Fri, Dec 19, 2025 at 6:30pm

BALTIMORE BRINGS IN BAZ TO BOOST ROTATION

The Baltimore Orioles acquired pitcher Shane Baz from the Tampa Bay Rays for outfielder Slater de Brun, catcher Caden Bodine, pitcher Michael Forret, outfielder Austin Overn and a competitive balance round A draft pick.

What does it give the Baltimore Orioles
The starting rotation was a weakness for the Orioles in 2025, so Baz will be an immediate upgrade. The right-hander is coming off a down year, but he did set career highs of 31 starts and 176 strikeouts in 166.1 IP. He is still just 26 years old too and comes with several years of team control. Baz should now be an important part of a Baltimore pitching staff looking to bounce back this season.

What does it give the Tampa Bay Rays
After seeing a full season of Baz with mixed results, the Rays elected to move him for a haul of prospects and a draft pick. De Brun, Bodine and Forret were among Baltimore's better ranked prospects, and they will improve Tampa Bay's depth at some positions of greater need (De Brun and Overn in the outfield and Bodine at catcher). Forret is also a starter who earned a promotion to Double-A ball amid a strong 2025 season. He could line up as a future contributor in the rotation after Baz's departure.

Fantasy impact
Baz gets a huge boost from this trade. A good amount of his struggles last season came pitching at home in the Rays' temporary (and hitter friendly) ball park Steinbrenner Field. Moving to Baltimore, the right-hander could be due for a big debut season. Just do not overrate him on draft day. As for the new Rays, they are still fairly young and are not high-end fantasy prospects at this time. But keep an eye on them in coming seasons, especially Forret, who has good strikeout ability.