Latest Trade Deadline buzz around Orioles

This story was excerpted from Jake Rill’s Orioles Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

The Trade Deadline is less than a week away (Tuesday at 6 p.m. ET), and rumors involving the Orioles are swirling.

The pitching market is sure to include Baltimore, which could use a boost to both its rotation and its bullpen amid the push for a second consecutive American League East title. But how many arms will the O’s acquire? Also, will they be rentals or pitchers with control beyond 2024?

And -- perhaps most importantly -- which prospects from the Orioles’ top-ranked farm system are they willing to part with in order to make a splash?

As the Deadline nears, let’s analyze some of the latest buzz and chatter.

The Tarik Skubal situation
The Orioles and Dodgers are both interested in Skubal, sources recently told MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand. That shouldn’t be a surprise. Any buying team in need of starting pitching should have interest in the 27-year-old left-hander, who has a 2.34 ERA in 20 starts and is among the frontrunners for the AL Cy Young Award and is under team control through the 2026 season.

It’s quite possible, though, that Detroit won’t consider moving Skubal. The Tigers (50-52) are in the AL Wild Card mix, and if they still want to bolster their farm system, they could look to trade right-hander Jack Flaherty instead.

The asking price for Skubal would likely be high, should he be on the trading block. Consider the following hypothetical proposals from MLB Network’s Mark DeRosa and MLB Network insider Joel Sherman:

DeRosa: Orioles acquire Skubal in exchange for C/1B Samuel Basallo (O’s No. 2 prospect, No. 12 overall, according to MLB Pipeline), OF Heston Kjerstad and 2B/OF Connor Norby (No. 5 prospect)

Sherman: Orioles acquire Skubal and RHP Jason Foley in exchange for INF Jackson Holliday (No. 1 overall prospect) and Kjerstad

Holliday has long been considered untouchable by Baltimore in trade negotiations, and it likely also wants to keep both Basallo and infielder Coby Mayo (No. 3 prospect, No. 15 overall).

If the Tigers shop Skubal and the Orioles suddenly decide they’re OK parting with a top-tier prospect, then a trade could occur. However, both things would likely need to happen for this move to be made.

Rentals or long-term control?
Skubal is not the only starter with multiple years of control whose name is being discussed in trade rumors. There’s also White Sox left-hander Garrett Crochet, a 25-year-old lefty who isn’t set to hit free agency until after the 2026 season.

On paper, it makes sense for the Orioles to target a pitcher such as Skubal or Crochet, with All-Star ace Corbin Burnes set to become a free agent after this season. It’s possible the 29-year-old right-hander will be one-and-done in Baltimore.

But O’s general manager Mike Elias indicated prior to the All-Star break that extra years of control may not be the main priority for his club in trade discussions.

“We'll be approaching this Deadline with 2024 front and center, and anything beyond that, we're going to get another bite at the apple for addressing it over the winter,” Elias said. “So it'll be valued and it'll be a big bonus, but I think, first and foremost, the concern will be the second half of the season and the playoffs that we're hopefully going to be playing in.”

Rental starters who have been involved in Trade Deadline speculation include Blue Jays left-hander Yusei Kikuchi, Rangers right-hander Nathan Eovaldi and Reds righty Frankie Montas. Other trade candidates include White Sox righty Erick Fedde and Angels lefty Tyler Anderson, who both are under team control through 2025.

Could Reds be a potential trade partner?
MLB Network’s Jon Paul Morosi recently reported that the Reds are indicating to other teams that they will be willing to move players on expiring contracts. Baltimore is among the clubs with interest in Cincinnati’s pitching, per Morosi, with Montas and right-hander Nick Martinez among the potential trade chips.

Montas, a 31-year-old righty who is in his ninth Major League season, has a 5.01 ERA in 19 starts this year. Martinez, 33, has a 3.88 ERA in 28 games (five starts) this season, and he could be a nice addition to the Orioles’ bullpen.

The cost would likely not be too high for Baltimore to land Montas and/or Martinez, and it could still look to make additional moves to further bolster its pitching staff.