The Orioles & Mariners have reportedly agreed on a trade that will send Mark Trumbo to Baltimore in exchange for Steve Clevenger. Our staff reacts…

.@Orioles acquire Mark Trumbo from Mariners, @Britt_Ghiroli reports. Clubs have not confirmed. #HotStove

— MLB (@MLB) December 2, 2015

Derek Arnold

I hate losing Clevenger, as I was hoping to see Steve & Caleb Joseph handle most catching duties in 2016, but that ship sailed last month when Matt Wieters accepted the qualifying offer. Trumbo offers some power, which we know the O’s covet, and unfortunately might tip their hand they they don’t expect to keep Chris Davis around. Trumbo is only 29, and is a career .250/.300/.458 hitter, with 131 home runs and 686 strikeouts in 2554 AB. He strikes me as a Mark Reynolds-type, but the Birds have shown that they can win with those kinds of players. They still need to focus on surrounding Trumbo (and their other power hitters) with guys who can get on base.

In a vacuum, this trade is a power hitter for a third catcher. I’ll take that. Let’s add “Trumbombs” to “Adam Bombs.”

Joe Polek

The Orioles get a 25+ HR guy (and possibly a 2nd player) for their 3rd string Catcher? I’d say that is a deal I’ll take any day of the week! Now, if they keep Davis, the Orioles are on to something. If they lose Davis, this deal doesn’t help the Orioles, only keeps them steady from last year. But I like the trade.

Phil Backert

The Orioles preach how they want to improve their on base percentage and cut down on the strikeouts and their first acquisition of note this offseason is the complete opposite. However, when you can get a guy who can hit 30 homeruns and you only have to give up Steve Clevenger who was going to be the odd man out after Matt Wieters accepted the qualifying offer, you do it in a second. Trumbo also provides insurance in case Chris Davis does not return, but man, if he does, the power from Manny Machado to Adam Jones to Davis to Trumbo to Wieters will be a lot of fun to watch in 2016.

Ryan Blake

Mark Trumbo is your classic modern Baltimore Oriole: high strikeout rate, low OBP, lots of home runs. He fits well in the middle of a lineup that has a great table setter in Manny Machado and a couple big power bats already in Adam Jones and Jonathan Schoop.

With the possibility that the Orioles lose Chris Davis, Trumbo could become our everyday first baseman. In the event that Davis ends up back in Baltimore, Trumbo would likely see the majority of his time in left field while serving as designated hitter on occasion. Since Trumbo has the ability to play the outfield, I don’t think this trade has too much of an impact on the potential of re-signing Davis as our long-term first baseman.

Steve Clevenger became expendable after Matt Wieters accepted the qualifying offer earlier last month, and I think GM Dan Duquette pulled off a slick move in selling his third string catcher for a potential 35-40 HR guy.

As a fellow Mount St. Joseph High School graduate, I’m sad to see Clevenger go, but I love this move. More to come?

Andrew Stetka

From a logistics standpoint, this deal makes a lot of sense. The O’s had a surplus at catcher once Matt Wieters accepted the qualifying offer and weren’t like to find a spot for Steve Clevenger on the roster. Entering 2016, the Orioles are rolling with Wieters and Caleb Joseph, so I have no issues with giving up what they did.

Trumbo is a big power bat, and will help in the middle of the order, but he’s a major liability defensively. He’s likely going to spend most of his time in LF and at DH, but don’t expect him to be the regular designated hitter. Buck Showalter doesn’t roll that way, he likes to rotate players in that spot. The acquisition of Trumbo makes me believe Chris Davis is all but out the door. I had a small glimmer of hope that Davis would be back next season because I think it’s what both sides wanted, but this move tells me the O’s are happy moving on and not spending big dollars. The issue I have is that Trumbo is not Davis. He’s not nearly as capable with the bat (even from a power standpoint) and he’s way worse with the glove.

Trumbo is essentially a slightly better version of Mark Reynolds, but worse defensively. Expect him to be the cleanup or #5 hole hitter next season, and hit a bunch of homers with a ton of strikeouts. A poor man’s Davis.

Jonathan French

Trumbo is a free swinging, low on-base percentage, right-handed hitter that will take up approximately $9 million in payroll room for the Orioles, and he doesn’t fit any of their needs unless he takes the place of Chris Davis at first base. In that case, he’s also a downgrade in defense and offense at the position. What’s not to like?

If I knew the Orioles were going to raise their payroll into the $150 million range or higher, then perhaps Trumbo just becomes an expensive DH against LHP, but we know they aren’t. Also when the Orioles needed a DH against left handed pitching they signed Delmon Young for less than $3 million to be that guy so why spend more on Trumbo if you didn’t expect him to play first base? You certainly don’t want him playing the outfield.

It just doesn’t make any sense unless the Orioles acquired him to play first base and that means Chris Davis is as good as gone no matter how the Orioles try to spin it.

Matt Sroka

This trade represents a nice win for the Orioles on a couple fronts. Unlike Clevenger, Trumbo is a proven major league hitter. Sure, he doesn’t address the need of OBP or speed (not to mention that whole starting pitching problem), but anytime you can trade a 29-year-old third string catcher who has yet to prove he can play in the majors for a 29-year-old power hitter who has proven over multiple seasons that he can bat .250 to go along with his 20+ bombs, it’s a good deal.

Also, this trade is another statement by the Orioles that they want to win now. The Orioles are trading away a guy set to make around $500,000 to get a guy set to make over $9 million. Sounds to me like the Orioles are willing to spend this offseason. Now of course (you all knew this was coming) the Trumbo deal doesn’t solve all the Orioles’ problems and should just be one piece of their offseason puzzle. So come on Orioles, re-sign Chris Davis and get that starting pitching help, and with every move the Orioles make the Trumbo trade will look better and better.

Tyler Beard

Great trade for the Orioles, in low-risk, high-reward fashion. Clevenger became the odd-man out when Wieters excepted his qualifying offer, which made him expendable.

Trumbo provides a power bat for the O’s and can play multiple positions. Expect around 30 home runs for him and hopefully he can keep his average around .250.

We’ll post more reactions from our staff as they come in…tell us yours below!