Rockies Trade Rumors: A trade with the Batlimore Orioles in the works?

The Baltimore Orioles started off the season with a 22-10 record. In that time, their team ERA was 3.85 However, since May 10, they have gone 21-39 with an ERA of 5.87. Now, they are tied with the Toronto Blue Jays for last place in the American League East with a 43-49.

According to Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports on Twitter, the Rockies are talking to the Baltimore Orioles about two of their starting pitchers, Kevin Gausman and Dylan Bundy.

Kevin Gausman

Kevin Gausman is a particularly interesting pitcher for the Rockies considering that he is from the Denver suburb of Centennial, which is about 18 miles away from Coors Field. He graduated from Grandview High School in Aurora, which is about 24 miles away from Coors.

The local product has struggled in 2017 as he has a 5-7 record with a 6.39 ERA in 20 starts. He’s only averaging five innings a start (an even 100 innings pitched) and he leads the American League in earned runs allowed (71).

In 2016, though, he was much better as he had an ERA of 3.61 in 30 starts and 179 2/3 innings pitched. Between 2016 and 2017, his walk rate has nearly doubled (2.4 to 4.0 per nine innings) and his strikeout rate has dropped (8.7 to 7.9).

His contract is affordable as he is owed around $1.5 million for the remainder of the season. He’s also arbitration eligible for the 2018, 2019, and 2020 seasons before becoming a free agent at the end of the 2020 season.

Dylan Bundy

Bundy is from Tulsa, Oklahoma, home of the former Double-A affiliate of the Rockies, the Tulsa Drillers.

In 2017, his first full season of being a starting pitcher, Bundy is 8-8 with a 4.33 ERA in 18 starts and 108 innings pitched. He is scheduled to make start number 19 tonight at 5:05 MST vs. the Texas Rangers in Baltimore. He strikes out 7.0 batters and walks 2.9 per nine innings.

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In 2016, which was his first full season in the major leagues, he went 10-6 with a 4.02 ERA in 36 games, 14 of which were starts. He pitched 109 2/3 innings and struck out 8.5 per nine innings but walked 3.4.

He’s making about $750k for the rest of the season. He’s arbitration eligible after next season and he’ll become a free agent after the 2021 season.

Other trade options with the Orioles

As mentioned in this article from earlier today, the Rockies may be interested in Orioles catcher Welington Castillo. Two more options are relievers Brad Brach and Zach Britton (as mentioned in this article from a few days ago). Manny Machado is a potential buy but would be a mammoth deal with the Orioles to get him. Also, the Rockies would have to move him to shortstop (because they obviously wouldn’t move Arenado). Former Rockie Seth Smith would be an option that would be more likely as he would help in the outfield and he is paid a lot less as he’s owed about $3 million for the rest of the season. He has 10 HRs, 26 RBIs, and an OPS+ of 108 in 67 games this season. He had 16 HRs and 63 RBIs in 137 games in 2016.

Next: More Trade Rumors: Catching, Outfield, and Pitching

Final Thoughts

It’s not surprising that the Rockies are looking for young, affordable starting pitching. It will be interesting to see if a deal is actually struck.