Baltimore Orioles could shop key bullpen arms at trade deadline

Though not accustomed to selling, the Baltimore Orioles’ disappointing play since a strong April could force them into some tough decisions at the trade deadline.

The Baltimore Orioles have been sinking like a stone since a hot start to the season. They now own a 42-46 record, putting them 7.5 games behind in the AL East and four games off the pace in the Wild Card hunt.

While that certainly doesn’t eliminate their playoff hopes, it’s hard to feel genuinely encouraged about their chances by looking at the competition and the team’s performance over the past couple months. In fact, a -78 run differential suggests the O’s should be closer to 37-51, which would make them the third-worst club in baseball, ahead of only the Giants and Phillies.

This looks like a franchise that should sell at the upcoming trade deadline. However, with the Orioles it’s not always that easy. As highlighted by Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports, Baltimore owner Peter Angelos isn’t exactly known for selling. And at 88 years old, you know he wants to win now. It’s that line of thinking that led the team to give Chris Davis, an Angelos favorite, a seven-year, $161 million deal a couple offseasons ago.

The O’s have to deal with the reality in front of them, though, and this doesn’t appear to be a squad worth investing in for a shot in 2017. General manager Dan Duquette’s more prudent course of action would be to get on the phone and see what he could get for some of his more enticing assets.

Heyman reports the team is unlikely to dangle any of its position players, but the bullpen could be a hotbed of potential trade pieces. He’s talking about some big names: closer Zach Britton and setup men Brad Brach and Mychal Givens.

Needless to say, Britton would be a huge name to move. He hasn’t blown a save since 2015 and finished fourth in the AL Cy Young voting last season after posting a dominant 0.54 ERA and 0.836 WHIP over 67 innings. The 29-year-old left-hander has spent significant time on the DL this year with a forearm injury, which seems to have affected his numbers. He owns a 2.25 ERA in 12 frames, but his 1.75 WHIP, 12.0 H/9, 3.8 BB/9 and 6.0 K/9 are well off his usual marks.

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Though he’s not quite in form right now, Britton would surely demand a big return from any team seeking an elite closer, and even some that aren’t. Heyman mentions the Orioles’ neighbors the Nationals as a possibility, considering their ongoing bullpen issues. The Dodgers are also reportedly among the teams to have inquired about Britton, though they would presumably use him in a setup role in front of Kenley Jansen.

A free agent after the 2018 campaign, it might not be a bad idea for the O’s to start contemplating a Britton trade, unless they feel confident they can sign him to what is sure to be an expensive extension. That said, he’s more likely to go during the offseason or next year’s deadline than sometime over the next couple weeks.

Right-handers Givens and Brach are both having impressive seasons and would certainly attract plenty of suitors themselves. The 27-year-old Givens boasts a 2.25 ERA and 1.023 WHIP across 44 innings. He’s also under team control through 2021. Brach, 31, sports a 2.58 ERA and 0.861 WHIP in 38.1 frames. He’s converted 15 of 19 save chances while filling in for the sidelined Britton. A shorter-term commitment, Brach enters free agency after 2018.

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Of course, this all hinges on the strategy the Orioles decide to adopt before July 31. While they might unload a player or two, an all-out rebuild isn’t in the cards. This team will probably take one last crack at it next year while it still has Manny Machado, before making the even bigger decision about what to do with him.

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