The Orioles are still in the race for the final Wild Card spot, but the bigger question heading into September is what they actually do with the extra roster space. After a season with almost nothing meaningful coming from the farm system, the club has a chance to use the expanded roster for more than another round of fringe bullpen arms.
Two names stand out: outfielder Enrique Bradfield and pitcher Alex German.
Bradfield is the cleaner fit for what Baltimore needs right now. The Orioles’ outfield has been a mess, and Bradfield brings a different kind of value than a bat-only prospect.
He can bunt, run, cover ground in center field, steal a base, and help in ways that show up every night even if he isn’t living on-base. He was a first-round pick out of Vanderbilt three years ago, has already gone through the Arizona Fall League, and was an All Star there.
At Triple-A this month, Bradfield, 24, has hit .301/.395/.411 with 12 walks and 15 strikeouts. He has stolen 34 bases and been caught only five times, while reaching base 36% of the time.
He has also dealt with injuries, and the argument here is simple: don’t let the Triple-A season drag on any longer. Bring him up next week and use him as a defensive replacement, spot starter and pinch runner.
The other call-up case is German, another pitcher from the Orioles’ 2023 draft class. Baltimore has a wave of starting pitching building at Double-A, and Michael Forret is now back in the system after coming over in the Tyler Wells trade, which makes him a step away at Triple-A. But German has been the steadier arm of the group and is worth a look.
A 4.00 ERA in that league is not a problem, and he has more strikeouts than innings pitched. That matters in an organization where swing-and-miss has been thin. He has been fairly consistent overall, and the Orioles have already tried Trey Gibson, who couldn’t throw strikes and has not been throwing much lately.
There are concerns with German, too. His last three outings have not gone well.
But with Kyle Bradish probably pushing 150 innings after throwing about 75 over the previous two years combined, and Brandon Young starting to tire after throwing this many innings for the first time, a six-man rotation makes sense. German could get a few starts, or even work as an opener, to ease the burden on the rest of the staff.
What Baltimore does not need is another 28- or 30-year-old relief arm with no upside. September should be about finding out whether a couple of new faces can give the team something useful. Bradfield and German at least offer that chance.
In Other News...
Orioles Fans May Hate Where The Grayson Rodriguez Debate Is Heading
Grayson Rodriguezs first run with the Angels looked a lot like the kind of rough transition that can make a trade look better in hindsight for Baltimore. Through his first 10 starts in Los Angeles, he was hit hard, carrying a 7.98 ERA and a 5.81 FIP as the former Orioles right-hander fought through early struggles and injuries after last Novembers deal that sent him to Anaheim for Taylor Ward.
Since an August 4 start against his old club, though, Rodriguez has started to look more like the pitcher the Angels thought they were getting, with his ERA trending down and his strikeout total climbing. That is the part Orioles fans probably wont enjoy hearing, because the trade was always going to be judged not just by Wards production in Baltimore, but by whether Rodriguez eventually settles in as the long-term asset the Angels believe theyve secured through 2030. [Read more 🡒]
Orioles September Push Suddenly Carries Much Bigger Roster Stakes
With four weeks left in the season, Baltimores push for the third American League wild-card spot has become about more than just the scoreboard. The Orioles sit one game behind Cleveland, and the stretch run is giving the front office another look at how certain pieces might fit beyond this year, especially as the organization weighs the performances of infielders Blaze Alexander, Coby Mayo and Christian Encarnacion-Strand with an eye on the 2027 roster.
The late-season evaluation does not stop there. Baltimore is also taking a closer look at catcher Carlos Narvezs offense while anticipating the return of Flix Bautista to the bullpen, a move that could reshape the back end of games as the standings tighten. For a club still very much alive in the race, every decision now carries a little more weight than usual. [Read more 🡒]
Orioles Wild Card Push May Hinge On One Deadline Gamble
After wrapping up a series in Sacramento, the Orioles are moving into a crucial stretch that will help shape their Wild Card fate, with games coming in Denver and then back home against the Red Sox and Guardians. Baltimore has stayed in the mix with a blend of sharp defense and timely comeback wins, and the margin is still tight as it tries to track down Cleveland for the final playoff spot.
The front office has already shown a willingness to be aggressive, adding pitchers from Seattle in a deal that sent outfielder Taylor Ward the other way, and those kinds of moves are now part of the backdrop to every game. There are also signs of help from within, with Colton Cowsers recent offensive uptick giving the lineup another needed spark, but the bigger question is whether one deadline swing will be enough to carry the Orioles through the stretch run. [Read more 🡒]