Orioles Tabbed Among Landing Spots for $7.5 Million Starting Pitcher

Few things are less clear than the Baltimore Orioles‘ intention to trade for a pitcher — or pitchers — by the July 30 trade deadline. Erick Fedde, starting righty for the Chicago White Sox, is a name to watch.

The Athletic’s Jim Bowden called Baltimore a potential landing spot for Fedde on July 11.

“It appears veteran starter Erick Fedde is the White Sox player most likely to be traded, with the Cardinals, Orioles and Braves as the most likely landing spots,” Bowden wrote.

If it comes down to a bidding war for Fedde’s services, few teams can outbid general manager Mike Elias, who is armed with prospects from the Orioles’ top-ranked farm system.

“The quality and depth of [the Orioles] farm system are as good as any organization in baseball, and they have enough talent to land any available starter they want without giving up their top three or four prospects,” Bowden wrote.

Fedde, 31, is enjoying a resurgence in the major leagues after playing in South Korea in 2023. He has a 2.99 ERA in 111.1 innings across a league-leading 19 starts for the White Sox, through July 10.

Ken Rosenthal: Baltimore Faces ‘Alarming’ Pitching Future

In a July 8 column for The Athletic, Ken Rosenthal highlighted why the Orioles should be targeting starting pitchers.

“Here’s an alarming little fact about the Orioles, one that will only increase their push to add a controllable starter before the deadline: Grayson Rodriguez, Dean Kremer and Cade Povich are their only three current starters under team control beyond this season,” Rosenthal wrote.

Rosenthal also recognized the depth in Baltimore’s farm system, writing that that depth makes a deal for starting pitching help all the more likely.

“Its surplus of position-player prospects only adds to the likelihood of a trade for a starting pitcher,” Rosenthal continued. “Provided general manager Mike Elias is willing to be the high bidder in a limited market, as he was for Corbin Burnes.”

The Orioles are currently home to three of the top-15 ranked prospects on MLB Pipeline.

Whether they’re willing to put any of those talents on the market for long-term pitching help seems unlikely. But adding starting pitching by July 30 doesn’t.

Orioles Option Dillon Tate, Add Burch Smith

As the rollercoaster bullpen season continues for Baltimore, a new face will take the mound at Camden Yards.

The team announced on July 11 that they’ve added former Miami Marlins reliever Burch Smith to the 40-man roster.

Dillon Tate is being optioned to Triple-A as apart of the transaction. He’s pitched 33.1 innings this season, allowed 19 runs, and has a 4.25 ERA.

Smith spent 25 games with the Marlins this season, and has a 4.25 ERA. He threw 29.2 innings and recorded just 23 strikeouts.

But for the Norfolk Tides in Triple-A, Smith was lights out in two innings pitched, allowing no runs at all.

Apparently, the Orioles think there’s more behind his Triple-A success than luck, as he joins the team primed for an active role.

Baltimore has given up 44 runs in the month of July alone. That’s a span of eight games.

A fresh arm won’t hurt in a depleted rotation. But whether or not Smith can fill a role beyond that won’t be clear until he debuts.