The Orioles took a big swing to address their needs in the starting rotation.

Earlier this afternoon, they completed a trade for Tampa Bay right-hander Shane Baz, the 12^th overall selection in the 2017 draft. The cost in prospects is steep, with the Rays receiving outfielders Slater de Brun and Austin Overn, catcher Caden Bodine, right-hander Michael Forret and a Competitive Balance Round A pick.

MLB Pipeline ranks de Brun as the No. 6 prospect in the system, Bodine 10^th, Forret 11^th and Overn 30^th. The Orioles held the fifth selection in the A Round, which takes place between the first-round compensation picks and the second round.

President of baseball operations/general manager Mike Elias has sought at least two starting pitchers, with a willingness to spend money or consummate a trade. Baz is the first move, and another one is anticipated at or near the top of the rotation.

A big appeal of Baz, 26, is the three years of team control. He has a career 4.25 ERA and 1.227 WHIP in 54 starts over parts of four seasons, with 103 walks and 293 strikeouts over 286 innings.

The Orioles today announced that they have acquired right-handed pitcher Shane Baz from the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for minor leaguers Caden Bodine (C), Slater de Brun (OF), Michael Forret (RHP), Austin Overn (OF), and a Competitive Balance Round A pick (No. 33) in the 2026 First-Year Player Draft.

Baz (pronounced bahz), 26, went 10-12 with a 4.87 ERA (90 ER/166.1 IP) with 158 hits (26 HR), 91 total runs, 64 walks, and 176 strikeouts in 31 starts for the Rays last season. He tossed a career-high 8.0 innings of scoreless ball on June 26 at Kansas City and completed at least 7.0 innings in five outings in 2025. His 9.52 strikeouts per nine innings and 24.6 percent strikeout rate both ranked in the top 20 of qualified major league pitchers last year. Baz has posted a 4.25 ERA (135 ER/286.0 IP) in 54 career starts, including a 3.06 ERA (27 ER/79.1 IP) in 14 games after returning from right elbow ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction in 2024. The right-hander was originally selected by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the first round (12^th overall) of the 2017 First-Year Player Draft out of Concordia Lutheran (TX) High School. He was acquired by Tampa Bay along with right-handed pitcher Tyler Glasnow and outfielder Austin Meadows from Pittsburgh in exchange for right-hander Chris Archer on July 31, 2018.

Bodine, 22, was selected in the first round (30^th overall) of the 2025 First-Year Player Draft out of Coastal Carolina University (SC). He made his professional debut last season and is ranked as the No. 10 O’s prospect according to MLB Pipeline.

de Brun, 18, was selected in the Competitive Balance Round A (37^th overall) in the 2025 First-Year Player Draft out of Summit (OR) High School. He’s ranked as the No. 6 Orioles prospect according to MLB Pipeline.

Forret, 21, was selected in the 14^th round of the 2023 First-Year Player Draft out of the State College of Florida. In 19 appearances (18 GS) last season, he posted a 1.58 ERA (13 ER/74.0 IP) between two levels and struck out 91 batters in 74.0 innings. The righty is ranked as the No. 11 O’s prospect according to MLB Pipeline.