From trade rumors to an actual trade for Orioles

On Friday, before the Orioles traded pitcher Andrew Cashner yesterday, I asked Trey Mancini about the possibility of trade rumors becoming a distraction for the Orioles before this month is out.

He looked back to last season when the Orioles pulled the trigger on several July trades that sent Manny Machado and several of Mancini's teammates out of Baltimore.

"It was a strange year last year for sure being around for that," said Mancini. "Especially that last day. We all knew that Manny would likely get traded during the break. But especially guys like (Kevin) Gausman and (Jonathan) Schoop (being dealt) that last day was surreal. I remember it like it was yesterday, being at Yankee Stadium for all that. It was crazy.

"But that is how baseball is. It's a business and every year guys can get traded from your team. Or even multiple teammates. It could happen to you at some point. It can happen to anybody. Usually it's better to not concern yourself with that too much."

Saturday we moved from trade talk and rumors to an actual trade when Cashner was dealt to Boston for two 17-year-old players in the Rookie-level Dominican Summer League. They now stay in that league and join the two O's DSL clubs.

Mancini has been rumored as someone the Orioles are expected to get calls on. For him are trade rumors flattering, unnerving or maybe some of both?

"It's a little of all of the above. It's definitely flattering. I've always said this - I want to play here and I want to be here for a long time. If it were up to me, that would be the case. But it's something that is not up to you. No matter what happens, I understand. This is a business. Those in charge have to do what is best for the organization. Personally, I hope that means me staying here, but yeah, we'll see," Mancini said Friday before the start of the second half.

So now Cashner (9-3, 3.83) is headed to Boston. The Orioles have gone 11-6 in his 17 starts and his ERA is 1.41 his past five games. Cashner recorded eight quality starts his last 10 games, going 5-2 with a 3.30 ERA.

The O's got 17-year-old center fielder Elio Prado who will report to the DSL Orioles 1. In 33 games in the DSL this summer he is batting .303/.400/.418 with five doubles, three homers, 26 RBIs, nine steals and 26 runs. He's a right-handed hitter and thrower.

The O's also added 17-year-old infielder Noelberth Romero in the trade and he is headed for the DSL Orioles 2. A right-handed hitter and thrower, he has mostly played at third base this season. In 29 games, he is batting .264/.336/.364 with three doubles, a triple, two homers, 14 runs and 13 RBIs.

Said the Orioles executive vice president and general manager Mike Elias: "We had talks with several teams and Boston was the most serious and most aggressive. We ended up getting two very young players that we like. I think in particular with them being Dominican Summer League players, one of my concerns is that we haven't been pulling from the international market steadily for the last few years. We've started now, but that is a pipeline that is lagging for us. I think trading for that age group is going to help us kind of stave off the balance that we're going to need with the rest of the league and competitors and equalize it more quickly."