The Orioles were 48-54 on July 28, 6.5 games behind in the American League wild card race and 7.5 back in the AL East. They considered selling throughout the weekend before the trade deadline, as they were talking to three different teams about closer Zach Britton. Baltimore expected a haul for Britton, an Andrew Miller-esque haul, according to Ken Rosenthal, but negotiations fell apart, as they often do when the O’s are involved.
The Orioles didn’t sell, and now they’re back in the postseason chase
Thursday’s Say Hey, Baseball looks at the Orioles’ reluctance to sell paying off, an immaculate inning, and an explanation of August trades.
Patrick McDermott-USA TODAY Sports
We could criticize Baltimore for their severe lack of people skills, whether they stem from general manager Dan Duquette or owner Peter Angelos, or we could discuss how it seems like their indecision over the weekend and inevitable call to hold on to Britton might have ended up giving the O’s new life in 2017. That’s because Baltimore has won five games in a row, and suddenly, they’re only 2.5 back of a wild card spot, and attempting to reach .500 on Thursday against the Tigers.
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Still being under .500 doesn’t sound all that impressive, and that’s because it isn’t. However, the Orioles weren’t really in a position to be selling off everything for a rebuild: they needed to spend the deadline trying to improve themselves for 2018. They added Jeremy Hellickson to the rotation, which makes them better now — O’s starters are not good, y’all — and traded for Tim Beckham, who isn’t a star by any means but is a solid player who can help out around the infield, and also isn’t a free agent until 2021.
Baltimore still has a hill to climb here, so it’s far too early to celebrate. However, they can keep doing what they planned on doing, which is add talent to help them beyond 2017, and like with Beckham, it might even benefit them in the present. And in a race as tight as the AL wild card, where the Rays and Mariners and even the Angels still have realistic hope, that’s not a bad thing even if Baltimore’s poor negotiating is what brought them here rather than solid planning.
- The July 31 MLB trade deadline is only the deadline for non-waiver trades, but that’s not catchy. Grant Brisbee put together an explainer on the why and what of August trades in baseball, of which there are more than you might remember.
- Speaking of August trades, here are five we might see happen this month. Well, fine, four potential trades and one waiver placement that would be hilarious.
- Who doesn’t love an an immaculate inning? The Tigers, probably, since Dellin Betances managed one against them on Wednesday, the second the Tigers have suffered in 2017.
- The feud between Chris Archer and Orbit keeps escalating, as the Rays’ starter ambushed the Astros’ mascot with water balloons.
- It looked like Indians’ manager Terry Francona and Red Sox coach Brian Butterfield were arguing during the teams’ recent series, but they were heckling each other about Tom Brady.
- Andrew Miller landed on the 10-day DL Wednesday with knee soreness,
- The Royals didn’t make the trade they needed most, as Alcides Escobar is still the starting shortstop on Aug. 3, 2017.
- After a month of dealing, who’s left in the Yankees’ farm system?
- The Tigers should move Nick Castellanos to the outfield to make room for their newfound infield prospects.
- Unlike the Orioles, the Twins completely flipped toward the future at the trade deadline.
- The end of baseball as we know it is here, writes Michael Baumann, and it’s thanks to players like Aaron Judge.
- Here’s ESPN with the untold story of the Astros’ rainbow uniforms.
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