The Baltimore Orioles were busy at the MLB trade deadline on Monday.
As usual, down-to-the-wire moves were made, some of which raised eyebrows.
Solely looking at the transactions from Aug. 3, the Orioles have a new look to their roster.
Orioles’ Trade Deadline Review
GettyAdley Rutschman of the Baltimore Orioles was traded to the Boston Red Sox on Monday
The top name shipped out of Baltimore on Monday was, of course, 28-year-old catcher Adley Rutschman. He landed with the rising Boston Red Sox alongside Jake Rogers and cash in exchange for pitching prospects Kyson Witherspoon and Anthony Eyanson.
Adding to the blockbuster move, along with Witherspoon and Eyanson, the Red Sox also sent over Carlos Narváez, outfield prospect Enddy Azocar and a player to be named later.
The five-player return haul should bolster the Orioles’ roster with time, but at what cost?
Rutschman currently owns a slash line of .251/.331/.433 with a .764 OPS and eight homers through 67 games this season. He’s considered an elite defender, which could end up leaving a scar on Baltimore’s organization later this year.
As for Rogers, he landed with the Orioles on Thursday, so shipping him out didn’t come with nearly as much weight.
Outside this duo, Baltimore also traded reliever Joe Glassey to the Washington Nationals on Monday. In return, they received 26-year-old outfielder Christian Franklin.
Reliever Tyler Wells was also a notable name who was shown the door. He is now in his sixth year playing Major League Baseball, each of which has been spent in Baltimore. Wells is now sporting a Tampa Bay Rays uniform.
This has been his most productive season yet, now riding a 2.67 ERA and 53 strikeouts across 54.0 innings pitched through 43 games. He’s walked 13 batters.
Upon landing Wells, the Rays sent over right-handed starter Michael Forret.
Adding to Monday’s chaos was the trade of 32-year-old Taylor Ward to the Seattle Mariners.
The Mariners had been seeking out a righty bat, and they found one in Ward, albeit a bit of a surprising move. The return package included Alex Hoppe, Harrison Krieling and Brock Moore.
Losing Ward was concerning for a great deal of Baltimore fans, but this trio is coming aboard. Ward is considered a middle-of-the-order hitter who brings proven power to the plate.
However, pitching depth was a priority for the Orioles. Right-hander Hoppe and minor leaguers Moore and Kreiling offer potential, but their professional experience is rather limited right now.
Among Baltimore’s other Monday acquisitions were pitcher Codi Heuer from the Milwaukee Brewers and Rece Hinds from the Miami Marlins.
Heuer’s stint with the Brewers was short-lived, as they acquired him on Aug. 1. As for Hinds, he appeared in one game for the Marlins this season, but he appeared in 12 games while with the Cincinnati Reds earlier in the year.
Snapshot of the Orioles
GettyCraig Albernaz of the Baltimore Orioles must get his ballclub back on track now that the deadline is over
With the MLB trade deadline having passed, Baltimore can now focus on its remaining summer schedule and start utilizing their new roster.
At the time of this writing, the Orioles are still second-to-last in the AL East at 54-58, just ahead of the Toronto Blue Jays (53-60).
They are, however, a distance behind the Red Sox (60-51), the New York Yankees (63-50) and Tampa Bay (66-46).
Baltimore is coming off brutal losses to the Philadelphia Phillies over the weekend. With their series against the Los Angeles Angels on Tuesday at 6:35 p.m. ET, now is the time to step up and regain focus at the plate.
Baltimore Orioles’ Last-Minute Trade Deadline Moves: A Review