Dipping into their second tier of major league-ready prospects, the Baltimore Orioles traded for their second starting pitcher in five days, acquiring left-hander Trevor Rogers from the Miami Marlins.
In exchange, the Marlins will receive Connor Norby – who started at second base for the Orioles on Monday – and lefty-hitting outfielder Kyle Stowers, who debuted in 2022 but has been blocked from the big league club with the emergence of Colton Cowser and Heston Kjerstad.
But this is a deal for now, and the cost for a pitcher with a 2-9 record and a 4.53 ERA indicates how high the prices are.
Rogers, 26, has pitched better of late, though. He has a 3.17 ERA in his last nine starts, and the Marlins are 5-4 in those games.
With Rogers under club control for two more seasons, the Orioles’ rotation is taking shape both for this year and next. Corbin Burnes – eligible for free agency after this season – remains the undisputed ace this season, followed by fellow right-hander Grayson Rodriguez.
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Friday, the Orioles added Zach Eflin from the Tampa Bay Rays as their No. 3 starter and now will follow him with Rogers, the 13th overall pick in the 2017 draft by Miami.
Rogers made the All-Star team in 2021 and was Rookie of the Year runner-up after posting a 2.64 ERA in 25 starts.
Stowers, 26, was the Orioles’ second-round pick in 2019 out of Stanford. He debuted in 2022 but injuries and the Orioles’ enviable outfield depth has prevented further opportunities since. He had a solid 19-game stint with Baltimore this season, batting .306 with a .797 OPS. And he has little left to prove in the minors, with 39 homers in 497 at-bats at Class AAA Norfolk the past two seasons.
Norby, 24, was Baltimore’s second-round pick in the 2021 draft, out of East Carolina. He debuted this season and homered twice in his 32 at-bats and has a lifetime .368 on-base percentage and .866 OPS in the minor leagues. Like Stowers, Norby faced a massive talent backlog at his positions, with second-year man Gunnar Henderson entrenched at shortstop, former No. 1 overall pick Jackson Holliday looming at second base and Jordan Westburg, like Henderson a second-year All-Star, ready to take over full-time at third.