Baltimore Orioles Named Landing Spot for Pitcher Who Could Bring October Experience

The Baltimore Orioles would get one of the best pitchers in MLB history if they could land him in a trade.

Jul 20, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; Texas Rangers starting pitcher Max Scherzer (31) throws against the Baltimore Orioles in the first inning at Globe Life Field. / Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

The Baltimore Orioles have about a week until they have to make important moves during the trade deadline. With a clear chance to win the World Series, there's not much of a reason for the Orioles to not be as aggressive as they can be, even if it means that they have to move prospects along the way.

While they have the best farm system in baseball, there's not a ton of opportunity for many of the players to play in the near future. At some point, they have to make a decision on some of their top prospects, and right now seems to be the perfect time.

That doesn't mean to make trades just to make trades, but if they can find players who help their chances of winning this season, it's the right thing to do. At the end of the day, prospects are exactly that. Until they show that they can play at the big league level, what they ultimately do in the minors doesn't mean much if they don't have a place to play in the big leagues.

There are two directions Baltimore could go in, and both could be the right decision, depending on how it plays out. On one hand, they could add players who don't hit free agency for the next few seasons. In the other scenario, they could add veterans who have experience in October.

Perhaps they do a little bit of both, as it'd give them the perfect medium.

The Athletic listed 50 players who could be dealt, including landing spots for each one. The Orioles were named a landing spot for multiple pitchers, including veteran Max Scherzer.

"Recently returned from the back injury that knocked him out for nearly the first three months, Max Scherzer had looked pretty sharp for the Rangers before a dud over the weekend. There’s an obvious risk/reward calculus baked into trading for a surefire Hall of Famer who turns 40 this week.

"There are also multiple obstacles in the way of a trade: Texas has to decide to sell, and Scherzer would have to again waive a no-trade clause."

Scherzer has only pitched 29 1/3 innings due to injury, but has been solid once again, posting a 3.99 ERA and 1.16 WHIP. There might not be a more accomplished pitcher on the trade market, and while he's not in his prime anymore, he's proven to still be a fierce competitor who can help a team in October.

His no-trade clause does pose some questions about if he'll get traded, but if he'd waive it for Baltimore, he could be an intriguing option.