We are just about 40 days away from the 2024 MLB Trade Deadline. This time of year can go one of two ways: either excitement in adding a piece to help your team win a World Series or saying goodbye to good players in hopes of a better tomorrow. Luckily, the Orioles find themselves on the better side of the coin as they are clear buyers this deadline.
We know this team is really good – like top three in MLB level of good – but obviously, could still use some help.
With a top-three farm system in baseball, so the O’s can theoretically get any player they want.
So, as the trade deadline approaches, let’s rank the team needs. I will provide some names that fit these needs, but I won’t go into detail about why they specifically are a fit (that’s an article for another day).
Of course, we don’t know who will be available at this year’s deadline as we don’t know which teams will be selling. However, we can make educated guesses based on standings and rumors.
1. High-leverage reliever who misses bats
This is still the main thing holding the team back from entering the tier of clear-cut World Series contender. The bullpen has done a great job of trying to fill in the massive shoes left by Felix Bautista’s absence, but this current crop isn’t enough for October. The Orioles don’t have a lot of relievers who miss bats, and when we get into the postseason, that’s something everyone needs.
Yennier Cano (9.7 K/9) and Danny Coulombe (9.2 K/9) have been great, but they still allow more contact than you’d like out of the bullpen. Cionel Perez (8.6 K/9) and Jacob Webb (8.2 K/9) have been good but strike out even fewer batters. Would you have guessed that Keegan Akin is actually second behind Craig Kimbrel in K/9 out of the Birds bullpen (9.84)? When Akin is your second-best strikeout guy, you aren’t ready for postseason success.
It really doesn’t matter to me if the reliever they add is left or right-handed; they just need someone who can miss bats. When we get in the postseason strikeouts and high velocity out of the bullpen are imperative because it eliminates the luck factor. Especially when we consider that Kimbrel tends to fall apart in the playoffs, this remains the team’s biggest need.
Potential fits: Kyle Finnegan (WAS), Hunter Harvey (WAS), Tanner Scott (MIA), Ryan Helsley (StL), Ryan Pressly (HOU), Carlos Estevez (ANA)
2. Starting pitcher with Ace upside
Waiting to write this article is going to work out in the worst way possible. For once, I thought the rotation was set. They were so good over these last few weeks until another monkey wrench was thrown into the plan. Kyle Bradish’s injury status is completely up in the air after Friday night, and a rotation that looked locked and loaded has lost three starters in the span of a month. Don’t expect anything from Bradish for the rest of the year; anything he provides is now a bonus.
We know Corbin Burnes will show up, and Grayson Rodriguez is looking to have built upon his great second half of 2023, but outside of that we have massive questions. Right now, after Grayson, we have a guy who has bad advanced metrics, who everyone wanted off the team after last year in Cole Irvin, a guy who hadn’t pitched in a game since 2017 in Albert Suarez, and a rookie in Cade Povich. If Dean Kremer returns to being his usual self, we have a guy who can hold it down until October, but who you really don’t want starting a playoff game. As much as it hurts to say, this isn’t a World Series rotation as constructed, and Bradish’s injury catapults this up the board of the need. They need to acquire someone who can give the upside of a Bradish. This won’t be easy. But if Mike Elias intends to push his chips in, they need another starter.
Potential fits: Garrett Crochet (CWS), Jesus Luzardo (MIA), Eric Feede (CWS), Luis Severino (NYM), Sean Manaea (NYM)
3. Power-hitting right-handed outfielder
This used to be number two on the list before Friday, but it now finds itself at three and, honestly, is the least likely to happen. The offense needs to be more consistent. Yes, I know they score a ton of runs, but those games are in bunches. The Orioles really need to figure out this outfield. Anthony Santander has been on another planet recently, and Austin Hays has been good since returning, but they need more clutch hitting. Cedric Mullins is starting to play batter, but his overall numbers are still very poor, and Colton Cowser’s offense is nowhere near reliable just yet. They could also use a right-handed DH option when they sit Ryan O’Hearn with lefties on the mound. It still haunts me that last year, the Rangers threw a bunch of lefties at us in the postseason, and the Orioles couldn’t do anything about it. The situation has improved slightly, but there is still room for more. The ideal addition could DH and potentially play all three outfield positions, but certainly has to be able to handle left field at Camden Yards.
Potential fits: Taylor Ward (ANA), Kevin Pillar (ANA), Luis Robert Jr. (CWS), Tommy Pham (CWS), Connor Joe (PIT)
Remember these names I mentioned here today. Next week, we will discuss why I think they fit.
Trade Deadline season is always fun for the contenders, but this year, Baltimore has clear needs to address if they want to make a real World Series run.
2 Responses
Need to trade for Mason Miller, stop playing games, going to need bullpen more now then ever
Mason Miller would be a great addition. He could usurp or serve as an adjunct to our current closer, Craig Kimbrel. This would further define the rest of the bullpen arms’ roles.
While Miller’s a great closer now, he’s got the pitch repertoire to transition into a starter’s role next year when our All-Star closer, Felix Bautista, returns. So, this makes us much stronger this year and in the near future.
While we will have to surrender some of our stockpiled minor league talent to acquire Miller, a starter and possibly a solid bat to bolster our bench, it’s okay. We have an embarrassment of major league-ready talent in our minor league affiliates who are blocked by our everyday players in Baltimore.