The Baltimore Orioles are not even 20 games into the season, yet they have already dipped into the trade market.
In a somewhat surprising April move, Baltimore dealt right-hander Chayce McDermott to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
McDermott, originally selected by the Houston Astros with the 132nd overall pick out of Ball State, spent the first portion of his professional career climbing to High-A Asheville before being included in a notable three-team trade on August 1, 2022. That deal — centered around Trey Mancini going to Houston and involving the Tampa Bay Rays — brought McDermott to Baltimore.
McDermott’s breakout came the following year in 2023, when he posted a 3.10 ERA over 22 starts between Bowie and Triple-A Norfolk, striking out 152 batters in 119 innings and establishing himself as one of the more intriguing arms in the O’s system.
That performance earned him his first major league call-up on July 24, 2024. In his debut against the Miami Marlins, McDermott allowed three earned runs while striking out three and walking two in a no-decision.
His opportunities at the big-league level remained limited. In 2025, he made four appearances and struggled to a 15.58 ERA across 8.2 innings, with nine strikeouts and 12 walks.
Baltimore designated McDermott for assignment on April 11, 2026, following a stint in Norfolk where he logged five relief innings with a 6.75 ERA.
In return, the Orioles acquired 20-year-old right-hander Axel Perez from Los Angeles. Perez made 10 appearances (nine starts) in the Dominican Summer League, posting a 5.48 ERA over 23 innings in 2025.
Despite the elevated ERA, he showed promising swing-and-miss ability with 32 strikeouts against 13 walks while holding opponents to a .226 batting average. He was signed as an international free agent on Jan. 15, 2024, out of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
This move reflects a classic change-of-scenery trade, with Baltimore taking a flier on a young arm with upside while parting ways with a guy who has yet to find consistency.
The Orioles made another noteworthy roster move on Thursday, selecting the contract of right-hander Cameron Foster, who could be in line for his major-league debut during the club’s upcoming series in Cleveland.
Foster was excellent in 2025 between the New York Mets organization and the Orioles, posting a 3.11 ERA over 46.1 innings across 34 appearances, striking out 62 batters while issuing just 16 walks and holding opponents to a .221 batting average.
Acquired from the New York Mets at last year’s trade deadline in the Gregory Soto deal, Foster has quietly developed into a legitimate bullpen option for the Birds, who are still without Andrew Kittredge, Keegan Akin and Dietrich Enns for the foreseeable future.
To make room on the 26-man roster, the Orioles have optioned catcher Maverick Handley to Triple-A Norfolk.
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