The Baltimore Orioles made a series of last-minute trades just before Tuesday’s trade deadline.
Among these, they acquired outfielder Eloy Jiménez from the Chicago White Sox, as first reported by ESPN’s Jeff Passan. In exchange, the Orioles sent minor league reliever Trey McGough to Chicago.
This move is part of a broader strategy to bolster their roster, although Jiménez’s 2024 performance has been underwhelming, hitting just .240/.297/.345 in 65 games.
Jiménez, primarily seen as a right-handed bench bat, is expected to replace Christian Pache, who was part of the earlier trade involving Austin Hays. Despite his current form, Jiménez has a history of success, with an .858 OPS and 16 home runs in just 84 games two years ago. The Orioles are likely hoping he can recapture some of that past performance.
In another minor move, the Orioles traded utility player Billy Cook to the Pirates for pitching prospect Patrick Reilly.
Reilly, a former Vanderbilt standout, has shown promise in High-A with a 3.38 ERA and 108 strikeouts in 88 innings, despite control issues.
Jiménez’s acquisition comes with a significant financial consideration, as he is in the final guaranteed year of his contract with team options for the next two seasons. Whether he can make a substantial impact and justify these options remains to be seen.
This series of trades reflects the Orioles’ strategy of making calculated, lower-risk moves without sacrificing their top prospects.
