One rival executive told Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports that they
expect the Baltimore Orioles to discuss trades involving left-hander Zach
Britton and right-hander Jake Arrieta later in the spring.
One rival exec expects #Orioles to talk about LHP Zach Britton in trades later in spring. Orioles’ surplus well-documented. Arrieta too.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) February 22, 2013
Rosenthal adds that the Orioles’ surplus of starting
pitching is “well-documented.” Entering the spring, the Orioles had a projected
rotation that included Jason Hammel, Wei-Yin Chen, Chris Tillman and Miguel
Gonzalez.
Beyond its starting four, the O’s have several candidates to
claim the No. 5 spot. Baltimore signed former Atlanta Braves right-hander Jair Jurrjens to a minor league contract this offseason. It also has in-house
options, including Britton, Arrieta, Steve Johnson, Brian Matusz and Tommy
Hunter, with top prospects Dylan Bundy and Kevin Gausman waiting in the wings.
While some of the arms that don’t claim the No. 5 spot could
find roles in Baltimore’s bullpen, others could be shopped to help fill another
area of need. The Orioles entered the offseason hoping to add a bat and
starting pitcher, but Jurrjens and Nate McLouth were the team’s most
significant additions.
Follow @mlbinjurynews
Looking for fantasy baseball advice?
