A prominent MLB insider believes the Baltimore Orioles have the assets to make a trade for any closer they want, but suggested one likely target that could make a major impact, and his name is not Mason Miller.
Heading into the MLB games today, the Orioles are off to another strong start and have one of the best records in the league. Unfortunately for Baltimore, they have the poor luck of being in the same division as the New York Yankees, who have the second-best record in MLB.
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The O’s are seen as legitimate title contenders in 2024, but they need to get better and they have one major problem. Free agent addition Craig Kimbrel has gotten off to a rough start this season as their closer. There was always a risk in relying on a soon-to-be 36-year-old pitcher with fourteen seasons of wear on his arm, and the risk has bared little reward.
That is why Baltimore has been linked to a pursuit of a big-time closer before the July 30 MLB trade deadline. Oakland closer Mason Miller has been a name suggested as a potential target in baseball circles but this week The Athletic MLB insider and former general manager Jim Bowden offered up another potential name: Ryan Helsley.
However, the big question is the potential cost for high-end closers like Miller and Helsley and the possible competition they could have from other teams looking for shutdown pitchers in the ninth inning. But Bowden says the team could win any trade battle with rival organizations because the Orioles have one of the “best and deepest farm systems in baseball and have enough depth to trade multiple outfielders, infielders, and pitchers in their farm system.”
- Ryan Helsley stats (2024): 1.23 ERA, 0.864 WHIP, 15 saves, 24 strikeouts, 4 walks, 22.0 innings
While he suggests general manager Mike Elias should stay away from giving up elite prospects like Jackson Holliday, Samuel Basallo, Coby Mayo, and Enrique Bradfield Jr. in any deal for a closer, he did offer up a few names that might be enough to land the player they are looking for.
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“The Orioles’ system is so loaded, Elias could dangle talented but lesser prospects — like Connor Norby, Dylan Beavers, Jud Fabian, and Braylin Tavera — to accomplish their goals.”
The latter quartet of players are all ranked in the top 15 of the Baltimore Orioles farm system on MLB.com, so the team would still be giving up valuable prospects in potential deals for Miller or Helsley.
