The trade deadline picture is starting to take shape, but plenty of clubs are still stuck in the middle, weighing whether to buy, sell or wait another week before making the call.
For the Orioles and Red Sox, that hesitation is the story right now. According to the New York Post, both teams are still on the fence about selling.
Baltimore sits at 40-48 and in fourth place in the AL East, five games back of the third wild card spot with five teams ahead of them. Boston is even further behind at 37-48, which leaves the Red Sox with a steeper climb if they want to stay in the postseason race.
If either club does decide to move pieces, there should be real interest. The Orioles have rental options in outfielder Taylor Ward, reliever Andrew Kittredge and starter Trevor Rogers. Boston could dangle closer Aroldis Chapman and starter Sonny Gray, though Gray’s full no-trade clause means any deal would require some maneuvering from the Red Sox.
The Mets, meanwhile, are already looking like clear sellers. At 36-51, they’re expected to be active at the deadline, but The Athletic reports they won’t be chasing one specific kind of prospect in return.
Instead, the focus is on the best talent available, no matter the position or how close that player is to the majors. In other words, the Mets are not prioritizing quick fixes for the big league club.
That makes sense given the names they could put on the market. Rental starters Clay Holmes and Freddy Peralta should draw plenty of attention, and left-handed relievers A.J.
Minter and Brooks Raley would also have value. Bo Bichette’s recent hot streak could make him more appealing as well, although his contract complicates things.
Even so, Holmes and Peralta look like the kind of arms that could bring back strong returns.
Houston is in a different spot. The Astros are 2 ½ games out of a postseason position, and while they’re expected to look for pitching help, they may also have to consider moving someone to make that happen.
The Athletic reports that teams have called about righty reliever AJ Blubaugh. He’s not a big name, but he has been a steady piece in Houston’s bullpen, logging 56 ⅓ innings in 34 appearances.
His value comes more from keeping the ball out of the air and limiting hard contact than from overpowering hitters, and he mixes five pitches, which is unusual for a reliever. He’s also under team control through 2031.
Elsewhere, the Braves have turned to the veteran market to help their Triple-A depth, signing Andrew McCutchen and Carlos Santana to minor league deals. Both were recently released, with McCutchen coming from the Rangers and Santana from the Diamondbacks.
Atlanta has been hit by injuries, especially Ronald Acuña Jr.’s hamstring issue, and has also dealt with underperformance from players such as platoon DH Dominic Smith. At the very least, McCutchen and Santana give the organization experienced clubhouse presence in Triple-A, and either one could eventually become a major league option.
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Red Sox Suddenly Face An Orioles Deadline Rumor Fans Wont Like
The Orioles are still close enough to the Wild Card race to justify a real deadline push, and that has put their rotation back under the microscope. With injuries thinning the staff and the current mix producing uneven results, Baltimore is being linked to the kind of starter who can stabilize things down the stretch rather than just fill innings.
Mark Feinsand of MLB.com has connected the Orioles to a pair of All-Star arms who would fit that description, and the appeal is obvious from Baltimores side. Both pitchers come with the kind of team control that makes a midseason deal more than a short-term patch, which matters for a club trying to stay in the race now without emptying the cupboard for a pure rental. [Read more 🡒]
Orioles Catching Depth Just Took Another Unsettling Turn
Baltimores catching picture took another hit this week when the club designated its catcher for assignment and he cleared waivers, continuing a season-long shuffle behind the plate. It was the second time the Orioles have moved him off the 40-man roster since Opening Day, a sign of how little traction he has been able to gain despite the organizations need for depth at the position.
He has barely made a dent in the majors with Baltimore, and most of his season has been spent trying to piece things together at Triple-A, where the results have been uneven. Even if he had remained in the organization, the path back to meaningful playing time looked crowded, with Adley Rutschman, Samuel Basallo and Chadwick Tromp all ahead of him on the big-league depth chart. [Read more 🡒]
Orioles Veteran Bat Suddenly Pulled Into Trade Deadline Tension
The trade deadline has a way of turning even a steady veteran bat into a talking point, and Baltimores outfield depth is suddenly part of that conversation. Cincinnati sits at the bottom of the NL Central and has work to do in the Wild Card race, which is why the Reds are being tied to help in the outfield as August 3 approaches.
Taylor Ward has been part of that speculation because he offers a proven right-handed presence with a .728 OPS this season and the kind of profile a contender can talk itself into if the standings stay close. For the Orioles, it is another reminder that productive veterans can become part of the deadline market quickly, especially when another club is trying to decide whether to buy before the clock runs out. [Read more 🡒]