Even before the Diamondbacks trade happened, many sensed that the Baltimore Orioles were shooting themselves in the foot with Kade Strowd. A reliever with clear upside potential, possessing the stats and “stuff” to aspire to a high-level role, yet stuck in a rigid and inflexible roster. Nevertheless, there was still hope that the Orioles would somehow choose the right option.
Then the trade was announced. And that hope faded quickly.
The Orioles sent Strowd, along with two relatively quiet minor leaguers, to Arizona in exchange for Blaze Alexander. The reason given sounded reasonable: the team needed a bench player who could play multiple positions on the court, and Alexander was the name they chose. No fuss, no drama, no blockbuster. But it was precisely that “ordinariness” that made people stop.
Because, when viewed in a broader context, this decision is not as harmless as it might seem.
Ideally, adding a super-utility infielder is understandable. Long schedules, unavoidable injuries, and a flexible bench give the coach more rotation options. It’s modern thinking, even necessary. The problem is: the Orioles could have done it at a much lower cost.
A player like Ramón UrÃs – versatile, experienced, and not a regular starter – would have met that need. Instead, Baltimore chose to trade a young, potentially impactful bullpen reliever for a player who, to this day, has yet to prove himself a consistent MLB performer.
Alexander is not an unknown name. He was once a top prospect, and clearly the Orioles’ front office saw something in him: a player who had struggled in the minor leagues could explode if placed in the right environment. In a vacuum, this was an understandable gamble for a bench spot. But MLB rosters don’t exist in a vacuum.
The price here isn’t just Strowd, but the Orioles’ bullpen structure in 2026. Strowd offers something every bullpen lacks: upside. Shootings that can create pressure in tense situations, the ability to develop into a crucial piece of the puzzle, not just a “filler shooter.” When you give up such a profile, you need something truly commensurate in return.
And Alexander, with a track record that hasn’t shown consistent performance in the big leagues, plus only average defensive stats, might not be able to deliver that. A bench, however flexible, rarely compensates for a weakened bullpen – especially for a team with competitive ambitions.
The general feeling is that the Orioles saw an “opportunity” in a once-highly-rated player, and used the need for a bench as a plausible excuse to try their luck. But as the season progresses, and the bullpen faces constant pressure, this decision is likely to be scrutinized – not because it’s shocking, but because it quietly undermines the team.
And the question hanging in the air is: was this a clever move misunderstood… or a small misstep today that will become a major problem when the Orioles need Strowd the most?
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