Baltimore Orioles: Miami Marlins Trade and Adjusted Schedule

In a surprising move, the Baltimore Orioles made a trade with the Miami Marlins, just a few days before they play each other.

First, the Baltimore Orioles made a trade with their NL East rival, sending long-time reliever Richard Bleier to the Marlins for the Player to Be Named Later.

Details on the Rescheduled Series

Then, the two teams announced that they will make up the games they missed due to the Marlins COVID-19 outbreak. The two teams will play each other between August 4, 5, and 6. They have four games to play, so at least one doubleheader. The teams will play all four games at Camden, and Marlins will be the home team for two of them.

Before the Marlins outbreak, the teams were planning on playing two in Miami on July 27 and 28, then two in Baltimore on July 29 and 30. Instead the games were postponed, and the Yankees came to Camden Yards for a pair of games. The Orioles dropped those two to the Pinstripes.

The Yankees game that was scheduled for August 5 will be moved to another date. Without having to worry about ticket holders, it is clearly much easier for MLB teams to adjust the schedule when needed.

The Marlins series might produce a bit of anxiety for the O’s, as this series is the first for the Marlins since Manfred shut them down for a week. In the past few games, only a few players have worn masks on the field and at the plate. There might be a few more who don their masks on the field when the Marlins come to town.

Moving Bleier to Miami

While the PTBNL is unknown, the Orioles will miss their veteran reliever, Richard Bleier. But, for the Miami native, the trade might feel like a homecoming of sorts. The 33-year-old was one of the most senior members of the Orioles, and he was with the team since 2017. In 2020, he had pitched three innings and recorded no runs only one hit. In 55.1 innings in 2019, he earned a 5.39 ERA and a 1.319 WHIP.

To fill Bleier’s spot on the roster, the Orioles moved Bryan Holaday to the active roster, making him the third catcher for the team.

Holaday has been in MLB since 2012, after the Tigers drafted him two years prior. The 32-year-old pitcher played with the Marlins for the two seasons, so he will be of help facing his former squad. In 43 games in 2019, he batted .278/.344/.435 with four home runs and 12 RBI.