Any clubhouse impact with trade deadline talk? Plus, a look at O's recent struggles

MIAMI – It is an interesting lead-up to the trade deadline this time around in the Orioles clubhouse. Interesting in that the players who are being rumored and speculated about by media and fans alike are players mostly not currently in the Baltimore clubhouse.

There has been more speculation about prospects a step below at Triple-A and questions about whether the O’s deal some of their highest-rated young talent.

I asked Ryan O’Hearn, a veteran of a few deadlines with two teams, how the pre-deadline lead-up has been this year in the Baltimore clubhouse.

“I think guys maybe, a story comes out and they might pay attention to it a little bit. But not to a great degree,” he said. “I know when the deadline is, but don’t know what is going to happen or what Mike (Elias) and the front office want to do. That’s kind of their job to plan out the long-term health and success of the organization, and it’s kind of my job to be present and win a baseball game today. And that is kind of how I look at it.

“Obviously, there are some really good players out there that could be dealt and if we get some of those guys or one of those guys that can help us win, that’s awesome. We want to win deep into October and do special things with this group.”

But O’Hearn said it is not something on his mind very much these days even with the deadline just days away now.

“That is above my pay grade, and I just focus on the guys in this room and trying to win a game every day,” he said.

He’s not rooting that some big-name pitcher will soon be walking through that clubhouse door.

“If it happens, great, if it doesn’t, great. I like our team," he said. "I know the character of the guys in here is strong and we have a strong desire to win and do something special together. Whatever the front office decides is the right move for the organization, that is above us and we have a team that likes to compete. We have a talented group, and we show up to win each day and that’s the end of it."

So he said it's just not a clubhouse discussion topic at the moment.

“At this point, no that’s not one of them," O'Hearn said.

Tanner Scott on trade talk: The Orioles got a look at the improvement of their former teammate, lefty Tanner Scott, last night. He picked up his 17th save and has an ERA of 1.24. He pitched in Tuesday's All-Star Game.

In 15 games since June 17, Scott has thrown 15 2/3 scoreless innings, allowing just four hits with a WHIP of 0.57 in a span where he is 9-for-9 in save chances.

Scott was part of the O's rebuild in the early years and now watches his former teammates in first place from a distance.

“It’s cool to see those guys, when I was on my way out, seeing them come up and you knew many of them would be good," he said pregame Tuesday.

He said among the players he still talks with often are pitchers John Means, Tyler Wells and Keegan Akin.

Scott's name has come up in trade rumors, but he is not very interested at all in such talk.

“I am where my feet are. I’m in Miami now and until that change,s I’m in Miami. My go-to answer," he said.

Is it hard to avoid the rumors?

“I don’t look at it. Maybe my family does."

Flattering?

“I don’t even think about it. If you are thinking about it, it still hasn’t happened. Why look to the future?" he said.

He added he doesn't even know about any rumors that the O's could have interest. He is just not interested in following trade rumors this time of year.

The losing stretch: It might have looked like the O's play was trending up in Texas, but they regressed with a sloppy 6-3 loss in Miami last night to start this series. The Orioles have now lost seven of 10, nine of the last 14 and are 7-9 this month. They are 11-15 since June 21.

On June 1, the Orioles were 37-19. They are 23-21 since that point.

As for tonight: Right-hander Chayce McDermott, ranked as the O's No. 6 prospect per Baseball America and No. 7 via MLBPipeline.com, will start tonight and make his major league debut. Jorge Mateo suffered a left elbow injury last night and infield prospect Connor Norby, per this story, is headed to Miami and could be added today if Mateo needs an injured list stint. As of late last night, Mateo was headed for an MRI to determine the final extent of his injury.

The 60-win club: Even as they struggled with the numbers posted above, the Orioles are in first place and are 60-40 at the 100-game mark of the 2024 season.

This is the ninth time in club history they have won at least 60 of the first 100 games. Of the previous eight instances, those clubs made the postseason seven times, winning six American League East titles and two World Series championships.

The winningest O's club through 100 games was the 1969 edition that won 69. The 1979 O's won 67 and last year's club posted a 62-38 mark. The 1970 World Series champs won 62 and the 1966 World Series winners won 66 of its first 100 games.