The top teams in the National and American Leagues made some notable trades on Friday, when the Baltimore Orioles sent outfielder Austin Hayes to the Philadelphia Phillies in exchange for relief pitcher Seranty Dominguez and outfielder Cristian Pache.
Hayes had an All-Star season last year but has struggled this season, batting .255 with a .711 OPS and 13 doubles. But as a right-handed hitter, he would fit well in a center field platoon with Brandon Marsh in Philadelphia. Hayes is batting .328 with an .894 OPS against left-handed pitching this season.
For Baltimore, Dominguez should bolster a relief corps that ranks in the middle of the AL with a 3.75 ERA. The right-hander has 40 strikeouts in 36 innings. Pache will add depth to the outfield, especially defensively. He has struggled at the plate, batting just .202 with a .557 OPS in 118 at-bats.
The Orioles continued to be active on the trade market on Friday, acquiring starting pitcher Zach Eflin from Tampa, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan.
Per ESPN sources, the complete trade details are as follows:
Baltimore Orioles acquire right-handed starting pitcher Zach Eflin
The Tampa Bay Rays acquired outfielder Matthew Etzel, right-handed pitcher Jackson Baumeister and super utility man Mack Holbert.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) July 26, 2024
Why did the Phillies do this?
They needed an outfielder who could hit lefties, and Hayes, with a career OPS of .791 against lefties, is just that type of guy. Bearded Wetman Brandon Marsh is a lefty but still makes a difference against righties, but the shaggy slugger struggles against pitching from the same side of the ball. Over the past two Octobers, the Phillies have paired him with Matt Beerling and then Pache.
Hayes has a bit more punch offensively. He’ll be facing some of the best left-handed pitchers in the National League, including Atlanta’s Max Fried and Chris Sale. A right-handed outfielder was the biggest item on Phillies president Dave Dombrowski’s trade-deadline to-do list, and with this trade he gets that item done early — and without having to deal a prospect. Jake Mintz
Why did O do this?
The Orioles are overloaded with outfielders and need to bolster their bullpen. Dominguez would provide immediate help to Baltimore’s understaffed relief corps. The right-hander was a big-impact option for Phillies manager Rob Thomson the past two years, but inconsistent play this year has seen him fall down the pecking order. The Orioles will be hoping that with some tweaking, as they have done previously with bullpen pitchers like Yeniel Cano, Dominguez can step up and help them in key moments come October.
Pache is a much better fit on the Orioles roster than Hayes, mainly because he can play center field. Lefty-hitter Cedric Mullins is still an everyday guy, but Pache should get some minutes against lefty pitchers. He’s a better defensive option than Hayes or Colton Cowser, who was Baltimore’s No. 2 this year.
The Orioles aren’t done at this deadline. It’s imperative for them to acquire a starting pitcher or two. But this small trade helps them get stronger now without sacrificing too much. That said, it will be interesting to see how the loss of Hayes, one of the team’s longest-tenured players, affects the clubhouse.
All in all, this is how trades should be and how they used to be. One big leaguer for two big leaguers, two championship-contending teams negotiating and trying to get an edge. No trade of a prospect you’ve never heard of for a veteran player or any of that nonsense. Nice job. Jake Mintz
Also on Friday, pitcher James Paxton was designated for assignment by the Los Angeles Dodgers and will now be sent to the Boston Red Sox.
According to ESPN’s Jeff Passan, the 35-year-old Paxton is being traded to Boston in exchange for minor league infielder Moises Bolivar. Paxton went 8-2 with the Dodgers this season, but had a 4.48 ERA and walked a National League-leading 48 batters in 89 1/3 innings (tied with Cincinnati Reds’ Hunter Greene).
The veteran left-hander returns to the Red Sox after a successful season with the organization, where he posted a 7-5 record with a 4.50 ERA and 101 strikeouts in 96 innings over 19 starts. He will add depth to a starting rotation led by All-Star Tanner Hawk that can now feature seven pitchers.
Bolivar is a very young prospect who is 17 years old and playing for the Red Sox’s Dominican League team. He is batting .270 with a .787 OPS, six doubles, three home runs and 19 RBIs in 132 at-bats.
The Red Sox are currently in third place in the AL East with a 54-47 record, 6.5 games behind the Baltimore Orioles and one game out of the AL’s final wild-card playoff spot.
