While the Orioles team was busy beating the Minnesota Twins on the field Saturday evening by a score of 3-2, the front office led by Dan Duquette was wheeling and dealing.
During the game, the team announced that they had acquired outfielder Alejandro De Aza from the Chicago White Sox for minor league pitchers Miguel Chalas and Mark Blackmar.
De Aza, 30, offers the O’s a more reliable left-handed option off the bench than David Lough does, while providing similar speed and defensive benefits. He’s hit .279/.347/.410 against right-handed pitching this year, with a .334 wOBA and 110 wRC+. Speaking with Jim Hunter and Mike Bordick in the MASN booth during the game, Duquette said that he expects De Aza to be available for Sunday’s game.
Then, just after the game, the Birds announced ANOTHER deal, in which they traded Jemile Weeks and Ivan De Jesus to Boston for veteran infielder Kelly Johnson and Michael Almanzar, another infielder. Almanzar was the O’s Rule 5 pick earlier this year, so it’s obvious they still coveted him.
Johnson, 32, has now played for every American League East team since 2012. He’s bounced from Toronto in 2012, to Tampa in 2013, and spent time with both New York and Boston this year. Now he’s an Oriole, and brings another left-handed bat and a .250/.332/.423 career slash line with him to Baltimore.
These are far from blockbuster moves (though the De Aza one is very intriguing), but if nothing else, the Birds are solidifying their depth for the stretch run.
