Key Points
Bullet point summary by AI
- The Orioles and Red Sox are both riding hot streaks and now sit within two games of the AL's third Wild Card spot.
- Each team has a clear path to upgrade — one needs a battle-tested starter while the other seeks right-handed power and a lefty reliever.
- The proposed trades would cost each franchise some of their most promising young talent, but could dramatically shift the balance in a tight playoff race.
A couple of weeks ago, I would've said this week's series featuring the Baltimore Orioles and the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park would've been completely irrelevant. Sure, it's a series between two AL East rivals, but both of these teams seemed out of contention. Well, the Red Sox have won 13 (!) games in a row while Baltimore has a seven-game winning streak of its own, changing the AL Wild Card race. All of a sudden, the Red Sox have sole possession of the third Wild Card spot in the AL while Baltimore is only 2.0 games back.
Both the Red Sox and the Orioles are in the thick of the AL Wild Card race, and should be eager to make trades to help them win down the stretch. These mock trades could work.
The Orioles can land the starting pitcher they need with the Giants
Even with Brandon Young exceeding expectations and Kyle Bradish finding his footing after a rough start, the Orioles could use a frontline starter. If the Tigers elect to hold onto Tarik Skubal, Robbie Ray could be one of the best options available. This mock proposal could bring the San Francisco Giants' southpaw to Baltimore.
Ray isn't the Cy Young-caliber arm he was a few years ago in Toronto, but he remains a viable mid-rotation arm. He has a 3.33 ERA in 20 appearances this season and is battle-tested in the postseason. His strikeouts are down, his walks are up and he's a rental - those are all valid reasons to pause - but in a limited market, Ray could be as good as any starter available.
The Giants would be receiving a nice haul of prospects, headlined by Trey Gibson, an MLB-ready starter. Gibson has struggled in his first taste of big-league action this season, but he throws hard, commands his pitches well, and has a five-pitch mix, making him easy to project as a starter.
Perhaps the most exciting piece in the package is Esteban Mejia. He's further away from the majors and has not had a good year thanks largely to a lack of command, but he can reach the triple digits with ease with his fastball and pairs that with a pairs that with a wipeout slider. The floor is lower than you'd like, but his ceiling is incredibly high, making him an ideal get in a deal involving just sending a rental the other way. Stiven Martinez, as a lottery ticket type of piece in this deal who offers power, only sweetens the pie for San Francisco.
It's a lot to give up if you're Baltimore, but again, Ray figures to be one of the better starters available. You need to give to get, and holding onto their best prospects should entice them to push this deal across. The Giants would be getting two enticing pitching prospects and an outfielder who could potentially help them several years down the road.
The Red Sox can improve in two areas with this trade with the Reds
The Red Sox are MLB's hottest team right now, but that doesn't make them a team without flaws. They could certainly use more right-handed power in their lineup beyond Willson Contreras, and they could use another reliable left-handed reliever to pitch in front of Aroldis Chapman. This mock trade with the Cincinnati Reds would address both of those needs.
Spencer Steer is the headliner here, as he has three straight 20-home run seasons to his credit and is just four long balls away from making that four in a row. In addition to his power, Steer can play just about everywhere, appearing in six different positions this season alone, and he'd come with two additional years of club control.
Brock Burke would be added to this deal. He's only a rental, but he has a 2.89 ERA this season and has particularly impressed against left-handed hitters this season, holding them to a .179 average and a .597 OPS. He could fill the void the Red Sox initially hoped Danny Coulombe would be able to fill as a left-handed specialist.
The cost to bring this dynamic duo to Boston wouldn't be cheap, though, as they'd be sending Marcelo Mayer to Cincinnati. I know that might sound crazy to Red Sox fans, but hear me out. Not only does Mayer have a .625 OPS in parts of two big-league seasons, but his injury history is worrisome. He's out right now with a stress reaction in his forearm, and he hasn't played more than 91 games in a professional season. That 91-game season came in 2022. He's obviously uber-talented and was considered one of the game's top prospects for a reason, but who knows if he'll ever hit and/or stay healthy at the major league level? This could be a chance for Boston to sell relatively high on an uncertain product.
Losing Steer hurts if you're the Reds, but Mayer's upside is higher (if he can meet his potential), and Burke, as a rental, should be traded anyway given that Cincinnati is out of contention. This is certainly a deal both fan bases will hate, but that could mean it's a deal worth pursuing.
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