3 early-season moves Orioles must make

The Orioles already have too many talented middle infielders, some of whom are out of options, so this creates roster issues. Doesn’t matter. Jackson Holliday’s big-league debut will be the number one story in all of American pro sports the day it ends up happening and the Orioles would be wise to do it sooner rather than later.

We could easily write an entire series about what the Norfolk Tides are doing to AAA pitching so far this season, because it’s completely laughable. In nine games, the Tides have 29 home runs (second place among AAA teams is 10) and a 1.104 team OPS (second place is .825).

Holliday is in the thick of it all, of course, with 13 hits and a .490 on-base percentage already. It was no secret he was big-league ready, even having just turned 20 years old. He has the best hit tool of any player his age we’ve seen this generation and fans of all teams, not just the Orioles, are itching to follow along as his story unfolds.

And hey, while you’re at it, call up Heston Kjerstad, Connor Norby, Kyle Stowers and Coby Mayo too. The Norfolk Tides would probably be -150 favorites in a home game against the Oakland Athletics right now and it’s because they have an MLB-caliber lineup that happens to be blocked from the big leagues by a better one in Baltimore.

Acquire Marlins LHP Tanner Scott

This is most certainly cheating, because in the Philadelphia Phillies’ version of this very article, we already had Tanner Scott heading to the City of Brotherly Love. But the Orioles need lefty relief pitching just as much, if not more, so why not keep riding down I-95 South until the exit for Camden Yards?

Scott is going to be one of the crown jewels of this deadline because it’s a no-brainer for both sides. The Marlins are putrid, Scott has been incredible the last year-plus and his contract expires at the end of the year, so Miami will be itching to get something while they can. But the talk of the Marlins selling the farm has already begun, so why shouldn’t the Orioles beat everyone to the punch?

Félix Bautista, as beloved as he was by the fan base, still hasn’t gotten the credit he deserves for the Orioles’ success a year ago. The O’s went 30-16 in one-run games and Bautista went 9-for-11 in save opportunities where he entered with a one-run lead. Flash ahead a season and even though Baltimore signed Craig Kimbrel to shore up the bullpen, the Orioles have started a paltry 1-for-4 in save opportunities.

So if the bullpen is going to be an Achilles Heel that could prevent this team of young stars from reaching its full potential, general manager Mike Elias should jump at any possible opportunity to acquire some new artillery. Tanner Scott is the best option he and any other GMs are going to find.

Extend Adley Rutschman and Gunnar Henderson

If the number one way the Orioles’ season will be measured is by wins and losses, the second will be whether or not they lock up either Adley Rutschman, Gunnar Henderson or both. And under new ownership, that once-lofty goal seems more achievable than ever before.

Having an elite catcher is perhaps the most underrated separator between good and great baseball teams, because so many catchers either struggle to pull their weight at the plate or add nothing to the pitching staff. Rutschman so clearly elevates the Orioles in both categories that it will be a crime if he plays a game in his life wearing any colors but black and orange.

Meanwhile, Henderson is quietly setting himself up to be the most valuable player on the team and a mainstay in the MVP voting if he builds off his phenomenal second half as a rookie. He can hold his own defensively (just forget what we saw in Pittsburgh on Sunday) and has 35-homer potential as a lefty-hitting shortstop. Rutschman and Holliday might steal the headlines for the next decade, but Henderson has a chance to be the best of the three when it comes to the stat sheet.

So now that David Rubenstein’s reign as owner has officially begun, the days of complaining about choosing between players and ticket prices needs to end. Lock up these budding superstars, build a winning culture and show the league you intend to stay on top for a long time.