The Baltimore Orioles were expected to be one of the most active teams come the 2024 trade deadline.
A team which had its starting rotation decimated by season-ending injuries to Tyler Wells, Kyle Bradish and John Means, the Orioles needed to acquire some pitching. GM Mike Elias has been working the phones, making offers and fielding calls, but also is not giving away the farm either.
After landing Seranthony Domínguez and Cristian Pache from the Philadelphia Phillies, Elias would follow up with a trade for Tampa Bay’s Zach Elfin (who won his first start as an Oriole yesterday). But Elias wasn’t ready to stand pat either.
It is being reported by multiple sources that the Orioles have acquired left-handed starter Trevor Rodgers from the Miami Marlins in exchange for infield prospect Connor Norby and outfielder Kyle Stowers.
Rodgers is a former first-round draft pick (No. 13 overall), who has two years of club control after this season. The 26-year-old is 2-9 through 21 games this season, possessing a 4.53 ERA across 105.1 innings of work.
In June (3.56 ERA) and July (3.38 ERA), the former All-Star had ERAs under four and has gone nine straight outings allowing no more than three runs (eight of them were two runs or less).
The Orioles now have a lefty starter to add to their starting rotation that looks to roll out Corbin Burnes, Grayson Rodriguez, Zach Eflin, Dean Kremer and now Trevor Rodgers.
If Rodgers can continue to pitch how he has the last two months, he will be more than helpful in aiding the Birds not only into the postseason but through it. The Carlsbad, New Mexico, native finished second in the NL Rookie of the Year voting in 2021 by posting a 2.64 ERA in 133 innings.
Norby, 24, was the O’s No. 5 overall prospect, according to MLB Pipeline. The former 2021 second-rounder has spent most of the season repeating Triple-A, although he’s gotten a few brief looks with the Birds due to injuries, appearing in nine games. Norby is under the Marlins’ control through 2030 and will likely receive regular playing time at second base for the rest of the season.
Stowers, 26, was drafted by the Orioles in the second round out of Stanford in 2019. Known for his raw power from the left side, the California native has been unable to secure regular playing time on the stacked O’s roster since his 2022 debut. Stowers will finally get that chance with Miami.
According to MASN’s Roch Kubatko, the Orioles are selecting the contract of utility player Terrin Vavra from Triple-A Norfolk to replace the spot of Norby on the big league roster. Catcher Blake Hunt, who was acquired earlier this season for Mike Baumann, has been placed on the taxi squad, with James McCann’s availability in limbo after getting hit in the face by a 95 mph fastball yesterday.
We welcome Rogers to Baltimore and look forward to him helping in the pennant race. We wish Norby and Stowers the best of luck in their careers as well.
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