Tampa, Florida.– The Baltimore Orioles acquired right-handed pitcher Shane Baz from the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for a package of four prospects and a Competitive Balance Round A pick, the club reported this Friday.
In the transaction, Tampa Bay receives outfielder “Slater de Brun”, catcher “Caden Bodine”, right-handed pitcher “Michael Forrest” and also outfielder “Austin Overn”, in addition to the aforementioned draft pick.
Baz,
26 years old, comes from a season in which he made
31 starts, posting a record of
10-12, with an
ERA of 4.87 and a
WHIP of 1.33. In
166.1 innings pitched, he struck out
176 batters and gave up
64 walks, establishing himself as an important piece in the Rays’ rotation.
The right-hander arrives in Baltimore as part of the Orioles’ strategy to reinforce their pitching staff for next season, betting on a young arm with experience as a starter in the Major Leagues.
Parallel Movements in Tampa Bay
This trade comes amid an intense period of moves for the Rays, who are also involved in negotiations for a
three-team trade with the
Pittsburgh Pirates and the
Houston Astros, in which infielder
Brandon Lowe would be involved.
According to reports, Pittsburgh would receive
Brandon Lowe, outfielder
Jake Mangum and lefty
Mason Montgomery; Houston would get right-hander
Mike Burrows; while Tampa Bay would acquire outfielder
Jacob Melton and Venezuelan pitcher
Anderson Brito, both Astros prospects. The deal is still pending physical examinations.
Rays Reconfiguration
With these transactions, the Rays continue to adjust their roster, betting on minor league depth and financial flexibility, a strategy that has characterized the organization in recent years.
For their part, the Orioles continue to strengthen their roster with a view to remaining contenders in the American League, adding young pieces with projection and experience at the highest level.
