The Orioles opened deadline day by moving Taylor Ward to the Mariners, and the return says plenty about how the club views the rest of his season. ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported the deal, and MLB Pipeline’s Jonathan Mayo said Baltimore is getting three pitchers back: Alex Hoppe, Brock Moore and Harrison Kreiling.
Ward had become the most obvious trade chip on the roster. He has been one of the team’s WAR leaders and boosted his value this season by drawing walks at a much better clip than before.
But the power production the Orioles were after never really showed up, and his defense has been a real problem. With Ward also looking like only a borderline qualifying-offer candidate this offseason, Baltimore had less incentive than usual to keep him.
The players coming back are a very different kind of package. Hoppe is a reliever who has already appeared in the majors this season, though his 5.79 ERA in 24 MLB games doesn’t jump off the page. His FIP, at 2.88, is the one number that offers any comfort.
Moore is a 26-year-old reliever who has struggled in Double-A. FanGraphs did at least spotlight him in a “Walking In Reliever Wonderland” writeup, saying he “touches triple digits and his slider flashes plus, but he’s a stiff athlete with a big head whack and bigger control problems.” The control issues are impossible to miss: Moore walked 28 batters in 18.2 innings last year, then issued 17 walks in 22.2 innings at Double-A this season.
Kreiling is a 24-year-old starter who was drafted in 2024, had Tommy John surgery early in 2025, and has not pitched above Low-A.
None of the three showed up on the most recent MLB Pipeline or FanGraphs prospect lists.
Baltimore also won’t have Ward’s .383 on-base percentage the rest of the way, and that leaves a hole in the lineup. The trade does at least open the door for better outfield defense if the Orioles bring in a stronger glove or give more playing time to someone who can handle the position better.
Still, the return looks light, and it would be a surprise if any of these three players are meaningful pieces a year from now, much less several seasons down the road.
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Orioles Just Helped A Wild Card Rival And Fans Know It
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For the Orioles, the deal is a tougher sell to the fan base because they are still sitting near the wild-card picture themselves and moved a useful bat in the process. Baltimore did bring back three minor-league right-handers in Alex Hoppe, Harrison Kreiling and Brock Moore, though none of them were among Seattles top 30 prospects, which only adds to the feeling that this was a small return for a player who could have helped in the standings race. [Read more 🡒]