Taking a closer look at the Orioles' under-the-radar deadline moves

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the Baltimore Orioles made a couple of moves ahead of the trade deadline that didn't exactly sit well with a large portion of the fan base. And whenever you trade your franchise catcher to a division rival, that is to be expected. But because of all the attention spent on Adley Rutschman packing his bags for Boston, a few of the club's other moves may have slipped under the radar. Now, will any of these understated moves transform the O’s into late-season favorites? Probably not. However, that doesn’t mean that they don't offer the team some sneaky value.  

On August 3, the Orioles made just their second ever trade with their Beltway Series rivals. The club traded pitcher Joe Glassey to the Nationals in exchange for outfielder Christian Franklin, who will now make his MLB debut in a matchup against the Los Angeles Angels. Not to be outdone, the team then acquired outfielder Rece Hinds from the Miami Marlins in exchange for cash considerations. In a similar move, the team also snagged RHP Codi Heuer from the Brewers for cash as well.  

The Orioles look to the bargain bin to finish out the year 

No matter how you slice it, you’ll never convince the fanbase that you’re still committed to remaining competitive in a heated AL Wild Card race when you’re acquiring a player just for cash considerations. But that’s exactly what GM Mike Elias said in the wake of the deadline. History has taught us that these moves often include a player that one team is desperate to get rid of in order to free up roster space. And that is usually for a very specific reason. So for Hinds and Heuer, they’re already facing an uphill climb to win over fans. But that doesn’t mean that all hope is lost. 

In his debut season with the White Sox in 2020, Heuer showed that he could possibly blossom into a formidable reliever for years to come. In 23.2 innings pitched, he allowed just 12 hits while striking out 25 batters. His 0.887 WHIP was also nothing to scoff at either. Unfortunately, he has not come close to pitching at that level since then. This is a big reason that he has suited up for four other teams since his time in the Southside of Chicago. Obviously, the Orioles see something in Heuer that justifies the move. With a mid-90s fastball and a 96th percentile extension that plays up that heater, the RHP could become an interesting reclamation project. 

Much like with Heuer’s MLB debut season, Hinds came out of the gate swinging when he got his first cup of coffee in 2024 with the Reds. He posted a 1.051 OPS while belting five home runs in just 46 at-bats. The former second-round pick seemed like he had a solid shot at putting everything together. However, he has still mightily struggled to keep up with minor league pitching over the last two seasons. Hinds has shown that his bat still has plenty of power in it, demonstrating elite bat speed and an advanced ability to barrel up the ball. The problem for Hinds is the giant hole in his swing. The 25-year-old owns a gaudy 36% strikeout rate in close to 1,900 career at-bats in the minors. That was enough for the Reds and Miami Marlins to give up on him. But perhaps he can find his spark again in the Orioles organization?  

Franklin has been rated as a top-30 prospect for both the Chicago Cubs and the Nationals during his five-year minor league career. Despite never really showing anything that jumps off the charts, the outfielder does possess solid speed and enough pop in his bat to warrant a roster spot. Franklin also has decent skills in the outfield, with an above-average arm that will be interesting to watch at Camden. Although he is on the older side as a prospect, he could easily slide in and take over the role as the team’s fourth outfielder in the years to come. Franklin will likely have the next two months to show the team what he’s got at the big league level and state his case. 

Despite clearly being sellers at the deadline, Elias remains confident in the team’s ability to keep pace with other postseason contenders. That may be a little too much to ask for from this team in its current state, but with a handful of new players eager to make their mark, it's not completely impossible. 

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