Key Takeaways:
– Baltimore Orioles are mulling over a trade that involves White Sox’s Garrett Crochet.
– The speculated one-for-one trade could include Orioles’ Double-A catcher Samuel Basallo.
– Despite an already strong lineup, the Orioles’ objective is to strengthen their bullpen.
– The White Sox are planning a fire sale, potentially boosting Orioles’ chances of acquiring Crochet.
– Orioles can still consider a deal without sacrificing top players, given the depth of prospects in the squad.
Rectifying the Roller Coaster: Orioles’ Bullpen Overhaul
The Baltimore Orioles’ pitching strategy has seen its share of ups and downs. Now, as the MLB trade deadline inches closer, the Orioles seem interested in bolstering their pitching. One prospect they’ve set their eyes on is Chicago White Sox’s ace starter, Garrett Crochet.
As suggested by Zachary D. Rymer in a June 12 column for Bleacher Report, Orioles can work out a player-for-player swap. The trade would involve their in-house sensation, Double-A catcher Samuel Basallo.
Basallo, ranking as the Orioles’ third best prospect, boasts impressive stats, hitting .291/.339/.476 with 10 home runs and 32 RBIs.
To beat out the Yankees, Rymer believes the Orioles need to beef up their starting lineup. He highlighted, “With their offense already stacked, it’s pitching they need to close the gap between them and the Yankees.”
Why Crochet?
A towering figure in Chicago’s rotation, Crochet has pitched 103 strikeouts in 75.2 innings, cementing his place as the AL’s top pitcher. Rymer further stressed Crochet’s potential as a fitting replacement for the Orioles’ Burnes, who’ll be entering free agency post this season.
White Sox’s ‘Fire Sale’
Meanwhile, the White Sox preparing for a roster revamp adding more chances to the speculated Orioles-White Sox trade. Jim Bowden from The Athletic substantiated this in a recent column, stating, “They’re going to have a fire sale and aim to add as many good prospects as they can.”
With the Orioles, who are just 2.5 games behind the Yankees, keen on enhancement, this ‘fire sale’ places them in an advantageous position. However, Bowden mentioned that the Orioles would ideally aim for upgrades without parting with their leading four or five prospects, potentially ruling out Basallo.
Yet, despite competing with franchise mainstay Adley Rutschman for the same position, Basallo’s trade is not entirely out of question. Rymer thinks Orioles’ prospect depth could make the Crochet-Basallo deal feasible.
Orioles’ Pitching Paradox
Despite some significant losses, the Orioles have one of MLB’s strongest pitching staffs, ranking third in ERA and second in home runs allowed. The current roster includes heavy-hitters like Corbin Burnes, Kyle Bradish, and Grayson Rodriguez.
General manager Mike Elias confirmed the club’s intent on exploring the pitcher market, but clarified they would only rope in a starter for specific reasons, namely health or performance improvements. As performance isn’t an issue with the Orioles, health could be the driving factor for a possible midseason deal for Crochet. However, a decision will reportedly be made closer to the July 30 trade deadline.
In the baseball realm, it seems like a high-stakes chess game. With potential moves being calculated, fans can only wait and see whether these speculations turn into reality before the set deadline.