The last 24 hours have been some of the busiest of the Baltimore Orioles’ season.
With the MLB Trade Deadline looming, president of baseball operations and acting-GM Mike Elias has been active, making a significant trade, locking up an important bullpen arm and receiving disappointing injury news.
The biggest move came Friday evening, when the Orioles traded right-hander Dean Kremer to the Minnesota Twins in exchange for 18-year-old outfield prospect Jhonmardo Reyes.
Kremer‘s departure closes the book on an Orioles tenure that began in 2018 when he arrived from the Los Angeles Dodgers as part of the Manny Machado trade. He went on to make 133 appearances in Baltimore, becoming one of the organization’s most durable arms.
While his 2026 campaign never got on track after battling a quad injury and posting a 6.50 ERA in seven starts, Kremer still had another year of club control remaining, making the return of a high-upside teenage prospect an intriguing piece of business for Baltimore.
Just hours before the Kremer deal, the Orioles signed right-hander Yennier Cano to a two-year contract extension that includes a club option for the 2029 season.
Cano has quietly returned to being one of the most reliable relievers in baseball this year, posting a 2.21 ERA across 48 appearances while once again serving as one of manager Craig Albernaz’s most trusted late-inning arms.
The extension gives the Birds cost certainty in the bullpen, while rewarding one of the organization’s biggest success stories since acquiring him from Minnesota in the Jorge López trade back in 2022.
Unfortunately, not all of Friday’s news was positive.
Ryan Mountcastle hit another major injury setback. After already missing months with a fractured foot, Mountcastle suffered what the Orioles described as a significant oblique strain while preparing for his rehab assignment.
The injury is expected to sideline him for multiple months, effectively ending any realistic hope of him returning during the stretch run. It also likely means the end of Mounty’s tenure in Charm City with his impending free agency.
Listed below are more injury updates from Mike Elias:
- Samuel Basallo (shoulder) will be hitting within a couple of days
- Adley Rutschman (wrist) will be hitting Saturday, potentially starting a rehab assignment next week
- Félix Bautista (shoulder) will be throwing live BP next week
- Colin Selby (shoulder) underwent season-ending shoulder/labrum surgery this week
- Ryan Helsley (elbow) is now throwing from flat ground
- Blaze Alexander (hand) is still healing
- Chris Bassitt (back) will pitch one or two more rehab starts and should be back sometime soon
If one thing is certain, Birdland has had plenty to keep up with. Make sure you stay tuned to The Baltimore Battery all weekend long, as we provide all the MLB Trade Deadline coverage you need.
What are your thoughts on the moves and news that were announced on Friday? Let us know in the comments below! Make sure to follow The Baltimore Battery on Facebook, X, Bluesky and TikTok, and use the hashtag #baltimorebattery when sharing our content!
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