The Yankees and Astros made trades, the Orioles are still mulling options, and Cowser speaks.
Good Morning, Birdland!
A couple of big trades that will impact the Orioles went down on Friday. First, reliever Devin Williams was traded from the Brewers to the Yankees in exchange for left-handed starter Nestor Cortes, infield prospect Caleb Durbin, and $2 million in cash. Later, outfielder Kyle Tucker was sent from the Astros to the Cubs in a swap for infielder Isaac Paredes, righty Hayden Wesneski, and prospect Cam Smith.
Williams going to the Bronx is not ideal for our O’s. He is in the discussion as the game’s top closer, and will now join Luke Weaver at the back of what seems to be a formidable Yankees bullpen. Their GM, Brian Cashman, sure has pivoted hard ever since losing out on Juan Soto, opting to reinforce the pitching staff in a big way with the additions of Max Fried and now Williams. One can imagine they will turn towards the lineup now, with significant holes yet to fill at first base and either second or third base.
At least Tucker won’t be going to the Yankees. They were said to be interested in the all-star outfielder prior to the completed deal with the Cubs. Instead, he leaves the junior circuit altogether. That’s important for the Orioles since it, seemingly, brings the Astros down a notch as well. The AL was already thin, and right now much of the power is being focused within the East. Ugh.
Meanwhile, the Orioles are mulling their options. They have already missed out on Fried, Blake Snell, and Garrett Crochet this offseason. There are still big names to be had, including Corbin Burnes and Dylan Cease. But there are no strong reports out there about Mike Elias working the phones.
Of course, that doesn’t mean it won’t happen. The Burnes trade last winter didn’t go down until February and came as largely a surprise after a winter filled with Cease-to-Baltimore rumors. Perhaps those were just a year too early, or maybe there are other starting pitchers on the market that we aren’t even thinking about right now.
If the Orioles do pull together a trade, it will be interesting to see what sort of package they pull together. There are prospects, sure, but there are also some major leaguers that could be worth moving. Chief among them are Ryan Mountcastle, Ramón Urías, and Heston Kjerstad.
All of this is to say that the Orioles have options. Elias will probably do…something. But for now, it’s kinda scary!
Links
Because You Asked – Here We Go Again | Roch Kubatko
Among other questions, Roch positions the Orioles rotation against the rest of the division. Eh. It is not as good as some others. But adding one more significant name (not necessarily an ace) would make a big difference.
O’s hitting coach Cody Asche on team’s hitting staff and more | Steve Melewski
If the Orioles’ offense is elite in 2025, the pitching staff does not need to be quite as good, at least not initially. That is likely part of Elias’ thinking. But it’s a gamble. You can depend on some of the everyday options, but not all of them, not yet.
The pros and cons of 6 top SP trade candidates | MLB.com
Some helpful info on the trade market, which feels like the most logical avenue for an upgrade to this rotation. Wow us, Mikey!
Orioles’ Cowser on O’Neill, broken hand, new left-field dimensions | Baltimore Baseball
Determining a “fan favorite” is subjective, but Cowser is rocketing up that list. The guy is a goofball AND he produced in 2024. The Orioles are really going to count on him next season.
Orioles birthdays
Is it your birthday? Happy birthday!
- Adam Frazier turns 33 today. He spent the 2023 season as the Orioles regular second baseman, and did a nice job. Over 141 games he posted a 94 OPS+ and provided solid defense.
- Rodrigo López is 49. From 2002 through ‘06 he tossed 912.2 innings for the Orioles and had a 4.72 ERA. That included three Opening Day starts (‘03, ‘05, and ‘06).
- The late Jeff Robinson (b. 1961, d. 2014) was born on this day. He pitched in 21 games during the 1991 season and had a 5.18 ERA.
- It’s a posthumous birthday for Sam Jones (b. 1925, d. 1971). He pitched in seven games for the 1964 O’s.
- The late Bobby Adams (b. 1921, d. 1997) was born today. An infielder, he played in 41 games for the 1956 Birds.
This day in history
1963 – The Orioles acquire pitcher Harvey Haddix from the Pirates in exchange for infielder Dick Yencha and cash.
2011 – Tsuyoshi Wada and the Orioles agree to a two-year, $8.15 million deal. The left-handed pitcher would never appear in a major league game for the organization, but it did
2018 – Cubs bench coach Brandon Hyde is announced as the new Orioles manager, replacing Buck Showalter, and becoming the most prominent hire of new GM Mike Elias.