Orioles Added Starting Pitcher To The Offseason
Not many people want to hear about the Baltimore Orioles actually getting rid of some of their players this offseason.
They have a roster than can compete right now and sending players elsewhere seems counter-intuitive if it doesn’t bring back a star that can help them chase a World Series title.
But general manager, Mike Elias, has proven that he operates with a long-term plan in mind and he’ll make deals that are best for the franchise overall.
Cody Schoenmann of Twins Daily wrote about how the Minnesota Twins should target current Orioles starter, Dean Kremer, in the trade market to address the blatant need that they have before beginning the 2024 season.
“Kremer, 27, is the epitome of a consistent middle-to-back of the rotation starting pitcher who can put together a string of highly effective starts … Kremer isn’t a free agent until the end of the 2027 season, and that club control would compel the Twins to surrender something substantial for him. The Twins would probably need to send a package of David Festa (a near-MLB-ready arm) and Jose Miranda to the Orioles to acquire a cheap, controllable hurler like Kremer,” he writes.
David Festa is ranked as the Twins’ No. 9 overall prospect and made it to Triple-A last year. Their former 13th round pick has a 14-8 record across 49 appearances and 40 starts with an ERA of 3.30 during his three professional seasons. He also improved his strikeout rate in 2023, fanning 119 batters over 92 1/3 innings pitched.
Is that return, along with second-year infielder Jose Miranda, a good enough for return for Baltimore?
It certainly would be a weird trade.
Kremer was one of the Orioles’ better pitchers last season with a record of 13-5 across 32 starts. He had an ERA of 4.12 over 172 2/3 innings pitched.
Baltimore should be looking to add starting pitching, not sending current starters away for prospects on the cusp of their Major League career.
While that trade would certainly benefit Minnesota, don’t expect the Orioles to pull the trigger on something without getting a much better haul in return that addresses their current roster needs.
