Does Baltimore Orioles' Approach This Offseason Reflect in Offseason Grade?
The Baltimore Orioles didn't do much this offseason, but the moves they did make will have an immediate impact.
The move of the offseason is, of course, the trade for the Milwaukee Brewers ace Corbin Burnes.
To understand the trade more, we need to understand what the Orioles gave up.
The Orioles sent away infielder Joey Ortiz, left-handed pitcher DL Hall and the No. 34 overall selection in the 2024 MLB draft (competitive balance.
Ortiz was the cornerstone of this trade for the Brewers. He was the MLB Pipeline's No. 63 overall prospect. He hit .212 for the Orioles in his 34 plate appearances last season as he is definitely known for his glove. Hall is an intriguing left-handed pitcher with some upside.
Overall, it's not that much to give up for a team with as impressive of a farm system as the Orioles have. Ortiz would be the team's sixth-best current prospect, with the infield being their strength.
Now, they have a proven ace with plenty of baseball ahead of him. The 29-year-old is coming off of three consecutive All Star appearances and a Cy Young win in 2021.
If Grayson Rodriguez develops the way he is on track to, the Orioles rotation is looking very nice. They have their veteran ace with a some promising arms behind him.
With their star closer Felix Bautista out for the entirety of 2024, they acted fast to bring in another high caliber closer in Craig Kimbrel. The soon-to-be 36-year-old is a proven commodity.
He didn't have an ideal close to last season in the playoffs, but still looks to have some gas in the tank. A solid move that should soften the blow to the bullpen.
Not much else happened, but with a team with a future already set up like the Baltimore Orioles you don't need to do very much!
Offseason Grade: A-
