The Orioles have some similarities to the Tigers. They entered the season with World Series aspirations, but have disappointed. Still, they find themselves in control of the final wild-card spot in the AL, despite selling at the trade deadline.
While the Orioles also traded Adley Rutschman, Dean Kremer and Tyler Wells, moving Taylor Ward to the Seattle Mariners might be the one that’s hardest to justify.
In return for Ward, the Orioles received RHP Alex Hoppe (5.17 ERA in 28 appearances), along with 26-year-old minor league reliever Brock Moore and 24-year-old RHP Harrison Kreiling, who is currently at Single-A. If the O’s unlock Hoppe—who has a 98 mph fastball—this deal could prove very successful. It just doesn’t feel like a sure enough thing to make the move when you’re still in contention. If the Orioles were 10 games out of a playoff spot, so be it. But it’s hard to tell your fans that you’re putting your best foot forward to be competitive if you sell off one of the more accomplished bats in your lineup for what seems to be an underwhelming trade package.
Granted, Ward is an impending free agent, one who has gotten off to a slow start in Seattle. He homered 36 times last year for the Angels, but has just seven homers in 2026. However, Ward leads the junior circuit with 87 walks. It’s not out of the question that he could have helped the Orioles win an extra game or two, which may be the difference between reaching the postseason or not.
We’re going to guess that the Orioles wouldn’t have been comfortable extending Ward a qualifying offer in the offseason if they had held onto him, but having the QO in their back pocket seems like it would have been a pretty good insurance policy.