The 2024 Trade Deadline

[Bemorewins]

6 hours ago, bpilktree said:

How many holes do other teams have since we have one of best records in baseball this season?    Amazingly we have one of the best staffs in baseball yet everyone keeps saying how awful it is.  

I don’t agree that we have so many holes that we can’t fill them or that we should just punt on this first place season. 

However, I don’t believe that we have one of the best staffs in baseball either.

We HAD one of the best staffs before the Bradish and Means injuries. Now our staff is very shaky.

Look at the ERA for the first two months and then compare it to the jump in June. And the skyrocket so far this month. 

Currently (for at least the last four/five turns through the rotation) at least one pitcher is getting bombed with a non-competitive start. And sometimes twice through the rotation.

We are fortunate that the Yanks have cratered. But this is not sustainable through another half of baseball. There will be no abled arm relievers left by the end of the season having to cover so many innings.

This is why since the Houston series we have been a .500ish team. It’s hard to sustain winning streaks with pitching that has been this bad of late.

[sportsfan8703]

15 minutes ago, Bemorewins said:

I don’t agree that we have so many holes that we can’t fill them or that we should just punt on this first place season. 

However, I don’t believe that we have one of the best staffs in baseball either.

We HAD one of the best staffs before the Bradish and Means injuries. Now our staff is very shaky.

Look at the ERA for the first two months and then compare it to the jump in June. And the skyrocket so far this month. 

Currently (for at least the last four/five turns through the rotation) at least one pitcher is getting bombed with a non-competitive start. And sometimes twice through the rotation.

We are fortunate that the Yanks have cratered. But this is not sustainable through another half of baseball. There will be no abled arm relievers left by the end of the season having to cover so many innings.

This is why since the Houston series we have been a .500ish team. It’s hard to sustain winning streaks with pitching that has been this bad of late.

Yup. Losing Bradish and Means cost us having one of the better rotations in baseball. But… we can still win the division with a savvy starting pitching acquisition. Home field too. 

We don’t need a backhoe. We need a rake. 

Burnes, Grayson, Trade SP, Suarez, Kremer/Povich

is fine to accomplish our goals. 

[clapdiddy]

29 minutes ago, sportsfan8703 said:

Yup. Losing Bradish and Means cost us having one of the better rotations in baseball. But… we can still win the division with a savvy starting pitching acquisition. Home field too. 

We don’t need a backhoe. We need a rake. 

Burnes, Grayson, Trade SP, Suarez, Kremer/Povich

is fine to accomplish our goals. 

And...an arm or 2 for the bullpen.

[btdart20]

10 hours ago, baltimoriole said:

I’m not sure the orioles should make any trades. No one seems to be on the market worth any of their top 4 prospects. The team lacks depth pieces of value in their 5-15 range to be major players in a seller market. They have major needs of 2 SP, one being a #3, and another 2 RP, one being a legit shut down guy. 
 

So many holes in the pitching staff. I’m just not sure they can all be addressed without decimating the farm system. I’d hate to give up 2-3 top guys and get smoked in the playoffs because they have a weak pitching staff.

Elias will talk to every team.  He may not make a serious bid but every seller wants Baltimore at the table.  The warehouse will he the last call a seller makes even if the deal is closed elsewhere.

I think he'll make more than 1 trade.  Probably 2 arms, at least 1 RP.  Good chance he gets 3 arms.  SP might be a #3/4 innings guy.  We may be more excited about the RP arms than the SP.  I think that's the floor of the range of outcomes.  That path can be taken with minimal impact on the pipeline.

[Can_of_corn]

1 minute ago, btdart20 said:

Elias will talk to every team.  He may not make a serious bid but every seller wants Baltimore at the table.  The warehouse will he the last call a seller makes even if the deal is closed elsewhere.

I think he'll make more than 1 trade.  Probably 2 arms, at least 1 RP.  Good chance he gets 3 arms.  SP might be a #3/4 innings guy.  We may be more excited about the RP arms than the SP.  I think that's the floor of the range of outcomes.  That path can be taken with minimal impact on the pipeline.

 

I'm calling Preller last.

[btdart20]

Just now, Can_of_corn said:

 

I'm calling Preller last.

Yeah maybe. Or DiPoto.

[Greg Pappas]

ESPN: Veterans on bad teams poised to move at MLB trade deadline

Quote

Tommy Pham, OF, Chicago White Sox: Pham was by far Chicago's best hitter in his first month on the South Side, batting .327 with an .851 OPS in his first 27 games. He has cooled off -- he's slashing .208/.306/.255 in 28 games since May 26 -- but is a respected clubhouse presence who has proved he can impact a playoff race and beyond. In a year with so many teams thirsting for offense, the White Sox shouldn't have a problem finding a suitor.

Paul DeJong, SS, Chicago White Sox: DeJong, 30, signed for $1.75 million looking to rebound from a dreadful 2023 season that featured a 66 wRC+ for the Cardinals, Blue Jays and Giants. So far he's enjoying his most productive season at the plate since 2018, posting a .237/.282/.456 slash line with 16 home runs.

The metrics indicate he has been one of the worst defensive shortstops in the majors this season and has made only 20 of his 751 career starts at another position -- all at second base. Still, a shortstop with some pop should have a market.

Erick Fedde, SP, Chicago White Sox: We're bending the rules a bit here because Fedde signed a two-year contract over the winter after a dominant season in Korea. But Fedde, 31, otherwise fits the criteria, pitching for a franchise that was a lot longer than two years away from postseason contention when he joined the White Sox in December for $15 million.

The right-hander returned from Korea with an expanded arsenal that has flummoxed big league hitters. The former Nationals top prospect has registered a 3.13 ERA in 106⅓ innings over 18 starts after after claiming the KBO MVP Award for the NC Dinos last season.

Jack Flaherty, SP, Detroit Tigers: Flaherty, another former Cardinal, has recaptured his All-Star form on a one-year, $14 million contract after three wayward seasons. The 28-year-old right-hander has recorded a 3.24 ERA in 89 innings over 15 outings. He has nine quality starts (at least six innings with three or fewer runs allowed), and his 33% strikeout rate is second in the American League. His 3.05 FIP suggests the run prevention is very real.

His résumé is significantly better than it was a year ago, when the Cardinals sent Flaherty to the Baltimore Orioles at the deadline with a 4.43 ERA.

Kevin Pillar, OF, Los Angeles Angels: Pillar, 35, was another White Sox lottery ticket, signing a one-year deal worth $1 million in late March. But he was designated for assignment after a month of struggles. A week later, the Angels, scrambling for outfield help after Mike Trout landed on the injured list, signed Pillar. The move has paid dividends.

Pillar is slashing .295/.350/.500 with six home runs in 43 games with the Angels. Metrics indicate Pillar is not the elite center fielder he was early in his career, but he could help a number of teams hungry for outfield production. Wherever he ends up, it could be his final stop: Pillar suggested this could be his last season after reaching 10 years of service time Saturday.

Jesse Winker, OF, Washington Nationals: Another outfielder signed to a minor league deal, Winker has been a revelation for a Nationals club exceeding expectations but still seven games under .500. The 2021 All-Star, who posted a .567 OPS in 61 games for the Milwaukee Brewers in 2023, is batting .268 with 10 home runs and an .818 OPS in 88 games this season.

The Nationals recently promoted top prospect James Wood, a toolsy 6-foot-7 outfielder acquired from the Padres in the trade for Juan Soto two years ago. With Wood's promotion, Winker has been pushed to designated hitter on most nights.

Winker wasn't the only position-player lottery ticket the Nationals purchased for 2024: Washington also signed fellow veterans Rosario, Senzel and Joey Gallo to one-year deals. Rosario and Senzel were both recently designated for assignment, while Gallo was hitting .164 with a .606 OPS and 71 strikeouts in 165 plate appearances before landing on the injured list with a hamstring injury last month.

Dylan Floro, RP, Washington Nationals: Floro is the Nationals' golden offseason find on the pitching side. The 33-year-old right-hander has rebounded from a lackluster 2023 season with a 2.06 ERA, limiting opponents to two barrels on 125 batted balls -- a figure that ranks in the 99th percentile.

Floro was flipped at last year's trade deadline, going from the Marlins to the Minnesota Twins for Jorge López, and he's a strong candidate to move again.

Fedde (31) is a decent #4 in my view and is signed through next season.  I don't know whether he has truly turned a corner or not but adding him wouldn't be the worst move. And yes, I know, we don't want a #4 starter.

I really liked Flaherty (28) when he was with St. Louis.  I thought he was going to have a very good, consistent career, but that hasn't worked out, as yet. He was strong in 2018, 19, and 21, but has been mediocre, at best, since... until this season. He'll be a FA at year's end. 

Floro (33) is having a career year in his lead up to free agency.  I prefer to think guys are who they are (in most cases), so, I expect Floro will not pitch nearly as well for the remainder of the season.

[LGOrioles]

18 minutes ago, Greg Pappas said:

ESPN: Veterans on bad teams poised to move at MLB trade deadline

Fedde (31) is a decent #4 in my view and is signed through next season.  I don't know whether he has truly turned a corner or not but adding him wouldn't be the worst move. And yes, I know, we don't want a #4 starter.

I really liked Flaherty (28) when he was with St. Louis.  I thought he was going to have a very good, consistent career, but that hasn't worked out, as yet. He was strong in 2018, 19, and 21, but has been mediocre, at best, since... until this season. He'll be a FA at year's end. 

Floro (33) is having a career year in his lead up to free agency.  I prefer to think guys are who they are (in most cases), so, I expect Floro will not pitch nearly as well for the remainder of the season.

Hadn’t really thought of Floro. His ERA was bad last year but his xERA has been below 4 every year since 2018, and was only once higher than 3.52 in that time span. 
 
They need relievers with more strikeout upside, but I think I would be okay with Floro as a second piece (if they are acquiring a true backend guy with him). He would be a nice upgrade on Tate/Baker in middle relief, but I’d probably still want them to aim a bit higher.

Edited July 10 by LGOrioles

[Just Regular]

Yimi Garcia I was reminded recently was a half season Astro in 2021.     He is nearing the end of his rehab, but the Blue Jays felt his absence last night as they had to use the backup backup closer with Chad Green unavailable, and the backup backup blew the game late on the West Coast.

For Toronto GM Ross Atkins, a schedule quirk if they play it all the way out is that on Monday 7/29, the eve of the deadline, the Blue Jays and Orioles have a scheduled doubleheader at OPACY.

 

[CTBear]

23 minutes ago, Just Regular said:

Yimi Garcia I was reminded recently was a half season Astro in 2021.     He is nearing the end of his rehab, but the Blue Jays felt his absence last night as they had to use the backup backup closer with Chad Green unavailable, and the backup backup blew the game late on the West Coast.

For Toronto GM Ross Atkins, a schedule quirk if they play it all the way out is that on Monday 7/29, the eve of the deadline, the Blue Jays and Orioles have a scheduled doubleheader at OPACY.

 

Mayo has been playing a lot of 1B. Mounty for Kikuchi straight up? He had 13 Ks last night!

[cnmilton]

Why would the Blue Jays want Mountcastle, when currently Vlad Guerrero is their 1b?

[Hank Scorpio]

12 minutes ago, CTBear said:

Mayo has been playing a lot of 1B. Mounty for Kikuchi straight up? He had 13 Ks last night!

Mountcastle isn't exactly setting the world ablaze lately. I'm sure Toronto would loooooooooove to not have to face him ever again.

Edited July 10 by Hank Scorpio

[Just Regular]

4 minutes ago, cnmilton said:

Why would the Blue Jays want Mountcastle, when currently Vlad Guerrero is their 1b?

I think it was more fun with how great Mountcastle has hit against them, but if they go small and only trade impending free agents planning to try again in Vlad and Bo's walk year, Mountcastle would fit their roster as a 1B/DH upgrade on what Justin Turner is giving them this year.

It is night and day though depending what Shapiro/Atkins decide on if they are giving the current roster core one last try in 2025.

[LGOrioles]

Even with Mayo on the roster (for Urias), Mountcastle can play every game against LHP’s and some against RHP’s too (splitting AB’s with Kjerstad/Cowser/Mullins). I would keep him until the offseason unless it’s in a trade for a SP with control past this season. 

[wildcard]

Bryce Miller and Ryne Stanek for Hays, Norby, Stowers, Povich and McGough?

What do you think?