, and he was seen riding around the draft on a scooter with his right foot in a walking boot. However, Speier notes it is “not considered a major issue” for the young outfielder.

Many experts (including those at Baseball America and FanGraphs) expected Montgomery to be a top-10 pick in this year’s draft, so the Red Sox should be quite pleased they landed him with the No. 12 selection. As Keith Law of The Athletic put it, “The Red Sox may have just gotten the steal of the draft so far.” Law had Montgomery as the No. 4 draft prospect on his pre-draft rankings. He describes the youngster as a “true switch-hitter,” though he notes that Montgomery’s hit tool and plate discipline are stronger from the left side. Law also had high praise for his throwing arm, suggesting he has a future as a plus defender in right field. Montgomery slots in as Boston’s No. 4 prospect, according to Baseball America. Due to his ankle injury, he will not debut in the Red Sox system until 2025.

Orioles, Pirates Swap Minor Leaguers Billy Cook And Patrick Reilly

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On a day in which both teams made several moves to augment their major league rosters, the Orioles and Pirates also connected on a minor league trade, with the O’s sending 25-year-old utility player Billy Cook to the Bucs in exchange for 22-year-old right-hander Patrick Reilly. The teams have already made the trade official, according to the transaction tracker on MiLB.com.

The Orioles drafted Cook in the 10th round of the 2021 draft, and he has risen through the ranks of the Orioles system over the past four years. In 85 games between Double and Triple-A this season, he is batting .275 with 17 doubles, four triples, and 12 home runs, good for a 120 wRC+. He has also stolen 16 bases. On the other side of the ball, Cook has played first, second, and third base, as well as all three outfield positions. Earlier this year, he told David Laurilla of FanGraphs that he thinks his skills play best in the outfield, but he understands his ability to play the infield is important, too. While Cook is not the most highly regarded prospect (MLB Pipeline had him as the No. 28 prospect in Baltimore’s system, but he was unranked by Baseball America, FanGraphs, and The Athletic entering the season), it is impressive that he has managed to carve out a regular role at Triple-A Norfolk, considering the sheer amount of young talent in the Orioles’ organization. He will need to be added to the Pirates 40-man roster after the season if the team wants to protect him from the Rule 5 draft.

The Pirates took Reilly in the fifth round of last year’s draft. He has made 19 starts at High-A this year, pitching to a 3.38 ERA and 4.65 FIP in 88 innings of work. His 108 strikeouts are particularly impressive, although his 41 walks are less than ideal. That said, he has cut down on free passes since his time at Vanderbilt, where he walked 93 batters over 144 innings. Eric Longenhagen and Travis Ice of FanGraphs ranked him as the No. 22 prospect in the Pirates’ system in June, while MLB Pipeline had him at No. 20 prior to the trade. Baseball America was higher on Reilly, ranking him at No. 8 entering the season. The evaluators at BA gave him a 45 future value grade, while MLB Pipeline and FanGraphs both gave him a 40. All three sources are high on his mid-90s fastball, but BA was equally enamored with his slider and less concerned by his control issues. The evaluators at BA also seem to be the most optimistic that Reilly can stick as a starter in the long term, writing that he “has the arm to make it work.”

While Reilly is widely considered the more promising young player, the Pirates clearly see something they like in Cook, who is much closer to making his MLB debut. Meanwhile, it’s easy to see why the Orioles, whose organization is loaded with position player talent, were happy to swap a 25-year-old hitter for a 22-year-old pitcher.

Dodgers Acquire Kevin Kiermaier

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The Dodgers acquired Kevin Kiermaier and cash considerations from the Blue Jays for lefty reliever Ryan Yarbrough. Toronto is reportedly paying down $1.66MM of Kiermaier’s remaining salary.

Kiermaier, 34, is in the midst of a thoroughly disappointing season, batting .195 with a .546 OPS. While his defense in the outfield has been stellar as always (10 OAA, 9 DRS), it has not been enough to make up for his career-worst offensive numbers. He has been worth just 0.2 Wins Above Replacement according to FanGraphs. The four-time Gold Glove winner went unclaimed on waivers earlier this month, with no team willing to claim him and take the remaining portion of his $10.5MM salary off of the Blue Jays’ books. Now, however, just over two weeks later, the Jays found a club willing to take Kiermaier off their hands, and they got a left-handed long-man for the bullpen in return.

The Dodgers have not gotten much production from the center field position this year, ranking 27th in OPS and wRC+ and dead last in FanGraphs WAR. James Outman has struggled to replicate his success from his excellent rookie season in 2023, while top prospect Andy Pages has underwhelmed at the plate (.675 OPS, 92 wRC+) and in the field (-8 DRS, -1 OAA). Kiermaier won’t help the offense, but he will be a terrific defensive replacement off the bench. What’s more, if there is any team that can put up with his bat in the starting lineup on occasion, it’s the Dodgers, who lead the NL in OPS and wRC+ despite mediocre production from center field all season.

Kiermaier has already announced his intention to retire following the 2024 campaign. Joining the powerhouse Dodgers will give him one more chance to compete for a World Series championship, an accomplishment that has eluded him throughout his 12-year career with the Rays and Blue Jays. Kiermaier went 7-for-19 with a 1.137 OPS in the 2020 World Series, but despite his efforts, the Rays fell to the Dodgers in six games.

As for the Blue Jays, they have elite defender Daulton Varsho to slide into center field, and Shi Davidi of Sportsnet reports that lefty batting outfielder/first baseman Joey Loperfido, acquired from the Astros in the Yusei Kikuchi deal, will take Kiermaier’s spot on the active roster. Presumably, Loperfido will take over from Varsho in left field, at least in games with a right-handed starting pitcher. Meanwhile, Yarbrough should slot in as a reinforcement for a Blue Jays bullpen that has lost several contributors in recent days, including Yimi García, Trevor Richards, and Nate Pearson. Toronto may be out of contention this year, but the team still needs live arms to get through the season.

Yarbrough, 32, was designated for assignment by the Dodgers on Monday. While his 3.74 ERA this season is respectable, he has the lowest strikeout rate (13.9%) and the highest walk rate (8.9%) of his career. His 4.98 SIERA would also be a career-worst. That said, his ability to pitch multiple innings and his recent work as a starter (he started nine games in 2023, nine in 2022, and 21 in 2021) will make him an asset for a last-place Blue Jays team that is simply looking to get through the rest of the season without further embarrassment. Like Kiermaier, Yarbrough will be a free agent at the end of the year.

Robert Murray of FanSided reported the Dodgers and Jays were swapping Kiermaier and Yarbrough. Ronald Blum of the Associated Press reported the cash considerations.

Phillies Acquire Tanner Banks

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The White Sox have traded left-handed reliever Tanner Banks to the Phillies. Philadelphia is sending 19-year-old infield prospect William Bergolla to Chicago in return.

Banks, 32, has been a solid middle reliever for the White Sox over the past three seasons, with a 3.89 ERA and 3.67 SIERA in 162 innings pitched. He has an unremarkable 4.13 ERA this year, but his 26.8% strikeout rate, 3.23 xERA, and 3.12 SIERA are the best marks of his career. Of further note, Banks has gone multiple innings in 16 of his 41 appearances this season. Matt Gelb of The Athletic notes he will be a multi-inning arm out of the Phillies’ bullpen and “could return to starting at some point.” The southpaw has also been a menace against same-handed opponents this season, with a 33.7% strikeout rate and a 1.90 FIP. Lefties have hit just .184 against him.

The Phillies had already made one big bullpen acquisition ahead of the deadline, trading for Angels closer Carlos Estevez over the weekend. However, Ken Rosenthal of the Athletic noted on Monday that Philadelphia was still seeking bullpen help. After adding the righty Estevez, it stood to reason they would seek a southpaw, especially given José Alvarado’s recent struggles. The move to add Banks makes even more sense given the news that the Phillies have traded fellow left-handed reliever Gregory Soto to the Orioles, which broke shortly after the report that the Phillies had acquired Banks. Soto has put up solid underlying numbers throughout his season and a half with Philadelphia (3.63 SIERA), but his 4.42 ERA over 95 2/3 innings pitched is less inspiring. Evidently, the Phillies decided they saw more that they liked in Banks. Not only does he have better splits against left-handed batters this season and a proven ability to pitch multiple innings, but as a pre-arb player, he is significantly less expensive than Soto and comes with significantly more team control.

Bergolla signed with the Phillies as an international free agent in January 2022. Entering the season, he was the team’s No. 10 prospect according to Baseball America and No. 13 according to FanGraphs. Keith Law of The Athletic was not as high on the young infielder, leaving him off of his list of the top 20 prospects in the Phillies’ system. Ultimately, different evaluators disagree about Bergolla’s throwing arm, speed, and power potential, but just about everyone seems to agree that his ability to put the ball in play is his most important skill. He had a 7.5% strikeout rate at Single-A last season, and he is currently running an 11.2% strikeout rate at High-A in 2024.

Robert Murray of FanSided was the first to report that the Phillies were acquiring Banks from the White Sox. Scott Merkin of MLB.com first suggested that Bergolla could be headed back to the White Sox, and Todd Zolecki of MLB.com later confirmed the report.

Mariners Acquire JT Chargois

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The Mariners have landed right-hander JT Chargois in a deal with the Marlins, The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal reports (X link). In return, the Marlins will receive minor league right-hander Will Schomberg, as reported by Christina De Nicola of MLB.com (X link).

Chargois began the 2024 season on the injured list due to neck spasms and did not make his 2024 debut until mid-June. Since his return from the IL, the 33-year-old has put up excellent surface-level numbers, having allowed just three earned runs over 16 2/3 innings. However, he has struck out only 12 batters (16.9% K%) while walking seven (9.9% walk rate), and all three runs he has given up have come on home runs. What’s more, he is inducing groundballs at just a 34.6% rate, well below his 52.9% career average entering the season. As a result, Chargois’s underlying numbers are not nearly as impressive as his sparkling ERA; he has a 4.74 SIERA and 5.21 xERA, both of which would be the worst of his career. Even more worrisome, his fastball velocity has decreased significantly. His sinker, which averaged 96.3 mph last season, is down to 94.4 mph this year.

With all that said, Chargois has been an effective reliever in the recent past. Over 211 2/3 career innings with the Twins, Dodgers, Mariners, Rays, and Marlins, he has a 3.40 ERA and 3.84 SIERA. He was particularly effective from 2021-23, following his return from a brief stint in NPB. Across those three seasons, the righty went 9-1 with a 2.89 ERA and 3.99 SIERA over 118 1/3 innings. Perhaps a return to Seattle – an organization known for developing excellent pitching – will help Chargois get back on the right track. After all, it was the Mariners who took a chance on him in 2021 after his difficult 2019 season with the Dodgers (6.33 ERA in 21 1/3 IP) and poor performance in Japan (4.58 ERA in 35 1/3 IP). He pitched to a 3.00 ERA in 30 IP with Seattle over the first four months of the season before he was traded to Tampa Bay at the deadline.

Chargois will presumably slot into a middle relief role in the Mariners’ bullpen. Seattle ranks 12th in MLB with a 3.76 bullpen ERA and sixth with a 3.54 bullpen SIERA this season. Every reliever currently on the team’s active roster has a SIERA under 3.70, but the Mariners surely understand that there is no such thing as too much bullpen depth down the stretch. Chargois, who is earning $1.285MM this season, will be eligible for arbitration one more time in 2025.

Schomberg signed with the Mariners organization as an undrafted free agent in July of 2023. He has split the 2024 season between Single-A and High-A, pitching to a 2.83 ERA and 4.23 FIP in 19 starts (92 1/3 innings). Eric Longenhagen of FanGraphs included Schomberg among the “other prospects of note” beyond his top 34 prospects in the Mariners system earlier this month. Longenhagen praised the righty’s “elite breaking ball spin,” noting the success he had “throwing a lot of cutters and curveballs” before his promotion to High-A.

Orioles Willing To Trade Ryan Mountcastle, Cedric Mullins

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The Orioles will be one of the most fascinating teams to watch ahead of the trade deadline. They currently boast a one-game lead over the Guardians for the best record in the American League and a 1.5-game lead over the Yankees for first place in the AL East. Thus, they fit the criteria for major buyers; the O’s are undeniably one of the best teams in baseball, but they still have things worth fighting for down the stretch. What’s more, prospect evaluators widely agree that Baltimore has one of the deepest and most talented farm systems in the game, in addition to a logjam of talented young players on the major league roster. They should be able to outbid just about anyone to land their ideal trade targets in the coming days.

Yet, precisely because of all that talent, the Orioles might also be sellers at the deadline. According to Jeff Passan of ESPN, Baltimore is willing to discuss trades for Ryan Mountcastle and Cedric Mullins, a pair of veterans who have been with this team since it was one of the worst in baseball. It’s rare to see a team with World Series aspirations trade proven, cost-controlled players at the deadline, but the Orioles can afford to part with Mountcastle and Mullins without compromising anything. Indeed, they might get even stronger by clearing up room on a crowded roster.

It wasn’t so long ago that Mullins was one of Baltimore’s best players. He earned down-ballot MVP votes during a career year in 2021 and followed that up with a solid all-around season in 2022. However, his offensive and defensive numbers both took a turn for the worse in 2023, and that trend has continued into 2024, his age-29 season. Mullins is batting .214 with a 79 wRC+. Despite his perfect fielding percentage, he has put up just 1 OAA (he had six last year and nine the year before). In addition, his arm strength has fallen below average, according to Statcast. Just about the only area where Mullins has provided above-average production is on the bases. He has 16 steals and ranks among the top 15 AL players in FanGraphs’ baserunning metric (BsR).

It might seem far too soon for the Orioles to give up on a 29-year-old center fielder with MVP votes in his past, but given the sheer amount of talented outfielders at Baltimore’s disposal, the team can hardly afford to keep giving so much playing time to a player who is providing so little. Anthony Santander, Colton Cowser, and Heston Kjerstad all deserve regular playing time, while Kyle Stowers and Connor Norby are a couple of promising options at Triple-A. There aren’t a ton of center fielders in that mix, but Cowser has played phenomenal defense in left this season; he could slide over to center and open up his corner spot for a bigger bat.

Mountcastle, 27, is having a perfectly serviceable season, with 12 home runs and a 109 wRC+. Those aren’t bad numbers, by any means, but contending teams generally have higher expectations at first base, and Mountcastle’s 111 wRC+ over the past four seasons doesn’t exactly suggest that better days are ahead. Thus, if Mountcastle is preventing players like Kjerstad, and eventually Coby Mayo and Samuel Basallo, from getting regular playing time, he might be doing more harm than good for the Orioles.

Still, considering his consistently above-average offensive performance in all five seasons of his big league career, Mountcastle would be a welcome addition to plenty of contending teams. With All-Star first basemen Pete Alonso, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., and Yandy Díaz unlikely to be dealt, Mountcastle, under team control through 2026, could be an interesting (and cheaper) alternative for a team in need of a right-handed bat. Meanwhile, Mullins could be an intriguing buy-low candidate for a team that thinks it can help him rediscover his All-Star form. He is not eligible for free agency until after the 2025 season.

The Orioles certainly don’t have to trade either Mountcastle or Mullins, and, perhaps they won’t unless GM Mike Elias receives an overwhelming offer. However, trading one or both of the veterans could allow the O’s to recoup some of the young talent they will part with in other deadline trades. While neither player will command a massive return, Baltimore might still prefer to swap them for prospects rather than continue to run them out in place of better options or, eventually, stash them on the bench.

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