Baltimore Orioles

The Baltimore Orioles will be without their star closer for the foreseeable future.

Melanie Newman of MASN reported that Félix Bautista had suffered an injury to his Ulnar Collateral Ligament and was being placed on the injured list.

Bautista is currently listed as "day-to-day" per the team's official report, but general manager Mike Elias was not sure about Bautista's chances to return this season.

Bautista has been lights out in the Baltimore bullpen this season, sporting an 8-2 record with a 1.48 ERA and has made 33 saves.

Bautista exited last night's game against the Colorado Rockies after recording the first two outs in the ninth inning. It appears that either Yennier Cano, who was also an All-Star this season, will step into the closer role while Bautista is sidelined.

Still, missing Bautista down the stretch could be critical for an Orioles team that is a true contender. He has a 46.4% strikeout rate and is averaging 99.6 MPH on his fastball, with many creeping above triple-digits.

The Orioles currently lead the AL East with an 80-48 record and look like a contender to nab a first-round bye in the playoffs. The biggest threat may come from the Tampa Bay Rays who are 78-52 and just three-games back of the division crown. Having a bullpen ace like Bautista going into the final month of the season would be huge for clinching the division and also could help the team silence opposing bats in the postseason.

While the severity of the injury is not yet known, a UCL injury can lead to significant missed time. Tearing the ligament results in Tommy John surgery, which has sidelined players like Walker Buehler and Jacob DeGrom this season and will sideline likely-AL MVP Shohei Ohtani after the season.

The Baltimore Orioles have the best record in the American League, but they may become even more exciting by season's end.

Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported Baltimore hasn't ruled out calling up shortstop Jackson Holliday before the end of the 2023 campaign. Holliday, who is the son of seven-time All-Star Matt Holliday, is the No. 1 prospect in the league, according to MLB.com's rankings.

While Holliday's talent is clear, it will not be easy for the 19-year-old to break into the lineup.

After all, the Orioles aren't some team that is just playing out the string in a lost season. They are 74-47 and two games ahead of the Tampa Bay Rays in the race for the American League East crown and potentially the top seed in the entire AL.

They are trying to win a championship instead of focusing on the future, making it more difficult for young prospects to see playing time.

Still, Holliday is slashing .337/.454/.533 with 10 home runs, 63 RBI and 21 stolen bases across three different minor league teams this season. His ability to impact the game by hitting for average and power while bringing speed to the basepaths hints at his bright future, and it is likely just a matter of time before he is the franchise's everyday shortstop.

Perhaps the 2023 season is earlier than the front office envisioned, but he is making it difficult to ignore his production at the minor league level.

If nothing else, he could be a late-game pinch-hitter and spot-starter when the regulars need a rest as a September call-up. Shortstop Jorge Mateo isn't exactly a dominant offensive player either and is slashing .208/.255/.336 with six home runs and 31 RBI.

Holliday could be more productive than that right away, and the Orioles are at least considering bringing him up as they chase a division crown.

Kevin Brown, the lead play-by-play broadcaster for the Baltimore Orioles on MASN, says reports have "mischaracterized" the reason he has been off the air since July 26.

"Unfortunately, recent media reports have mischaracterized my relationship with my adopted hometown Orioles," Brown wrote in his first public statement since leaving the air. "The fact is that I have a wonderful relationship with the organization."

Brown's full statement can be read below:

Brown has not been part of an MASN TV broadcast since July 23. He shifted to radio for three games before becoming absent from broadcasts entirely after July 26, according to Awful Announcing.

The Athletic's Brittany Ghiroli reported Monday that Brown had been removed from broadcasts after "ownership took exception" to Brown's description of the Orioles' past record against the Tampa Bay Rays prior to a July 23 game in Tampa Bay.

During that pregame broadcast, Brown noted that the Orioles had lost 15 straight series on the road at Tampa Bay's Tropicana Field prior to a 1-1 series split in June.

The O's have "already gone 3-2 at the Trop this year after winning three of 18 the previous three years combined," Brown said.

The statistics comparing the Orioles' record at Tropicana Field in 2023 versus their success in 2020-22 was listed in the game notes, which are compiled by the Orioles PR staff, Ghiroli reported.

Ghiroli added that Baltimore broadcasters have "been reprimanded previously for mentioning past Orioles players who are no longer with the team."

According to Andrew Bucholtz, Sean Keeley, and Ben Koo for Awful Announcing, Brown was "taken off the air for the above comments... after the Rays series" and "only wound up on the radio for the Phillies' series thanks to another controversy about a different announcer's apparel."

Michael Kay, play-by-play broadcaster for the New York Yankees, told Awful Announcing Brown's statement did not mean that story is not true.

"That was a statement that was obviously vetted by the Orioles... he didn't deny what happened. He said, 'Don't listen to the noise.' The noise is true," Kay said. "There's not a second that anybody who reported that or talked about it believes it wasn't true."

The Orioles have denied Brown faced an official suspension, per Awful Announcing. Ghiroli reported Brown will return to the air during the Orioles' Friday night road game against the Seattle Mariners.

The Baltimore Orioles have denied a report stating that they suspended lead play-by-play announcer Kevin Brown over his comments about the team's lack of success while playing the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field.

"We don't comment on personnel matters," an Orioles official told Andrew Bucholtz, Sean Keeley and Ben Koo of Awful Announcing, which reported earlier on Monday that Brown was suspended. "We look forward to hearing Kevin's voice soon."

Brown hasn't called a game since a July 23 matchup against the Rays at Tropicana Field in which he pointed out during an MASN broadcast that the O's had won more games at Tampa Bay in 2023 than the last three seasons combined.

The same comment made by Brown was also published by the team's public relations staff in the game notes, according to The Athletic's Brittany Ghiroli.

"The Orioles have won three of the first five games at The Trop this season after winning three of the 21 games played in St. Petersburg from 2020-22," the game notes read.

Baltimore ownership "took exception" to Brown pointing out the O's struggles at the Trop, according to Ghiroli, "believing it made them sound cheap." The team has the 29th-ranked payroll in baseball.

Brown began as a radio broadcaster for the Orioles in 2019 and has become a mainstay on the team's television play-by-play over the last two seasons. According to Ghiroli, Brown is expected to return to the booth on Aug. 11.

With seemingly no clarity on the situation, broadcasters from around MLB are voicing their support for Brown.

Gary Cohen, who is a play-by-play announcer for the New York Mets, specifically called out the team's management for what has become a more talked about situation than the game itself.

Cohen said, via Christian Arnold of the New York Post:

Let me just say one thing to the Baltimore Orioles management, you draped yourself in humiliation when you fired John Miller and you're doing it again. And if you don't want Kevin Brown there are 29 other teams that do. It's a horrendous decision by the Orioles. I don't know what they were thinking, but they've gotten exactly the reaction that they've deserved. It's just a shame because the Orioles have played so well and now they've diverted attention from that. And now have made themselves a laughingstock.

Jason Benetti, a Chicago White Sox broadcaster for NBC Sports, called Brown one of the best in the business and made it known that he would be welcomed on any other broadcast team in baseball.

"If the Orioles don't want him, another team'll be elated," Benetti said.

New York Yankees broadcaster Michael Kay also said on his radio show Monday that the Orioles should receive a call from MLB commissioner Rob Manfred over the situation:

If John Angelos, the owner of the Orioles, didn't like that, then he's thin-skinned and he's unreasonable and he should actually get a call from Rob Manfred, the commissioner of baseball, because it's unconscionable that you would actually suspend a really good broadcaster for no reason whatsoever." 

Brown's reported suspension casts a dark cloud over an Orioles team that has exceeded expectations in 2023 thanks to young stars Adley Rutschman and Gunnar Henderson.

Baltimore sits first in the American League East with a 70-42 record, three games above the second-place Rays, and is on pace to make the playoffs for the first time since the 2016 season.

New York Mets ace Justin Verlander might be the most sought-after player by contenders leading up to the trade deadline.

Per MLB Network's Jon Morosi, the Baltimore Orioles, Los Angeles Dodgers and Atlanta Braves are in discussions for Verlander. Jon Heyman of the New York Post added the San Diego Padres have also been involved.

Heyman reported there's "little sign of progress" between the Mets and Orioles on a Verlander trade.

One big hurdle that would have to be cleared is Verlander waiving his no-trade clause to make a deal, but Morosi noted it's unclear at this point if he would do so to join the Orioles.

The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal noted the Houston Astros are among the teams pursuing the three-time American League Cy Young winner. Andy Martino of SNY reported that other teams in pursuit of Verlander believe the Astros will be the "most motivated" to make a deal for the star pitcher.

Rosenthal reported Monday the Astros are believed to be Verlander's preferred choice because of his longstanding relationship with owner Jim Crane. The right-hander played six seasons in Houston from 2017 to '22, winning two World Series titles.

In the ongoing battle between the top two teams in the AL East, the Rays struck first on the trade front. They acquired Aaron Civale from the Cleveland Guardians in exchange for first base prospect Kyle Manzardo on Monday.

Civale has a 2.34 ERA in 13 starts this season. He will add depth to Rays rotation that has dealt with a series of injuries, including season-ending elbow injuries to Jeffrey Springs and Drew Rasmussen.

The Orioles desperately need to add a starting pitcher who could potentially take the ball in Game 1 of a playoff series. They have also been attached to Detroit Tigers All-Star Michael Lorenzen as a potential trade candidate.

Baltimore's rotation is tied for 16th in MLB with a 4.48 ERA. Tyler Wells, who has a 3.80 ERA in 21 appearances, was optioned to Double-A on Sunday after allowing 11 earned runs in nine innings over three starts to begin the second half.

The Padres are trying their best to stay in the playoff race, despite spending most of the season under .500. They are currently five games behind three teams tied for the final wild card spot in the NL.

No team has been more aggressive at pursuing superstar players over the past year than the Padres. General manager A.J. Preller acquired Juan Soto in a deal with the Washington Nationals prior to last year's trade deadline.

The Braves are already the best team in baseball and would be looking to top off a roster that's already good enough to win a World Series, but the starting rotation does stand out as a potential area of concern.

The top trio of Spencer Strider, Bryce Elder and Charlie Morton have been terrific, but there's not another healthy starter on the roster who has made more than one start this season.

The Dodgers are another contender seeking high-impact help for the rotation. Their starters have a 5.96 ERA since the All-Star break, second-worst in MLB (Pittsburgh Pirates: 6.39). Clayton Kershaw could be back soon after throwing a simulated game over the weekend.

Verlander, who signed a two-year, $86.7 million deal with the Mets in the offseason, has a 3.15 ERA with 81 strikeouts in 94.1 innings this season. His contract includes a $35 million vesting option for 2025 that kicks in if he throws at least 140 innings next season.

Detroit Tigers All-Star Michael Lorenzen has caught the attention of two playoff contenders ahead of the Aug. 1 trade deadline.

Per Jon Heyman of the New York Post and MLB Network, the Miami Marlins have shown interest in the right-handed pitcher.

MLB Network's Jon Morosi reported earlier in the week that the Baltimore Orioles have also looked into adding Lorenzen.

With a couple of tweaks to the roster in the offseason, it's not hard to envision a scenario where Detroit is a favorite in the American League Central in 2014.

Lorenzen has been a bright spot for the Tigers, but he's also 31 years old and set to become a free agent at the end of this season. His performance this year is also a pretty significant outlier to the rest of his career.

The right-hander has made 18 starts, tied for second-most in his career dating back to 2015. He's surpassed the 100-inning mark for the first time in eight years and has the best ERA (3.18) of his career as a starting pitcher.

Boasting the best record in the American League, the Orioles (63-40) have been aiming high on the trade market with a great opportunity to make the playoffs for the first time since 2016.

Baltimore was among the teams that reportedly made inquiries to the Los Angeles Angels about Shohei Ohtani before the three-time All-Star was pulled off the trade block earlier this week.

It would be a surprise if the Orioles didn't come out of the trade deadline with at least one starting pitcher. Tyler Wells and Kyle Bradish are the only starters currently on the team with an ERA under 4.50.

The Marlins have already indicated they are going to be buyers ahead of the deadline. They acquired closer David Robertson from the New York Mets earlier this week.

Like the Orioles, adding at least one starter before the trade deadline will provide a huge boost to Miami's rotation. Reigning NL Cy Young winner Sandy Alcantara has been a disappointment with a 4.46 ERA.

Eury Pérez was surprisingly demoted to Triple-A earlier this month after allowing one run in six innings against the St. Louis Cardinals on July 6. The start did come five days after he gave up six runs and recorded one out against the Atlanta Braves.

Miami (56-48) is in a tight race for a playoff spot in the NL. It is currently tied with the San Francisco Giants for the final wild card spot. There are five teams separated by one game in the NL wild card race, with the Chicago Cubs not far behind at 3.5 games back.

Following a sensational first half of the regular season, the Baltimore Orioles are set to be buyers at this season's Aug. 1 MLB trade deadline.

General manager Mike Elias told reporters Friday that he would "bet heavily" that any addition Baltimore makes over the next few days will be in the pitching department, specifically middle relief and its starting rotation.

Riding its wave of elite, young talent that includes Adley Rutschman, Gunnar Henderson and Cedric Mullins, the Orioles have exceeded all expectations this season and find themselves in the heart of the pennant race.

With a 1.5 game lead atop the AL East at 62-40, they currently have the best record in the American League and seem destined to make the postseason for the first time since 2016 when they lost in the Wild Card game to the Blue Jays.

When asked if he believes the current roster has what it takes to make a playoff run and win a World Series, Elias was straight to the point.

"Yes, I do," he said.

Despite all their success, the Orioles can certainly use an upgrade to its pitching staff to help take the roster to the next level. They currently rank 16th in the majors in team ERA (4.19) and 20th in opponent batting average (.250).

Baltimore's starting rotation of Dean Kremer, Grayson Rodriguez, Tyler Wells, Kyle Gibson and Kyle Bradish have been good, not great and could use a new arm to freshen things up.

The organization has reportedly been interested in Detroit Tigers' All-Star starter Michael Lorenzen and he could be exactly what the Orioles need as a mid-rotation guy. An impending free agent, it's very likely he could be moved this year with the Tigers well out of contention.

Lorenzen has gone 5-7 in 18 starts this season to go along with a 3.58 ERA and 1.098 WHIP over 105.2 innings of work and is coming off his first All-Star appearance.

The Houston Astros and Tampa Bay Rays are also interested in him, according to MLB Network's Jon Morosi.

The Baltimore Orioles have established themselves as clear buyers prior to the Aug. 1 trade deadline given their American League-best 62-38 record, and there's no shortage of names linked to them right now.

Starting pitching appears to be a big priority, and Jim Bowden of The Athletic reported Tuesday that a trio of right-handers (Marcus Stroman of the Chicago Cubs, Lucas Giolito of the Chicago White Sox and Jack Flaherty of the St. Louis Cardinals) have all been linked to the O's.

"The Orioles have the best record in the American League (62-38) and are buyers this year at the deadline. They are focused on acquiring an impact starting pitcher and have been linked to all the best names who could be available, from Marcus Stroman to Lucas Giolito to Jack Flaherty, among others."

This is in addition to the Orioles' reported interest in Los Angeles Angels superstar slugger/pitcher Shohei Ohtani. Per MLB.com's Jon Morosi, the O's and Arizona Diamondbacks are two teams who have inquired about acquiring him.

Morosi added that the interest from both "has been described as due diligence," but noted the O's and D'backs "have the young talent base conducive to making a trade."

As good as the Orioles have been, their starting rotation could use some reinforcements. Per FanGraphs, Baltimore's starter ERA is 4.51, or 16th in MLB.

Stroman, a 10-year MLB veteran, has enjoyed the best season of the trio. He has gone 10-7 with a 3.09 ERA and 1.14 WHIP. The 32-year-old right-hander, who earned All-Star honors for the second time this season, has also struck out 105 batters in 122.1 innings.

Flaherty has spent all seven of his MLB seasons with the Cardinals. The 27-year-old right-hander has had a bit of a down year compared to his previous performances, posting a 4.39 ERA and 1.53 WHIP thus far. He has also gone 7-6 with 102 strikeouts in 104.1 innings. For his career, Flaherty has a 3.57 ERA and 1.18 WHIP.

Giolito, a 29-year-old right-hander, is in his eighth season with the White Sox. He's started 21 games and gone 6-6 with a 3.79 ERA, 1.22 WHIP and 131 strikeouts. Giolito has finished top 11 in the AL Cy Young voting three times and sports a career 9.5 K/9 rate.

All three of these pitchers currently play for below .500 teams well outside the playoff picture, so seeing any of them moved would not be a surprise. With the Orioles needing some help to bolster the starting rotation, it's certainly possible one of them ends up in Baltimore.

As the 2023 MLB trade deadline quickly approaches, multiple teams have reportedly contacted the Los Angeles Angels to explore the availability of two-way phenom Shohei Ohtani.

According to MLB.com's Jon Morosi, the Baltimore Orioles and Arizona Diamondbacks are among those inquiring about the possibility of acquiring Ohtani. Morosi added that the interest from both teams "has been described as due diligence," as both of them "have the young talent base conducive to making a trade."

Ohtani is set to become a free agent at the end of this season, so the Angels run the risk of losing him for nothing if he isn't moved before the Aug. 1 trade deadline. Morosi noted that Los Angeles' internal discussions about whether to deal him away "remain ongoing" and team officials "are likely to wait until after" this week's series against the Detroit Tigers and Toronto Blue Jays before making a decision.

Both the Orioles and the Diamondbacks have been starving for success over the past few years. Baltimore hasn't made the playoffs since 2016, while Arizona hasn't seen the postseason since 2017. Both teams finished fourth in their respective divisions in 2022, but things have turned around this season.

The Orioles lead the AL East with a 61-38 record entering Monday's series opener against the Philadelphia Phillies. Baltimore has won four of its last five outings, including three against the Tampa Bay Rays in their four-game series this past weekend. The Diamondbacks rank second in the NL West at 54-46 as they enter a series against the St. Louis Cardinals. However, Arizona is riding a four-game losing streak.

While it doesn't appear that a decision is imminent from the Angels, they are sure to continue receiving a significant amount of interest for Ohtani from teams around the league.

The Baltimore Orioles are acquiring right-hander Shintaro Fujinami from the Oakland Athletics, according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post.

MLB.com's Mark Feinsand reported Oakland will receive Triple-A pitcher Easton Lucas.

Fujinami is 5-8 with an 8.57 ERA and a 4.94 FIP in 49.1 innings. He has also averaged 9.3 strikeouts and 5.5 walks per nine innings.

Not only did general manager Mike Elias resist the urge to buy at the 2022 MLB trade deadline, but he also jettisoned Jorge López and Trey Mancini.

After the deadline passed, Elias told reporters the Orioles would be more aggressive in the offseason and that "it's liftoff from here for this team." Fans remembered those comments when free agency came and went without the front office making significant upgrades.

Now that Baltimore is tied for first in the American League East, maintaining that incremental approach becomes even more difficult.

Fans aren't expecting Elias to push in all of his chips for this year. However, the Orioles have a deep enough farm system to where they can acquire ready-made talent without depleting their resources.

Lucas isn't even among their top 30 prospects on MLB.com.

Fujinami is a sensible low-cost gamble because he seems to be settling more in MLB.

The 29-year-old's ERA is skewed a bit by the 26 earned runs he allowed over six gams in April. Since then, he has sported a 3.84 FIP and allowed a .393 opponent slugging percentage, per Baseball Reference.

Should the current trends continue, Fujinami will play a meaningful role out of the bullpen in the second half. In the event his struggles return, the Orioles won't be out much.