Which Baltimore Orioles players will be traded now that Manny Machado is off to Los Angeles? Here are the next five O’s most likely to be dealt.
It’s finally happened. The weeks—more like months—of trade speculation, rumors and reports have finally come to end. Manny Machado has been traded.
The Baltimore Orioles flipped their franchise player, who’s playing on an expiring contract and likely to command a significantly massive deal this winter, to the Los Angeles Dodgers for five prospects.
The five prospects, headlined by outfielder Yusniel Diaz, also include infielders Rylan Bannon and Breyvic Valera as well as pitchers Dean Kremer and Zach Pop.
Baltimore is in obvious sell mode, and they should continue to make trades as the month of July progresses.
That’s not to say that I know they’ll complete more deals, it’s more that it’s in the Orioles’ best interest to start a complete tear down.
The organization’s farm system isn’t exactly the deepest in the league and it’s not even mildly deep for that matter.
Translation: prospects are needed.
This is especially true considering the O’s best young, MLB players outside of Machado (Trey Mancini, Kevin Gausman, Dylan Bundy, Jonathan Schoop and Chance Sisco) have all endured struggling seasons in 2018.
While the Orioles likely will face hurdles in dealing the likes of Chris Davis, Mark Trumbo, Alex Cobb and Andrew Cashner, there are some players who could fetch varying prospect returns at the deadline.
Here are the most likely Baltimore players to be dealt following the Machado blockbuster.
It should be noted that Rankings are also not indictive of team’s best trade assets. For example, Michael Fulmer is clearly the Detroit Tigers’ best trade chip given his production and controllability, but both of those factors could also keep him in the Motor City long-term.
What’s more, this is all speculative mind you.
Zach Britton has officially returned to the Major Leagues, having thrown 14.2 innings so far for the O’s since being reinstated from the disabled list.
Britton hasn’t been as dominant as he was say two or three years ago, but he’s thrown well enough to likely merit trade interest.
In 14.2 innings, the reliver has worked to a 3.68 ERA and a 4.30 FIP. He’s also striking gout 7.98 batters per nine frames to go along with a 62.2 ground ball rate, although is 5.52 walks per nine innings leave much to be desired.
Still, Britton just returned from a lengthy spell on the disabled list, and has operated with relatively-high walk rates in the past.
It certainly doesn’t hurt his trade value that he’s left-handed and has a prominent track record that includes plenty of saving experience.
He might be the top rental reliever on the market.
If Britton is the top rental reliever on the market, Brach isn’t far behind. He’s 32 and Baltimore has no business keeping him or Britton in what could be a lengthy rebuild.
Pitching alongside Britton, Darren O’Day and Mychal Givens for the past few years, Brach has been a dependable source of bullpen innings for the fighting Buck Showalters. He’s racked up a 4.3 fWAR since 2014 and owns a 3.46 FIP in a Baltimore uniform.
His 3.61 FIP this year is in line with that metric.
His 11.1 hits and 3.4 walks allowed per nine innings are a bit concerning, but (at least regarding the hits), Brach is pitching with a .372 BABIP.
For reference, Brach’s career BABIP is .282 and he’s posted BABIPs of .250, .263, .267 and .256 in his four years in Maryland.
The reliever will bring back a quality prospect return.
It will be tough for the O’s to bid goodbye to Jones, but all good things have to come to an end at some point.
And Jones has been good, no, very good in his time with Baltimore.
He’s occurred a 28.7 fWAR patrolling the outfield for the O’s since coming over in the Erik Bedard blockbuster highway robbery prior to the 2008 season.
Like Machado among infielders and Britton among relievers, Jones is arguably the top rental player available at his position.
His production this season (0.0 fWAR, 95 wRC+, .311 wOBA, .299 OBP) hasn’t moved the needle much, but he could provide an upgrade for contenders with glaring deficiencies in the outfield or could use a veteran bat. See Cleveland, Oakland and Atlanta.
In his return to Baltimore following an underwhelming season in Seattle, Danny Valencia has been useable across the diamond for the O’s.
He’s turned in a 94 wRC+, a .310 wOBA and a .717 OPS in 240 plate appearances this season.
While those numbers aren’t outstanding, there’s reason to believe Valencia could be in for a more productive second half. His BABIP has slipped to .271 in 2018, well below his .309 career average and the .312 BABIP he had in the Pacific Northwest.
No team is going to acquire him to be a savior offensively, but he could be a useful bench addition for a club considering he’s capable of playing both infield corners and right field.
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Jonathan Schoop
Schoop is in the midst of a down season and still has a year of team control left via arbitration.
In other words, his value isn’t exactly at an all-time high. A .263 on-base percentage and a .279 wOBA will do that for you.
But there are teams (Milwaukee, Boston) with definite needs at the keystone and if Baltimore can get a decent return, they should consider accepting it.
This is especially the case given that even in a hypothetical bounce-back 2019 Schoop might not have peak value as a rental either given past trade trends around the league.
Britton, Brach, Jones, Valencia and Schoop are just five of the 200 (!) players who could be traded this July. Get your access to our comprehensive trade guide to view the other 195 and get all the information you need ahead of the July 31 trade deadline.
