Brach wondering if he's next to be traded

Brad Brach glanced to his right and saw the empty locker that belonged to closer Zach Britton. He looked to his left and saw the empty locker that still belonged to set-up man Darren O'Day, who hadn't been using it much since undergoing season-ending surgery on his hamstring.

Brach feels a tad lonely and like the last man standing, but also one who could be on the move by next week.

As I noted yesterday, the Cubs, Rockies and Indians continue to show interest in Brach, according to a source. He's already been traded once in his career, from the Padres in November 2013 for pitcher Devin Jones in one of executive vice president Dan Duquette's finest deals. And he's braced for a much tougher departure.

"I've always been bad when something's up in the air, so, for me, being a planner, it's always tough," he said before last night's game. "Obviously, this is completely out of your control, so it is what it is. I'm trying to just do it day by day and if something happens, great. If not, I'm happy here in Baltimore. So, it's just one of those things where you've got to take it day by day and game by game."

The stress builds due to concerns about how it impacts his family - wife Jenae, who sang last night's anthem and performed a postgame concert, and 7-month-old daughter Brilee.

"I think it definitely does," Brach said. "She tells me not to worry about them, but that's what I'm thinking about. I get to do the easy part and that's play baseball and she's the one that's going to have to pick everything up and move Brill and herself to the next city, so I'd love to be able to help with that, but unfortunately I can't."

"It's just one of those things where if it happens, then we'll just go with it as it comes, but yeah, it's definitely in the back of my mind the whole time is how are they going to get there safe and sound?"

Brilee seems to be taking it in stride.

"She has no idea," Brach said, smiling.

Players tend to weigh both sides while placed in this position. The scale could tip with Brach given the opportunity to pitch for a contender and perhaps make it back to the playoffs, but he isn't looking to escape Baltimore and a last-place team that continues to possess the worst record in baseball.

"You've got to try to look at the positives," Brach said. "If I end up being here, I love being here and hopefully I can help the young guys and pitch well for the rest of my time here. But if I do go somewhere, it's because they want you and because they're in a pennant race and you've got a shot to go play in October and that's everybody's goal.

"You've just got to look at the positives on both sides of the argument or the situation and just be happy that you're pitching in the major leagues and just be grateful for it and enjoy every day."

The thrill has been muted somewhat by Brach's struggles, the 2018 season his worst statistically since coming to the Orioles. He's gone 1-2 with 11 saves, a 4.85 ERA and 1.769 WHIP in 42 games over 39 innings.

The month of July has seen opponents bat .406/.441/.719 against him while he's allowed eight earned runs (10 total) and 13 hits in 6 2/3 innings.

Brach denies that the trade rumors and uncertainty have fueled his slump.

"When I'm on the mound it's the last thing on my mind, but I mean, (otherwise) it's always there in the back of your mind," he said. "I know I haven't pitched the best this year, so I know for me it's kind of like, when I go out there sometimes I want to prove myself to people, yet I've done this for five years coming up into this. But it's frustrating going out there and not being able to pitch as well as I know I can."

"I think for some reason if I got out there and have one good outing I can change their mind or something, but when I get out there on the mound during the game it's the last thing on my mind. I'm just focused on kind of turning the season around here and just do the best I can."

All the while missing his friends who used to sit next to him in the clubhouse.

"Yeah, it's extremely weird," he said. "You knew everything was going to happen, but the next day you come in and it's bare. And Darren, now him being hurt, having two guys who have been there the last four years on both sides of me, it's kind of weird. And especially seeing Zach in pinstripes (Thursday) night, watching the highlights, that was really weird and it's going to be more so next week seeing him on the other side."

The Orioles visit Yankee Stadium for a two-game series that begins Tuesday night, about three hours after the non-waiver trade deadline. Brach can only assume that he'll be on the trip.

I reported Sunday via Twitter and Monday on this blog that the Brewers were talking to the Orioles about starter Kevin Gausman and second baseman Jonathan Schoop. I checked again yesterday and was told that discussions are ongoing with all of the players that teams have inquired about - including the Indians, Phillies and Giants regarding center fielder Adam Jones - and everything can be termed as "serious" with the deadline approaching. However, nothing is imminent.

As always, stay tuned.

Shameless plug alert: I'm appearing on "Wall to Wall Baseball" from noon-2 p.m. on MASN.