Three under-the-radar relievers the Orioles should consider adding at the trade deadline

The trade deadline is fast approaching, and the Orioles have some major holes to fill. The starting rotation has been in the news a lot in recent weeks, but the bullpen could also use some additions. Here are three under-the-radar players who could help bolster the Orioles’ bullpen.

The 2023 World Series champion Texas Rangers have had a rough first half of the 2024 season. They are currently 38-46 and eight games out of the Wild Card race. If the Rangers don’t get their act together in the coming weeks, they could look to offload some of their veteran players. David Robertson would be a prime candidate for a trade.

The Rangers bullpen has struggled mightily this season, holding the 5th worst ERA in the major leagues. However, Robertson has had another fantastic season. At 39 years old, Robertson continues to put up solid numbers as a relief pitcher for the Rangers. He has a 3.34 ERA with 54 strikeouts in just 35 innings this season.

Robertson has always been a strikeout-heavy pitcher, but his 13.89/9 strikeout rate is the highest of his 16-year career. His advanced numbers are also terrific. His 37.5% strikeout rate puts him in the 99th percentile, while his ground ball rates and expected ERA are in the 91st percentile.

Another plus is that Robertson has plenty of playoff experience and he’s done well in October. He owns a 3.04 ERA in 47.1 innings pitched. He also has 176 saves in his career, so if Craig Kimbrel hits another rough patch, Robertson could easily replace him. Robertson would be a cheap but productive addition to the O’s bullpen.

Like Robertson, Carlos Estevez has been a bright spot in a struggling bullpen. The Angels are comfortably out of the playoff race and should be one of the obvious sellers at the trade deadline, so Estevez could be on his way out.

Estevez was an All-Star in 2023 and has been productive once again in 2024. He has a 3.00 ERA this year and has recorded 27 strikeouts in 27 innings. Meanwhile, his control has been terrific, allowing just three walks so far. That has led to a minuscule 0.81 WHIP on the season.

Estevez has been the primary slugger during his time with the Angels, recording 47 saves over the past two seasons. The Orioles don’t need a slugger right away, but having another ninth-inning option wouldn’t hurt.

Jason Adam would be a welcome addition to the Orioles roster, but there could be a few hurdles in the process. For starters, the Rays are a division rival of the Orioles, so there could be some hesitation in making a move. Additionally, the Rays aren’t out of the playoff race, sitting four games out of the second wild-card spot. However, we have seen the Orioles and Rays make deals in the past, most recently in 2022.

Adding Adam would provide another quality option for Brandon Hyde. Adam is having another great season, with an ERA of just 2.00 in 36 innings pitched. His strikeout numbers aren’t great (35 on the season), but his strikeout percentage is in the 96th percentile.

Adam has four extremely strong pitches, each with an opponent’s batting average below .200. This has led to just 19 hits allowed in 36 innings. Over his last three seasons with the Rays, Adam has had an ERA below 3.00 in each season, and he has a 1.56 ERA in 2022. He has quietly been one of the most productive relievers in baseball over the last three seasons.