Bryan Baker getting traded followed by the Orioles winning two against the Mets made for quite a day.
Hello, friends.
What a day the Orioles just had, huh? The morning started with the trade market unexpectedly opening up with a surprise name being dealt: Bryan Baker. Then, having essentially had the front office announce they’re sellers, they went and swept a doubleheader against the Mets, which just so happened to be the first time that the Orioles have won both games of a DH in more than nine years. It’s been a long time.
If you missed the first game, check out Andrea’s recap of a game that saw Charlie Morton pitch pretty well again and Gunnar Henderson deliver some late heroics as a pinch hitter. For the second game, make sure to read Alex’s recap of Tomoyuki Sugano recovering from early trouble to turn in a quality start, with the offense bailing him out thanks to some out-of-nowhere contributions from sixth-string catcher Alex Jackson.
At the end of it all, the Orioles are 42-50. Winning both games of the doubleheader makes Baker having blown the Tuesday game retroactively even more annoying. They could have had a sweep! They could be only six games under .500 and a game closer to a wild card spot! But that’s not how it worked out. There’s no margin for error at this point. It’s not over mathematically yet, only spiritually. We can all enjoy the gap between those two things as much as we are able for as long as it lasts.
As a long time Bryan Baker hater – sports-hate, that is, which is more of a dislike – I come away from yesterday’s trade wondering about the possibility of addition by subtraction. I’d never count on him in any key situation. He’s had two pretty bad games in the last three weeks or so. I certainly wouldn’t count on him being good in next year’s bullpen or two years beyond that. By the way, the Rays had Baker pitch last night and he gave up three runs in an inning.
Perhaps the Rays and Baker will make me look like an idiot, given the chance to do so between now and the end of the 2028 season. Maybe Mike Elias will whiff mightily on the 37th pick in a few days time, much as the 2014 Astros whiffed on the 37th pick after the Orioles traded it to them in the Bud Norris trade. Only eight players drafted and signed 37th overall have ever topped 7 bWAR. The odds are against a big hit. At least I can take comfort in knowing that it’s unlikely that staking out the Baker hate will be the worst take that I ever post to this website.
In the meantime for the Orioles, the Marlins stand between them and the All-Star break. With Trevor Rogers lined up to pitch on Saturday and with both Kyle Stowers and Connor Norby active for Miami, prepare yourself for a weekend of takes being issued about last July’s trade. Stowers still has three more homers than anybody on the Orioles.
Rogers has done better lately to validate the move, even if he is turning around in an almost-certainly-lost Orioles season. So it’s not like it’s paying off with wins that matter. But the O’s couldn’t have known that at the time. At least if Rogers sustains the improvement, he’ll be able to contribute in the 2026 rotation. The surest thing for that group right now is Dean Kremer, which is… you know.
Kremer will be the Orioles starting pitcher as the teams start their series at 7:05 tonight. Miami’s starter is Edward Cabrera, who’s rocking a 3.33 ERA this season.
Orioles stuff you might have missed
Mike Elias says trading Bryan Baker is a ‘step’ towards selling. There are several ways to take that. (The Baltimore Banner)
Jon Meoli offers a variety of thoughts in response to the Baker trade, one of which is that if you’re a GM of another team who likes an Orioles player: Make an offer.
Is Baker trade the first indication the O’s are now looking to 2026 over 2025? (Steve on Baseball)
The math is what it is for 2025, and it’s still tough even after what happened yesterday.
Orioles have four first round picks, record bonus pool after Baker trade (The Baltimore Sun)
After acquiring the #37 pick, the Orioles not only have the most pool space available this year, they also have more pool space than any team has ever done. That creates some opportunities for them to do good things, but it’s up to them to make the most of the opportunity.
Orioles will ‘do everything in our power to nail it’ with ‘25 Draft picks (Orioles.com)
Hopefully, everything in their power turns out better than their high picks last year.
The 2025 Draft begins on Sunday! Here’s the latest mock (MLB Pipeline)
The latest from Jonathan Mayo goes 43 picks deep, which means there’s now four mock picks to the Orioles. Are any of these players of interest to you?
Rogers ready for former team (School of Roch)
Please be true!
Why haven’t the Orioles called up Samuel Basallo yet? (CBS Sports)
This is a solid multi-point breakdown of why there’s no Basallo quite yet. However, part of the calculus is likely to change after the trade deadline passes, assuming roster spots are opened up that create a path to regular playing time for Basallo.
Birthdays and Orioles anniversaries
Today in 1987, the Ripken family made baseball history with a lineup that included brothers Cal and Billy Ripken being managed by their father, Cal Ripken Sr. The Orioles lost the game to the Twins, 2-1. Neither brother got a hit in the game.
There are a pair of former Orioles who were born on this day. They are: 2024 one-game outfielder Daniel Johnson, and 2013 one-game pitcher Zach Clark. Today is the UMBC product Clark’s 42nd birthday, so an extra happy birthday to him.
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday to you! Your birthday buddies for today include: Scottish king Robert the Bruce (1274), Salem witch trial victim Sarah Good (1653), 6th president John Quincy Adams (1767), writer E. B. White (1899), designer Giorgio Armani (1934), Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Jhumpa Lahiri (1967), and rapper Lil’ Kim (1975).
On this day in history…
In 1796, according to the terms of the 1794 Jay Treaty, the United States gained possession of Detroit from Great Britain.
In 1804, Vice President Aaron Burr infamously shot and mortally wounded Alexander Hamilton.
In 1914, Baltimore-born baseball legend Babe Ruth made his MLB debut.
In 1960, Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird was first published.
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And that’s the way it is in Birdland on July 11. Have a safe Friday. Go O’s!