Former Orioles manager suggests O's should stand pat at trade deadline

The Baltimore Orioles continue to prove that they are a powerhouse in the American League. With a record of 57-33, they are at the top of the AL and lead the American League East by three games over the New York Yankees.

As the trade deadline nears, pitching is the obvious concern for the O's, especially with starters Kyle Bradish, Tyler Wells, and John Means out for the season after undergoing Tommy John surgery. They could use some help in the rotation and in the bullpen as they assess their needs for the stretch run of the 2024 season.

However, former Orioles manager and current MLB Network analyst Buck Showalter believes the Orioles have enough pieces in place to be a true contender, even with all the injuries on the pitching side.

"They know who they are," Showalter said. "Certainly, they have the young players to go get a pitcher but at what price? You know, sometimes those guys, the Verlander's, the Scherzer's, the Price's, they don't always play long in the postseason."

Former Orioles manager thinks team is set, doesn't need to add starting pitching

Showalter was of course referencing the 2014 season when the Orioles won 96 games and secured the second-best record in the American League before having a date with the Detroit Tigers in the ALDS. That year, Detroit had Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer, and David Price, but the Orioles pulled off a sweep, rallying to beat Detroit's bullpen.

By all accounts, the Orioles were not favored to win that series against the Tigers, but Showalter recalled telling his team that the goal wasn't necessarily to beat the three aces, but rather get them out of the game by the seventh inning.

As Showalter notes, playoff baseball doesn't always come down to who has the best starting pitching. Sometimes, teams have what it takes already within their system, and he referenced former players such as Caleb Joseph and Nate McLouth that weren't household names but were exactly what the team needed to make their run to the ALCS.

Still, it will be interesting to see what the Orioles do at the deadline. They could go after some pitching, or they could trust what they have within their system, where pitchers such as Cade Povich have emerged.

A strong argument can be made that they need some starters to go with Corbin Burnes. But Showalter clearly believes in the team and likes what he's been seeing as of late.