Orioles adopting conservative trade deadline strategy?
Aug 5, 2019; Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Orioles manager Brandon Hyde (18) stands on the field during the second inning against the New York Yankees at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
The Baltimore Orioles are in first place in the AL East and seem to have as good a chance as anyone at making a surprise run in October. That apparently does not mean they will be hugely aggressive in the next week leading up to the MLB trade deadline.
ESPN’s Buster Olney reported Sunday that the Orioles appear to be “measured buyers” ahead of the Aug. 1 deadline. The team has interest in pitching, but does not appear motivated to make a huge blockbuster trade at this point.
Rival execs say the Orioles seem to be measured buyers leading up to the deadline — willing to deal from position player surplus to upgrade pitching, but not perceived to be fishing for big, pricey deals, at this point.
— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) July 23, 2023
There are two ways to look at this. On one hand, it does make sense. Baltimore has an incredibly deep farm system, and many of those position players have arrived this year and are contributing to their rise. The youth of those players means that they have a strong core in place for years to come, and thus less incentive to mortgage that future to go for broke right now. Plus, it seems like a sellers’ market for starting pitching, with many interested teams interested in relatively few options. That could change depending on what some teams decide to do.
On the other hand, Baltimore’s starting pitching depth, both in terms of prospects and at the MLB level, lags well behind their roster of position players. Adding an ace could really make them a legitimate contender right now, as they already sit at 60-38 entering play Sunday. They will have to do it at some point, one would figure, but if the right pitcher is not available, it may be smarter to wait until the offseason to try to make that kind of move.