2024 Orioles trade deadline preview: Greatest needs, possible targets as Baltimore clings to AL East lead

Just around the bend is Major League Baseball's July 30 trade deadline. That, of course, means buyers and sellers and "holders" and, one hopes, blockbuster deals leading up to the deadline.

Speaking of which, we're working our way through close inspections of several teams that figure to be an active participant in this here deadline. We're doing that by prescribing a handful of specific trade pieces that the team in question should target – or, in the case of a rebuilding team/seller, we'll declare which players should be on the way out.

Up this time around are the Baltimore Orioles , who presently lead the Yankees by a narrow margin in the tough American League East and need to do better than last year's early playoff exit. Now let's have a closer look at their deadline situation.

What they need

The O's, thanks to a 101-win season and division title in 2023 and a similar level of success so far in 2024, have achieved juggernaut status. They're playoff locks, and leading up to the deadline their focus should be on fortifying the roster with an eye toward winning the World Series. For the most part, that means adding a starter to the rotation and a high-leverage reliever to the bullpen.

On the first point, injuries have put them in a tight spot. Yes, they swung a laudable trade over the winter for veteran front-liner Corbin Burnes , who's been their ace this season. Depth, though, has been eroded. Kyle Bradish , John Means , and Tyler Wells are all out for the balance of 2024 with elbow issues. Grayson Rodriguez 's promise is duly noted, but the Orioles badly need a true No. 2, or even co-No. 1 alongside Burnes, to give them the best chance of making a deep October run.

Then there's the bullpen. The loss of lockdown closer Félix Bautista to Tommy John surgery hit Baltimore hard and pushed them into signing fading veteran Craig Kimbrel . To be fair, the 36-year-old Kimbrel has had a quality season overall, but the O's need another late-inning dominator in the pen just in case Kimbrel sees his skills and fortunes decline when it matters most.

What they can give up

Baltimore right now is buoyed by perhaps the most impressive young crop of position players in all of baseball, but they still boast an exceptionally strong farm system thanks to canny drafting and the fruits of tanking. Simply put, the O's under GM Mike Elias have more high-ceiling hitters than they can put on the field. As "problems" go, that's a fine one to have, and it puts them in a strong position to add the pieces they need via deadline deals.

Elias is a known "prospect hugger," which is not a quality you want in a lead decision-maker who's helming a World Series contender. In recent years, that wasn't necessarily a problem, as former owner John Angelos wasn't willing to do his part and invest in payroll at levels befitting a serious team. However, that dynamic may have changed under new owner David Rubenstein, who actually seems to care about winning games. Now it's on Elias to take full advantage of that presumed latitude.

As for the trade chips, there's enough there to pull off a true blockbuster without harming the near- to mid-term hopes of the big-league club. Depending upon the level of the trade, the O's could dangle the likes of Coby Mayo, Samuel Basallo, Connor Norby , and Heston Kjerstad . Does trading Jackson Holliday , the No. 1 prospect in baseball coming into 2024, become a consideration in the right deal? Probably not, but it's theoretically possible. Elsewhere, Kyle Stowers could be an alluring "sweetener" in a trade.

In summary, the Orioles have what's required to land almost any deadline talent who's truly on the market. At that point, it becomes a matter of organizational will.

Possible trade targets

As noted, the O's need a frontline starting pitcher more than anything else, and Elias has hinted that he'd prioritize those under team control beyond 2024. With that in mind, here are three possibilities.

Tarik Skubal DET • SP • #29 ERA 2.34 WHIP .92 IP 123 BB 22 K 146 View Profile

The Tigers would be deeply foolish to trade a Cy Young contender who's 27 years old and not eligible for free agency until after the 2026 season, and to Detroit's credit there's no indication they're actually dangling him. The O's, though, should leverage their prospect power in an effort to persuade them to do so. Skubal has health and durability concerns, but there's no doubting what he's become – a true ace. Over the last two seasons, Skubal has put up a 2.30 FIP in 35 starts (203 1/3 innings) while striking out more than 30% of opposing batters. This season, he ranks in the 90th percentile in fastball velocity, the 91st percentile in whiff rate, and the 93rd percentile in expected ERA. Prying him away from Detroit would probably require parting with Holliday, but getting him would mean the O's would have the best one-two punch in baseball going into the postseason.

Garrett Crochet CHW • SP • #45 ERA 3.02 WHIP .95 IP 107.1 BB 23 K 150 View Profile

Crochet's leap to the rotation has gone better than anyone could've hoped. As well, the White Sox , still in the midst of a down-to-the-studs teardown, are likely far more willing to part with him than the Tigers are with Skubal. Yes, there are workload concerns as Crochet continues to venture into heretofore unseen territory, but the dominance continues apace. Thus far in 2024, the 25-year-old Crochet has an AL-leading 2.29 FIP in 21 starts, and he's struck out an AL-leading 157 batters in 111 1/3 innings. Whether the former reliever will hold up into October and beyond is an unknown, but there's no disputing his excellence thus far. Crochet isn't eligible for free agency until after the 2026 season.

Erick Fedde CHW • SP • #20 ERA 2.98 WHIP 1.11 IP 117.2 BB 32 K 104 View Profile

For Baltimore, Fedde would be a consolation prize, yes, but that designation undersells his value in the here and now. Fedde has taken a big step forward in his first season back in the majors after a one-year stint in Korea. He's adjusted his pitch mix and tweaked the shape of his changeup and slider. He presently boasts a 138 ERA+ and a K/BB ratio of 3.30 in 111 1/3 innings. He's owed the balance of a $7.5 million contract for this season and is under contract for 2025 at the same salary. As well, he'll cost less in prospects than Skubal or Fedde would, and that's bound to appeal to Elias.

On the bullpen front, the prize is A's closer Mason Miller – he of the triple-digit fastball and gaudy strikeout numbers – provided Oakland is willing to listen to offers. Yes, the O's have what it takes to nab him. Other possible target relievers include Carlos Estevez of the Angels and Tanner Scott of the Marlins .