The Baltimore Orioles and New York Yankees are widely expected to be two of the most aggressive teams ahead of the MLB trade deadline. While the American League foes are close on the field, Baltimore will reportedly have an edge in trade talks this summer.
Baltimore and New York have already gone head-to-head a few times this season. Entering late July, the Orioles are 6-4 when matched up against the Yankees. While the two AL East foes won’t face off again on the diamond until September (Sept. 24-26), they will do battle at the MLB trade deadline.
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Unsurprisingly, Baltimore and New York are pursuing some of the same trade targets. With only a limited number of sellers in July, buyers have fewer options to choose from. Even worse for those clubs is that teams who are selling talent are largely keeping their most coveted players. As for the players who are available, that’s where Baltimore might have an edge over New York.
As detailed by Jon Heyman of the New York Post, the Orioles hold a critical edge over the Yankees in trade talks with other teams ahead of the MLB trade deadline. While rivals like the Yankees farm system, many around the league are significantly higher on Baltimore’s minor-league talent.
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Both the depth of the farm system and the quality of the Orioles top prospects puts them in a perfect position to be aggressive this summer. Baltimore already has a young core in place as a World Series contender with more help on the way from the minor leagues. The Orioles can easily deal from that depth to upgrade the roster, either just for the 2024 season or by paying a bigger price for a long-term boost.
This likely means that if the Yankees and Orioles are competing for a top player, such as Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Garrett Crochet, Baltimore will be favored to land him. However, the Yankees top prospects and some of the intriguing players who make up the depth of their farm system still have suitors. Plus, a prolonged championship drought is providing added motivation for the Yankees front office.
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