Orioles trading Urías to Astros (and Kittredge to Cubs)

The Orioles are willing to move more than expiring contracts at the deadline.

An industry source confirmed tonight that the Orioles are trading infielder Ramón Urías to the Astros.

Urías doesn’t reach free agency until after the 2026 season. He’s batting .248/.300/.388 with 12 doubles, eight home runs and 34 RBIs in 77 games.

Urías has made 66 starts at third base, where he won a Gold Glove in 2022.

Executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias swings a deal with his former organization, and he parts with a player claimed on waivers from the Cardinals on Feb. 11, 2020 – an under-the-radar move which turned out nicely for the Orioles.

Urías batted .259/.324/.404 in 506 games with the Orioles after spending five years in Mexico prior to his stint in the Cardinals’ system. He hit a career-high 16 homers in 2022.

Scouts at Camden Yards saw Urías belt two home runs in a 3-for-4 day in Game 1 of Tuesday’s doubleheader. He didn’t play this afternoon in a 6-5 loss to the Blue Jays.

Besides playing third base, Urías has made 66 starts at second, 44 at shortstop and eight at first base. He's registered a 10.4 bWAR since 2021.

The Orioles can give Jordan Westburg the bulk of the playing time at third and Jackson Holliday at second. Urías became a valuable and underrated utility player who should find regular at-bats with Houston.

Urías can replace third baseman Isaac Paredes, who’s out with a hamstring injury. The Astros have been linked to Carlos Correa, Nolan Arenado and Eugenio Suarez.

Reliever Bryan Baker also was under team control beyond this season when he was dealt to the Rays for the 37^th-overall pick in the draft, used to select outfielder Slater de Brun. Relievers Gregory Soto, traded to the Mets, and Seranthony Domínguez, traded to the Blue Jays, are pending free agents.

The New York Post’s Jon Heyman was first to report the Urías trade.

Update: The Orioles are receiving Class A right-hander Twine Palmer, as first reported by MLB.com's Brian McTaggart.

Palmer, 20, was a 19th-round pick in the 2024 draft who has a 2.13 ERA and 1.134 WHIP in 13 games (eight starts) with Fayetteville. He's walked 22 batters, struck out 44 and surrendered no home runs over 42 1/3 innings.

Palmer isn't ranked among the Astros' top 30 prospects.

Update II: Elias isn’t done tonight … or early this morning.

A source confirmed that reliever Andrew Kittredge was traded to the Cubs.

The Orioles signed Kittredge to a one-year, $10 million contract with an option for 2026, so they’ve parted with another player who could have returned next season.

Kittredge began the year on the injured list after undergoing surgery in spring training to repair cartilage in his left knee. He retired the Blue Jays in order Wednesday in the ninth inning and posted a 3.45 ERA and 1.09 WHIP in 31 appearances.

The Orioles will see Kittredge again Friday. They’re playing a weekend series against the Cubs at Wrigley Field.

More moves are coming, but for now, the Orioles must replace a utility infielder and a reliever on their 26-man roster. The bullpen is down to Yennier Cano, Keegan Akin, Corbin Martin, Kade Strowd, Grant Wolfram, Houston Roth and Elvin Rodriguez.

Heyman also was first with the Kittredge trade.