Baltimore Orioles Deadline Acquisition Reveals Plan On How to Get Back On Track

The Baltimore Orioles did not get what they had hoped out of their deadline acquisition, but he's looking to get back on track next season.

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The Baltimore Orioles fell short in the postseason once again in 2024 after struggling through injuries all season and making it via the Wild Card before a two-games-to-none sweep at the hands of the Kansas City Royals.

Baltimore tried to get some help in the starting rotation at the trade deadline when they made a move for Miami Marlins left-handed pitcher Trevor Rogers as Rogers was still working his way back from an injury that caused him to miss the bulk of the 2023 season, but things didn't go the way both he and the team had planned after his arrival. Less than one month after the trade, Rogers was optioned to Triple-A Norfolk after four starts in which he posted a 7.11 ERA.

But with Rogers under team control for the next two seasons, the Orioles still have hopes that he will be able to bounce back and become a quality addition to the starting rotation in 2025. Rogers revealed to the Baltimore Banner that he was dealing with a back injury during the disastrous starts with Baltimore and said that pitching coach Drew French told him the team has a plan to help him get back to 100 percent, and that they have not given up on him.

"I know where I was deficient at. I know where I’m weak at, as far as my body goes,” the lefty said. “Hopefully with the stuff that I’m doing, get the fastball up to where it needs to be and really just go from there. I’m really excited there’s a clear-cut goal, and they’re all in my corner and really will use anything they have for me to get back to where I need to be."

Though Rogers was sent down, he said that he was told the team traded for him for a reason and believe in his ability to get healthy and contribute.

Rogers' best season came during his rookie campaign in Miami in 2021 in which he finished second in National League Rookie of the Year voting. That season, he made 25 starts and finished the year with an ERA of 2.64 over 133 innings with 157 strikeouts.

Rogers turning into the future ace he looked like in 2021 is unlikely, but after buying low on him, the Orioles are still hopeful he can become a solid starting pitcher in this league and a steadying presence in the rotation.