FRIDAY BIRD DROPPINGS: TRADE DEADLINE DOMINOES BEGIN TO FALL
Good morning Birdland,
It feels like the trade deadline is getting serious now. Two rather significant moves went down over night as the Mariners added outfielder Randy Arozarena from the Rays, and the Diamondbacks acquired reliever A.J. Puk from the Marlins.
Puk seemed like a possible fit for the Orioles’ bullpen. The lefty is under team control through 2026 and although his top-line stats do not overwhelm this season, he has a really good track record and we all just saw him do some impressive things this past series. Instead, he heads to Arizona. But the trade can still be informative for the Orioles.
Puk cost the Diamondbacks two prospects: corner infielder Deyvison De Los Santos and outfielder Andrew Pintar. FanGraphs recently placed them 12th and 22nd, respectively, within the Diamondbacks’ organizational prospect rankings.
De Los Santos was already a Rule 5 pick once and would be eligible again this winter. It doesn’t seem like the Diamondbacks are heartbroken to lose him, regardless of his impressive minor league power numbers this season. Pintar—the lower-ranked of the two—raked in High-A this season, but has gotten off to a slow start in Double-A. Bottomline: they are both fine prospects, but not organization changers.
This is evidence that the cost to upgrade your bullpen with solid middle relief pieces will not be prohibitive at this deadline. You would have to imagine that the Orioles and Marlins discussed Puk simply because of the fit. Mike Elias and his lieutenants may have not seen the value, and that is fine. But there should be plenty of opportunities elsewhere to get some relief help without worrying about the cost.
Links
Orioles Have Reportedly Shown Interest In Jameson Taillon | MLB Trade Rumors
This would make sense. Taillon is under contract through 2026. It would be nice to have that sort of security on a veteran arm that currently has a 2.96 ERA over 100.1 innings. But he is due $18 million over each of the next two seasons, and prior to this season had been about a league average arm dating back to 2018. Which pitcher are you getting?
Checking back on yesterday’s tense win, trade talks and more | Roch Kubatko
Not much news here, just Roch reacting to various trade rumors out there. He does not foresee the Orioles trading Jackson Holliday, and he thinks Coby Mayo and Samuel Basallo are essentially untouchable as well. That does limit the sorts of big moves they can make.
Orioles Release Jonathan Heasley | MLB Trade Rumors
Heasley had been DFA’d earlier in the week, so this tracks. The righty struggled in four games with the big league club this season. Onto the next potential bullpen solution.
The childhood photo of Layton at Camden Yards has centerfield and the warehouse in the background. The rooftop bar is in place and a sign for Dempsey’s is prominent on Eutaw Street. Those feel like things that changed yesterday—I know Dempsey’s is already gone. I have reached the point in my life where it feels like literal children play for the team, and I’m not sure how to feel.
Orioles birthdays
Is it your birthday? Happy birthday!
- Ryan O’Hearn turns 31. He came out of nowhere in 2023 to become one of the Orioles’ most dependable bats, and he has been even better in 2024. Somehow the Orioles have him signed through 2025 on just a $7.5 million team option.
- Paul Fry is 32 years old. From 2018 through 2022, the southpaw was a regular member of the Orioles bullpen, although his effectiveness waned in his final two seasons.
- Vidal Nuño III is 37 today. The southpaw made his way into 12 games for the O’s in 2017. It did not go well!
- Alex Burnett turns 37 as well. His stay in Baltimore lasted just two games in 2013.
- José Bautista (not that one) is 60. From 1988 through ‘91, he was part of the Orioles’ pitching staff. Early on he started regularly, but shifted to a bullpen role as his career went on.
- The late Pete Ward (b. 1937, d. 2022) was born on this day. His MLB career began with an eight-game stint on the O’s in 1962. He would be traded to the White Sox prior to the 1963 in a package that landed Luis Aparicio and Al Smith in Baltimore.
- It’s a posthumous birthday for Lou Jackson (b. 1935, d. 1969). He played four games in the outfield for the 1964 Birds.
- Norm Siebern (b. 1933, d. 2015) was also born on this day. He spent the 1964 and ‘65 seasons in Baltimore. That included an all-star season in ‘64, when he led the lead in walks.
- The late Bill Miller (b. 1927, d. 2003) has a birthday today. He pitched in five games for the 1955 O’s.
- Hall of Famer Hoyt Wilhelm (b. 1922, d. 2002) was born on this day. The pitcher had an impressive five-season run with the Orioles from 1958 through ‘62. During that time he was named to three all-star teams and even won an ERA title (2.19, 1959). The Orioles inducted him into their team Hall of Fame in 2002.
This day in O’s history
1970 - Boog Powell takes over the American League lead with 86 RBIs. That comes after he drives in six runs as part of an Orioles’ 11-1 win over the Twins. The only run scored against O’s starter Dave McNally is a solo homer by opposing pitcher Jim Perry.
1980 - O’s ace Steve Stone wins his 14th straight decision, a 4-1 victory over the Brewers.
2024-07-26T11:08:01Z dg43tfdfdgfd