The Orioles’ deadline haul got a lot less attention than the move that sent Adley Rutschman to Boston, but Baltimore did add a few names that could matter down the stretch. None of them are the kind of splash that changes the whole conversation around the club, yet the front office did stock the system with a few low-cost bets that might pay off if one clicks.
The most notable of the smaller moves came on August 3, when Baltimore made just its second-ever trade with its Beltway Series rivals. The Orioles sent pitcher Joe Glassey to the Nationals and brought back outfielder Christian Franklin, who is now set to make his MLB debut against the Los Angeles Angels. Baltimore also added outfielder Rece Hinds from the Miami Marlins for cash considerations, and later picked up RHP Codi Heuer from the Brewers in another cash deal.
That last part is what makes these moves easy to overlook and, for a lot of fans, hard to embrace. Cash-only pickups rarely scream urgency, especially for a team still trying to stay alive in a crowded AL Wild Card race. But Orioles GM Mike Elias said after the deadline that the club was still looking for value, and these are the kind of moves that sometimes uncover something useful.
Heuer is the clearest reclamation bet of the bunch. He flashed real promise with the White Sox in 2020, when he threw 23.2 innings, allowed just 12 hits, struck out 25 batters and posted a 0.887 WHIP.
Since then, though, he hasn’t come close to that level and has bounced to four other teams. Still, Baltimore clearly sees enough to take a shot.
His mid-90s fastball and 96th percentile extension give the heater some extra life, which could make him an interesting bullpen project.
Hinds brings a different kind of upside. When he first reached the majors with the Reds in 2024, he looked like he might have arrived in a big way, putting up a 1.051 OPS with five home runs in just 46 at-bats.
The former second-round pick has shown obvious raw power, along with elite bat speed and a real ability to barrel the ball. The issue has been the swing-and-miss.
He has a 36% strikeout rate across nearly 1,900 career minor league at-bats, which is a big reason the Reds and Marlins moved on. Even so, Baltimore is betting there’s still something to unlock.
Franklin may not carry the same loud tools, but he gives the Orioles another interesting option. He spent five years in the minors and was ranked as a top-30 prospect by both the Cubs and the Nationals.
He hasn’t posted numbers that jump off the page, but he does bring solid speed, enough pop to matter and a decent outfield profile, including an above-average arm. He’s also old for a prospect, which makes his path narrower, but there’s a real chance he settles in as a fourth outfielder.
For now, he’ll have the next two months to prove he belongs.
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Gunnar Henderson has been part of that push, and Cam Sanders has also chipped in as the Orioles have kept hanging around in the American League race. It has not always looked pretty, but the combination of pitching depth and timely contributions has put Baltimore back in the conversation for a wild-card spot, with the bigger question now being whether this version of the roster can keep it going. [Read more 🡒]