MLB Trade Deadline Preview
The MLB trade deadline is next week on Tuesday and the Orioles are in the interesting position of being able to be Buyers, Sellers, or both. In this article I’ve evaluated the possible players dealt from or to the Orioles within the next week.
Sellers:
Trey Mancini: Trey was drafted by the Orioles in the 8th round of the 2013 MLB draft out of Notre Dame making his Major League debut on September 9th 2016. As of this article Mancini is hitting .268 with 9 homeruns and 37 RBI’s in 86 games played for the Orioles this season. There’s been a lot of buzz around Trey this deadline especially around the New York Mets and the possibility of reuniting with former Orioles manager Buck Showalter. Outside the Mets other teams that could be possible suitors for Trey include the Cleveland Guardins, Seattle Mariners, Philadelphia Phillies, Tampa Bay Rays, and the San Diego Padres.
Anthony Santander: Anthony was acquired by the Orioles through the Rule 5 draft. As of this article Santander is hitting .242 with 16 homeruns and 50 RBI’s in 88 games played. Santander is arbitration eligible through the 2024 season and is a good corner outfield bat for a contender. The possible suitors include the Cleveland Guardians, Seattle Mariners, Chicago Whitesox, and the Philadelphia Phillies.
Jorge Lopez: Jorge was acquired by the Orioles by being claimed off of waivers in 2020. As of this article Lopez has a 1.59 ERA, 52 K’s, 18 Saves, and a Walks + Hits for Innings pitched of .930. The trade deadline has often seen many relief pitchers moved for shut down options out of the pen in close playoff games. The only Orioles All-Star is going to draw plenty of interest from other teams including the Atlanta Braves, Miami Marlins, Minnesota Twins, Seattle Mariners, New York Mets, and New York Yankees.
Dillon Tate: Dillon was acquired by the Orioles in the Zach Britton trade in July of 2018 from the Yankees. As of this article Tate has a 2.35 ERA, 40 strikeouts, 46 innings pitched and a WHIP of 1.00 The former 4th overall draft pick by the Texas Rangers will have plenty of interest including the Braves, Marlins, Twins, Mets, and Yankees.
Jordan Lyles: Jordan signed a one year contract with a team option for 2023 for 11 million with a one million buyout if declined this offseason with the Orioles. As of this article Lyles is 6-8 with a 4.79 ERA and 93 strikeouts in 112.2 innings pitched. Lyles was originally slated to be the 2 starter behind John Means before his injury and still has produced to an above average level in the competitive AL East. There’s not much buzz on Jordan, but he’s a good middle of the rotation guy on a playoff contender to eat innings and save the bullpen. Teams that could be potential suitors for Jordan Lyles are the Chicago WhiteSox, Houston Astros, San Francisco Giants, and the St. Louis Cardinals.
Buyers:
Pablo Lopez: Pablo has two years of arbitration left before he is a free agent in 2025 he’s currently pitching for the Miami Marlins. Lopez has been connected to the Orioles in various sources as a possible trade destination. As of this article Lopez is 6-5 with a 3.14 ERA and 107 strikeouts in 109 innings pitched. It’s no secret that Elias and company have been looking for controllable pitching this deadline and Pablo Lopez fits the bill.
Brad Keller: Brad Keller is currently pitching on the Kansas City Royals, he’s a former 8th round pick by the Arizona Diamondbacks out of Flowery Branch High School in Flowery Branch Georgia. Brad is another example of controllable pitching as he won’t reach free agency until 2024. As of this article he’s 5-10 with a 4.16 ERA and 68 strikeouts in 101.2 innings pitched. He’s not a high strikeout pitcher with a career high of 122 in a single season, but his 10 losses is not anything to worry about due to his low run support.
Merrill Kelly: Merrill Kelly is currently pitching for the Arizona Diamondbacks as of this article Kelly has a record of 10-5 with a 3.04 ERA and 96 strikeouts in 118.1 innings pitched. He is a free agent at the 2025 offseason and is a good middle of the rotation piece for the Orioles if they acquire him going forward.
Jarred Kelenic: Jarred is currently an outfielder in AAA with Tacoma under the Seattle Mariners farm team. The former top 5 prospect has struggled in the limited time in the majors in 123 games over the past two seasons he’s hit .173 with 17 homeruns and 53 RBI’s, however a change of scenery to a more hitter friendly ballpark division like the American League East and home games at Camden Yards might change his luck. Currently at AAA this year he’s batting .299 with 10 homeruns and 31 RBI’s in 49 games played.
Whit Merrifield: Whit is currently playing second base and outfield for the Kansas City Royals. The former two time All-Star is a free agent after the 2024 season. A career .287 hitter, Merrifield is a 2/1 strikeout to walk ratio and is a three time stolen base leader in the American League. He currently has a .247 batting average with 5 homeruns and 38 RBI’s with 15 stolen bases on the year. Merrifield could be a good fit in the infield for the Orioles and a great veteran presence.
