Well, the trade deadline has come, and we've seen some exciting jersey swaps in the past week. Yusei Kikuchi (LHP) from the Blue Jays to the Astros, Jack Flaherty (RHP) from the Tigers to the Dodgers, and Jazz Chisholm Jr (2B/OF) from the Marlins to the Yankees to name a few. But the team we will talk about here is the Baltimore Orioles. The Orioles were one of the early favorites at the beginning of the 2024 season to win the Pennant, but from what we have seen from them this year, unless there are some changes down the stretch, that vision of the Orioles hoisting the Commissioner's Trophy is fading, at least for the 2024 season. However, with the new additions the Orioles have acquired from the trade deadline, we can still see a glimmer of hope for the 2024 season. If it's not the Orioles year, at least they have accomplished one objective: they are much better equipped for the 2025 and 2026 season.
Let's go over the Orioles acquisitions after the trade deadline. It is rare for the Orioles to go after any superstars. Still, they acquired what they needed and more at the trade deadline with LHP Gregory Soto from the Phillies for RHP Seth Johnson and Moises Chace, OF Austin Slater and INF Livan Soto from the Reds, slugger Eloy Jiménez from the White Sox for LHP Trey McGough, LHP Trevor Rogers from the Marlins for INF Connor Norby and OF Kyle Stowers, RHP Zach Eflin from the Rays for OF Matthew Etzel, RHP Jackson Baumeister and UTL Mac Horvath, and finally RHP Seranthony Domínguez and OF Cristian Pache from the Phillies for OF Austin Hayes.
My Thoughts: The Orioles went into the trade deadline and got exactly what they needed. Again, there is no need for superstars, as we already have a few ourselves with Gunnar Henderson and Adley Rutschman. The Orioles front office filled in gaps that desperately needed to be filled, some with pitching depth, while also adding some hitters in the process. Overall, this trade deadline drastically improved the Orioles lineup and set them up for success down the stretch and for the 2025 and 2026 seasons.
My Grade: B+
On Holliday
While the Orioles have done exceptionally well at the trade deadline, there's one more player they have called upon: Jackson Holliday. the Orioles have decided to call up the top prospect in baseball for the second time this season. Holliday's first stint in the MLB wasn't as good as people expected, with 34 ABs, five runs, two hits, and an RBI, and he was struck out 18 times throughout 10 games. Before anyone claims that Holliday was brought up "too early," let me remind you: the kid is young. He is excelling in the minor league, and sending a player back down doesn't mean they are terrible; it just means they need more time to develop.
Holliday was sent back down because he needed more time to develop, which should be perfectly fine with any O's fan. Let the young prospect develop to be better prepared for his next call-up. And we are finally at that point again. If the O's front office thinks Holliday is ready to make the jump again, as an O's fan, I am all for it, especially during this time of the season when teams start to ramp it up and begin pushes for the Postseason. If Jackson Holliday can prove himself and show us why he is the No. 2 prospect this second time, the Orioles will be an even more dangerous team.
Main Image via
コメント