Baltimore Orioles Could Bring In New Elite Closer With Trade

The Baltimore Orioles have some options available on the trade market if they don't feel comfortable with Craig Kimbrel.

Dylan Sanders | May 23, 2024

May 12, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Colorado Rockies pitcher Jalen Beeks (68) reacts to a out in the ninth inning against the Texas Rangers at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports / Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

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Baltimore Orioles

The Baltimore Orioles are one of baseball's best teams and it is time to look to the trade market to bolster their roster for a playoff push.

One of the most intriguing storylines for Baltimore this season has been their closers. Felix Bautista is set to miss the season, so they brought in Craig Kimbrel. Kimbrel has been iffy, could they bring in someone else to compete?

As the Colorado Rockies blow their roster up, one of the most sought after names at the MLB trade deadline will be reliever Jalen Beeks.

Beeks is in the middle of a career-best season and has taken just one blown save since April. Any team with a need in the bullpen will likely be interested.

The southpaw is currently sporting a 2.11 ERA and 1.22 WHIP. He doesn’t overpower batters with a very powerful fastball, but gets results and doesn’t get hit hard. Opponents have an xBA of just .206 against him, which is one of the best marks in the league.

He’s relying more on his fastball than usual this season and finding some good value with it. It’s an average 94.8 MPH and doesn’t move a ton, but his unique throwing motion acts as a disruptor.

Last year was a down-year for him, but he has been mostly consistent outside of that since finding his footing in the majors.

The 30-year-old could act as a nice rental option for the rest of the season. He could strike a good balance between being a reliable option but also not breaking the bank. Some expected interest from around the league could drive the price up a bit, but he’s still just a rental option.

If Kimbrel never fully implodes and the Orioles ride him into the playoffs as their starter, Beeks still has value as a normal reliever.

Published May 23, 2024

DYLAN SANDERS

Dylan Sanders graduated from Louisiana State University with a degree from the Manship School of Mass Communication in 2023. He was born in raised in Baton Rouge, LA but has also lived in Buffalo, NY. Though he is a recent graduate, he has been writing about sports since he was in high school, covering different sports from baseball to football. While in college, he wrote for the school paper The Reveille and for 247Sports. He was able cover championships in football, baseball and women's basketball during his time at LSU. He has also spent a few years covering the NFL draft and every day activities of the New Orleans Saints. He is a Senior Writer at Inside the Marlins and will also be found across Sports Illustrated's baseball sites as a contributing writer. You can follow him on Twitter or Instagram @dillysanders