The MLB Trade Deadline is officially over, and there were plenty of moves to be made for the Baltimore Orioles and Washington Nationals. These two teams were active as buyers and sellers respectively. The Baltimore Orioles looked to help bolster a division title push, while the Washington Nationals retooled and sold pieces that maybe weren’t part of the future plans in DC. Farm systems were also restocked with the MLB Draft recently, which you can read more into in the draft article on our website. Now, let's dive into the moves made.
The Washington Nationals were in a seller's market, as they still feel they are a few years away from contention in the NL East. The farm system has been well built over the past few years, highlighted by back-to-back high school picks in the first round from 2021-2022 in Brady House and Elijah Green, and they took the outfield stand out from LSU Dylan Crews second overall in 2023. The Nats have also reaped the rewards of the Juan Soto trade back in 2022. Left-handed pitcher Mackenzie Gore looks like a solid starter for the future, budding star CJ Abrams has the shortstop job locked up, and top prospect and local product James Wood recently got the call to the show. So, the Nats have a long-term plan. This deadline, they traded outfielder Jesse Winker to the New York Mets, outfielder Lane Thomas to the Cleveland Guardians, reliever Hunter Harvey to the Kansas City Royals, and reliever Dylan Floro to the Arizona Diamondbacks. Winker netted the Nats right-handed pitcher Tyler Stuart, who has pitched well in Double A, and could help the big-league club sooner or later. Cayden Wallace came back to DC for Harvey, who has been a solid hitter in the minors. Washington also got the 39th pick in the 2024 MLB Draft, which was used on catcher Caleb Lombavita. Arizona sent the Nats INF Andres Chapparo, who was signed as a minor league free agent in the offseason and has been performing well at the Triple A level. However, the big package came from the Lane Thomas deal with Cleveland. Major league caliber utility man Jose Tena, left-handed pitcher Alex Clemmy, and young shortstop Rafael Ramirez Jr. Tena has an .830 OPS in Triple A this season and can help the Nationals very quickly at the major league level. Clemmy has been a solid at the lower levels and is only 19 years old with a good amount of upside. Lastly Ramirez Jr. is a flier at the lower levels. With Winker and Floro being rentals and Thomas and Harvey having one year of control after this season, the Nationals did a solid job getting good prospects, with Clemmy, Wallace, Stuart, and Ramirez Jr. entering MLB.com's top thirty Nationals Prospects. Clemmy and Wallace made the top ten at six and seven respectively. Stuart landed at 17 and Ramirez Jr. slotted in at 23. The Nationals are turning a corner with their rebuild, and this deadline got them nice prospects that can really help make them better.
Meanwhile, the Baltimore Orioles were buyers looking for help in the bullpen and starting rotation. For the bullpen, they got Philadelphia Phillies righty reliever Seranthony Dominguez and lefty reliever Gregory Soto. Both look to help the back end of an Orioles bullpen with questions, as Felix Bautista has been absent this year to Tommy John. Craig Kimbrel has been more volatile this year, and with crafty lefty Danny Coulombe out for an extended period of time, it was an issue to address. The O’s sent outfielder Austin Hays to Philadelphia for Dominguez and pitching prospects Seth Johnson and Moises Chace for Soto. Seth Johnson is Phillie’s 10th prospect and Chace is the 25th prospect. To help the rotation, the birds acquired two arms from the state of Florida. They got right hander Zach Eflin from the Tampa Bay Rays and left hander Trevor Rogers from the Miami Marlins. Eflin is a mid-rotation caliber arm, and the Orioles sent dynamic infield/outfield Mac Horvath who was drafted in the second round in 2023, strong right hander Jackson Baumiester also drafted in 2023 63rd overall, and fun outfielder Matthew Etzel completed the deal who was drafted in the 10th round in 2023. Baumeister is Tampa’s new 14th prospect, Horvath is now the 19th prospect, and Etzel is the 29th prospect. Finally, the Orioles got right-handed bats to jolt the lineup in Chicago White Sox designated hitter Eloy Jimenez for Triple A lefty reliever Trey McGough. and Cincinnati Reds outfielder Austin Slater for cash considerations to balance out a left-handed heavy lineup and hit lefties well. The Orioles addressed many needs this deadline, and most of these moves greatly improved one of the best teams in baseball.
While these teams had two different plans of attack this deadline, they both accomplished what they needed to. The Nationals improved a farm system already on an upward trajectory, and they will look to make noise very soon in the national league. The Orioles polished up an already talented roster, and they will look to claim the AL East crown for the second straight season as they return to prominence with an incredible young core. Two deadlines, two tales of success on I-95.
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