Early Returns On Adley Trade Favor Orioles; Other Deadline Deals Less Lopsided

The Orioles could not be more pleased with the early returns from the blockbuster trade they executed at the deadline a month ago, landing four prospects for injured catcher Adley Rutschman.

A snapshot of the rest of those transactions a month after the deadline paints a decidedly more gray picture – to be expected at this point – of what failed baseball exec Mike Elias did eight years into his perpetual rebuild. Moving on from Rutschman, who hasn’t hit consistently in over two years – was a no brainer for the return they Orioles received – but he tried to both-sides this deadline and pretend he bought and sold, drawing the scrutiny of execs and analysts around the industry. And some of those decisions are clearly impacting his team’s ability to get over .500 and present any sort of consistent baseball at a close-to-October level.

Moving control-able and super-effective reliever Tyler Wells is part of why Baltimore sits at 69-71 with Rutschman’s Red Sox about to open a series here, and it’s as good a time as any to also take a peek at what’s transpired in these other transactions one month later:

Wells for AAA SP Michael Forret

This was the most ripe for first-guessing in the moment. If you refuse to trade pending free-agent starter Trevor Rogers and are keeping lesser and older relief arms like Andrew Kittredge and pretending to think you can get a Wild Card spot, why move Wells? He fills myriad roles, has a solid history as a closer and the O’s really needed another 9th-inning capable guy with Ryan Helsley out for the year and ineffective on the rare occasions he did pitch.

We knew why. Optics!

Elias gave up a ton for Shane Baz from Tampa in the offseason, he was desperate to try to save face and get one of those pieces back, so he brought Forret back to the fold. He better not be the latest in a long line of overhyped pitching prospects this organization ruined. He is very young for AAA, so no reason to panic, but he’s probably going to need to repeat the International League for close to a full year and if other starting prospects pass him by the pen might be where he lands (in a Wells-type flexible role).

It’s been ugly folk, all the way around on this trade so far, with Wells seeing 9th-inning duty for Tampa trying to win the AL pennant.

Wells in TB: 13 IP 2.08 ERA 0.845 WHIP

Forret in NOR: 19 1/3 IP 6.41 ERA 1.73 WHIP

Taylor Ward for RP Alex Hoppe and 2 MILB arms

Aug 6, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Mariners left fielder Taylor Ward (27) reacts after a single in the third inning against the Detroit Tigers at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Ng-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

This salary dump has turned into the Orioles first true potential bullpen discovery of the season. Hoppe couldn’t throw a strike in Seattle, he only pitched in mop-up roles and while he had a live arm and some good stuff, he couldn’t harness a damn thing. Ward was one of three energy vampires at the top of the lineup here every night – along with Adley and Gunnar Henderson – which explains Baltimore having a bottom 10 MLB lineup in the1-5 spots on the season.

My god did Ward have to go. No one wanted to walk more than this guy. He can’t track balls in left field, he was terrible on the basepaths (though they insisted on him leading off ‘cuz of all the walks) and his power – his calling card and what Elias always falls for – got sapped by the left-field wall Elias butchered twice.

Hoppe has been a revelation and the other arms the Orioles got offer nothing, even in the minors, but so what. This has been awesome so far. He doesn’t get as many strikeouts as you’d like and he needs to keep the walks down, but he was thrust into leverage stuff here and he gotten it done. As for the rest, we watched Brock Moore pitch in AA recently, and we caution you against it.

Ward in SEA: 20 G 80 PA 0 HR – 4 RBI .113/.213/.141 - .353 OPS (!!!!)

Hoppe in BAL: 12 G 9 2/3 IP 0.00 ERA 1.34 WHIP

Moore in AA: 8 G 10 1/3 IP 6.97 ERA 1.35 WHIP

Harrison Kreiling in A & A+: 5 G 14 1/3 IP 6.92 ERA

Dean Kremer For Teenage OF

Sep 2, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Dean Kremer (13) looks on from the dugout after being pulled from the game in the fifth inning against the Detroit Tigers at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Mean Dean was fired up to face the Birds shortly after being dealt, wasn’t he? He was always a bit of a sham for a MLB average starter at best, with a lot of BS coming with him along the way. No one has eaten more innings in Baltimore in the Elias era, er, error, than Kremer but after a fast start with the Twins he has gone back to being the same guy he always was – erratic and tending to give up loud contact at the worst time possible.

The Orioles got a toolsy 18-year-old in return, Jhomnardo Reyes, who had a tough enough challenge switching orgs late in the year and getting adjusted and changing leagues. This is a long-term lottery ticket on upside, who has to fill out his 6-3 frame and refine his speed and athleticism (22 SB in total this season with 16 CS), but has shown an eye at the plate, which not all kids his age have. Playing regularly in the Carolina League at this age is good enough for me for now.

Kremer in MIN: 6 G 30 2/3 IP 4.99 ERA 1.24 WHIP

Reyes in A: 24G 105 PA .216/.343/.239 - .581 OPS

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