Good Morning Birdland,
Over the last week, things have slowed down around the warehouse. Meanwhile, the hot stove remains pretty active throughout the league. The Brandon Nimmo/Marcus Semien deal a few days ago was an interesting one. And then, on Tuesday, the Red Sox traded for Sonny Gray.
Gray is a few years removed from his last great season. That was in 2023, when he had a 2.79 ERA over 184 innings for the Twins and finished second for the Cy Young. Last year in St. Louis was less impressive. The
diminutive righty compiled a 4.28 ERA and 1.4 bWAR, but he did cover 180.2 innings. And many of his peripheral numbers indicate he was pretty darn good (3.07 xFIP, 10.01 K/9, 1.89 BB/9). At the very least, he should add depth to the Red Sox rotation, and there is reason to believe he has upside given his track record as a big leaguer.
In order to land Gray (and $20 million to offset his $35 million salary for 2026), Boston had to give up righty Richard Fitts and lefty Brandon Clarke, plus the option for cash or a player to be named later. Fitts has appeared for brief cameos in each of the last two major league seasons. Clarke is a non-elite but interesting pitching prospect with an extensive injury history. The southpaw is the prize of the deal from a Cardinals perspective. He could blossom into something really special. He might also struggle to stay on the field. For a rebuilding squad, the salary relief of dumping Gray helps too
Gray will serve as a Lucas Giolito replacement in Boston, maybe even an upgrade. Giolito had a nice year with the Red Sox (3.41 ERA), but some of the underlying stats (4.99 xERA) weren’t as pretty. Most outlets expect him to get a modest two-year deal, so it’s not as if Boston is on an island with their preference to move on.
The Orioles, who have made in clear that they are seeking rotation upgrades, may have been a fit for Gray. He’s not an obvious “frontline” starter at this point in his career. But he is a dependable piece that you probably feel fine starting a playoff game for you. There is a lot to like here.
But the cost feels a bit rich for Mike Elias. The financial offsets, including a $5 million buyout for 2026, make it into a $20 million salary for Gray. That’s not awful for one year of an innings eater with upside. But throw in the potential value of the prospects going back, and suddenly the scales tilt.
The O’s will have to look elsewhere for their rotation upgrades.
Links
Palmer, McDonald to remain on Orioles broadcasts in 2026; Arnold departs | The Baltimore Sun
It sounds like everything else about Orioles broadcasts will remain in place for 2026. That’s a relief. And hopefully for Arnold it means he has landed a job elsewhere in baseball.
From Ripken’s streak to Delmon’s pinch-hit, these are the O’s 10 best on-field moments | MLB.com
This type of article feels like the COVID era, where everyone was just grasping for anything to write about. We might have to dust off a few of these going into 2027, when a season happening at all is in jeopardy due to an expiring CBA.
Bradfield, Trimble could be outfield options for Orioles in 2026 | Baltimore Baseball
If the addition of Taylor Ward is all that the Orioles do in the outfield, it will feel like they are keeping the door open for Enrique Bradfield to cement a role for himself in 2027. That’s fine. He seems like he will be a valuable defender and base runner. But will the bat be worthy of a daily spot in the lineup?
Because You Asked – Endgame | Roch Kubatko
A mix of Orioles and Thanksgiving content. Exactly what you need on the eve of this fine holiday.
Orioles birthdays
Is it your birthday? Happy birthday!
- John Parrish turns 48 today. The lefty spent parts of six seasons with the Orioles from 2000 through 2007. Over 219 total innings he had a 4.52 ERA before he was dealt to the Mariners.
- Harold Reynolds is 65 years old. The middle infielder spent most of his career in Seattle, but he did have a one-season pitstop with the Orioles in 1993.
This day in O’s history
Very little has happened to the Orioles on this date, according to Baseball Reference. Maybe that will changed today! But for now, here are few occurrences from outside of Birdland:
1917 – The National Hockey League is formed with the Montréal Canadiens, Montréal Wanderers, Ottawa Senators, Québec Bulldogs, and Toronto Arenas as its first teams.
1922 – Howard Carter and Lord Carnarvon becomes the first people to enter the tomb of Pharaoh Tutankhamun in over 3,000 years.
1942 – Casablanca, starring Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman, premieres in New York City.
1977 – Britain’s Southern Television is hijacked for six minutes by someone identified as a “Vrillon” from a group called the “Ashtar Galactic Command.”
2003 – The Concorde makes its final flight over Bristol, England
