Orioles avoid potential disaster, pass on overpriced closer at Trade Deadline

Even after acquiring Seranthony Dominguez in a trade with Philadelphia, improving the Orioles' recently-vulnerable bullpen was high on Mike Elias' list of priorities heading into the final day of the 2024 trade deadline.

One of the names the Orioles were reportedly interested in: former reliever Tanner Scott, who has thrived as the Marlins' closer this year and earned his first All-Star appearance. But despite their interest, the Orioles did the right thing by pivoting away from Scott due to the Marlins' obscene asking price to rent Scott for two months.

The San Diego Padres, on the other hand, were wiling to meet the Marlins' ask, and acquired Scott and reliever Bryan Hoeing for four players: left-hander Robby Snelling (ranked 2nd in Padres farm system, 44th overall), right-hander Adam Mazur (ranked 4th in the Padres system), infielder Graham Pauley (ranked 5th in the Padres' system) and infielder Jay Beshears (ranked 24th in the Padres' system.

This was undoubtedly a hefty price to pay, and the Orioles were smart to stay away. While the Orioles have a better system than the Padres, their 2nd, 4th, 5th, and 24th best prospects are Samuel Basallo, Enrique Bradfield Jr., Dylan Beavers, and Frederick Bencosme. No one would have been happy if the O's traded those four for Scott.

While telling, perhaps a better comparison (since Basallo is ranked 12th overall and Snelling 44th) would have been Heston Kjerstad (ranked 32nd coming into the season), Chayce McDermott or Cade Povich, Max Wagner, and Alex Pham. Again, Orioles fans would not have been happy trading that package for a two-month rental.

The Orioles wisely pivoted from Tanner Scott to acquire fellow hard-throwing lefty Gregory Soto for a more reasonable price

Instead, the Orioles traded right-hander Seth Johnson - and just Seth Johnson - for hard-throwing lefty Gregory Soto from the Phillies. To be sure, Johnson is a good prospect, but he ranks below McDermott and Povich, who likely would have been throw-ins with Kjerstad, plus, for Scott.

Let's be clear: Scott has been better than Soto this year. In 44 games, Scott has a 1.18 ERA and 18 saves. On the contrary, fellow lefty Soto has a 4.08 ERA and just 2 saves. However, Soto is striking out as many batters per inning as Scott, is under team control for an additional season while Scott is a pure rental, and has experience closing (he saved 30 games for Detroit in 2022).

In 2025, the Orioles 40-man roster will likely include Soto, Kjerstad, McDermott and Povich. It would not have had any of these guys (including Scott) if the O's had acquired Scott from Miami.

Scott joins a loaded San Diego bullpen, which is anchored by closer Robert Suarez, who is unlikely to usurp his role to the Padres new reliever. Meanwhile, Soto, who is available for today's game against Toronto, may see save chances for the O's. While the Orioles will miss Seth Johnson, acquiring Soto for him instead of Scott for a king's ransom was the right move.