Orioles trade Iglesias to Angels (updated again)

The Orioles did more today than decide the contract status of their remaining arbitration-eligible players. They also traded shortstop José Iglesias to the Angels after picking up the $3.5 million option on his contract a month ago.

An industry source confirmed the trade.

The return for Iglesias is unknown, but it marks the second deal between the teams around the non-tender deadline. The Orioles sent pitcher Dylan Bundy to the Angels a year ago for four minor league pitchers, including reliever Isaac Mattson, who's now on the 40-man roster.

Iglesias signed a one-year contract in January that set his 2020 salary at $2.5 million and included the club option, and produced a .373/.400/.556 slash line in 150 plate appearances that countered his reputation as a glove-first player.

The 17 doubles ranked second in the American League behind the Indians' César Hernández (20). However, Iglesias didn't qualify for the batting title due to quadriceps and wrist injuries that reduced his at-bats over the summer.

Moving Iglesias leaves the Orioles in search of a replacement at shortstop.

Yolmer Sánchez, who avoided arbitration today by agreeing to a $1 million deal, has more experience at second and third base. Former Rule 5 pick Richie Martin missed the 2020 season with a fractured wrist but will be in camp next spring. Hanser Alberto and Pat Valaika have been deemed non-tender candidates.

A projected raise from $1.65 million to $2.3 million made Alberto vulnerable to a non-tender and he just tweeted the following in Spanish:

"Do not try to force the doors, touch them with faith and if they are from God they will open."

Sánchez would be a logical replacement for Alberto at second base, where he won a Gold Glove in 2019.

Ramón Urías remains on the 40-man roster and impressed in a brief September audition. He could enter the shortstop competition.

The Orioles haven't announced the trade or their decisions on the last five arbitration-eligibles, including outfielders Trey Mancini and Anthony Santander and reliever Shawn Armstrong.

Executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias is expected to speak with the media later tonight in a Zoom conference call.

The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal first reported the Iglesias trade.

Update: The Orioles acquired right-handers Garrett Stallings and Jean Pinto from the Angels in exchange for Iglesias.

Stallings, 23, was a fifth-round pick in 2019 out of the University of Tennessee. The native of Chesapeake, Va., hasn't pitched professionally, but MLBPipeline.com rated him as the Angels' No. 21 prospect.

Pinto, 19, is a native of Venezuela who spent 2019 in the Rookie-level Dominican Summer League, where he allowed three earned runs and struck out 19 batters in three starts totaling 12 innings.

The 40-man roster officially has 39 players, but Alberto's removal will take it down to 38.

Update II: The Orioles announced that they agreed to terms with Armstrong, Sánchez, Valaika and Pedro Severino on 2021 contracts and tendered contracts to Mancini and Santander. They non-tendered Alberto, making him a free agent.