The Baltimore Orioles improved their starting rotation after acquiring Scott Feldman from the Chicago Cubs. The Orioles are second in the A.L. East, trailing the Boston Red Sox by 2.5 games, but with Feldman, the team looks ready to make a run as their rotation will receive a boost.
Feldman is 7-6 with a 3.46 ERA in 2013. He's done a great job keeping guys off base posting a 1.143 WHIP. He's not going to strikeout a lot of guys, but as Fox Sports' Ken Rosenthal explains, the Orioles' defense is pretty solid. Even if a lot of balls are put in play, the Orioles should be able to make plays behind their new starting pitcher.
The Feldman trade should immediately pay dividends for the Orioles as they currently have the second worst ERA in the majors at 4.43. This is highlighted by the 113 home runs the team has surrendered, which is first in baseball. Feldman has surrendered 10 home runs in 15 starts this season, which will now become the lowest amongst the Oriole's starting rotation.
In the deal, the Orioles also received catcher Steve Clevenger. Meanwhile, the Cubs, slick as usual, received young pitching and cash from the Orioles. Jake Arrieta and Pedro Strop were sent in exchange to Chicago. Strop makes sense for the Cubs as the team is currently looking for a stable closer and Arrieta, though he has struggled mightily in 2013, is a 27-year-old pitcher the Cubs could have in their system.
The Orioles look to be a winner in this deal and they have probably opened the flood gates to more trades around baseball. Not only the organizations in the A.L. East looking to bolster their hitting, but teams in the hunt for the A.L. Wild Card hunt are looking to do so as well.
