O's trade Urías to Astros for Minor League arm, Kittredge to Cubs for Minors SS

BALTIMORE -- The Orioles’ Trade Deadline sale has continued, as general manager Mike Elias and his front office were working late Wednesday night and into the wee hours of Thursday morning.

First, Baltimore sent infielder Ramón Urías to Houston in exchange for Minor League right-hander Twine Palmer. The O's also sent cash considerations to the Astros in the deal.

TRADE DETAILS
Orioles receive: RHP Twine Palmer
Astros receive: INF Ramón Urías, cash considerations

Next, the O’s traded right-handed reliever Andrew Kittredge to the Cubs for shortstop Wilfri De La Cruz, who was the Cubs' No. 17 prospect per MLB Pipeline. He slots in as Baltimore's No. 21 prospect.

TRADE DETAILS
Orioles receive: SS Wilfri De La Cruz (Cubs' No. 17 prospect)
Cubs receive: RHP Andrew Kittredge

Palmer, 20, was selected by the Astros in the 19th round of the 2024 MLB Draft out of Connors State College in Warner, Okla. The 6-foot-5 righty had a 2.13 ERA in 13 games (eight starts) for Single-A Fayetteville this year, collecting 44 strikeouts over 42 1/3 innings. He has not yet pitched above that level after previously making two Single-A appearances in ‘24.

De La Cruz, 17, signed with the Cubs out of the Dominican Republic for $2.3 million in January. The San Francisco de Macori native played 27 games in the Dominican Summer League this year, hitting .262 with nine doubles, two triples, nine RBIs, nine stolen bases and an .859 OPS.

MLB Pipeline ranked De La Cruz as the No. 13 prospect in the 2025 international class. His best tool is his arm (60 grade), though he is a pretty well-rounded player as evidenced by his other tools -- hit (55), power (45), running (50) and fielding (50).

Urías, who won’t become a free agent until after the 2026 season, has been an incredibly valuable piece of the Orioles’ roster since joining the team in ‘20. The 31-year-old has spent his entire six-year MLB career in Baltimore, and he has played every position in the infield.

In 2022, Urías became only the third player in O’s history (since 1954) to win an American League Gold Glove at third base, joining Brooks Robinson and Manny Machado. Urías’ defense often kept him on the roster, even as youngsters such as Jordan Westburg and Coby Mayo arrived in the big leagues and made the infield mix more crowded.

This season, Urías is batting .248 with 12 doubles, eight home runs, 34 RBIs and a .688 OPS over 77 games. He recorded his second career multi-homer game on Tuesday, when he swatted two homers in Baltimore’s 16-4 win over Toronto in Game 1 of a doubleheader at Camden Yards.

The Astros joined the market for a third baseman after Isaac Paredes sustained a right hamstring strain on July 19. Houston is also without shortstop Jeremy Peña, who is sidelined by a rib fracture.

Kittredge signed a one-year, $9 million deal with the O’s in February, and his contract features a $9 million team option for the 2026 season (or a $1 million buyout). The 35-year-old right-hander had a 3.56 ERA in 30 appearances with Baltimore, though he didn’t make his debut for the club until May 21 after undergoing left knee debridement surgery.

The Orioles expected to contend heading into the season, with Kittredge slotted into a high-leverage role in their bullpen. But as the team fell out of contention, it became clear he could be among the trade chips.

Urías and Kittredge became the fourth and fifth players traded by the Orioles (50-59) this month, joining a trio of other relievers -- Bryan Baker (to the Rays on July 10), Gregory Soto (to the Mets last Friday) and Seranthony Domínguez (to the Blue Jays on Tuesday).

“You want to see guys succeed here,” Kittredge said earlier this month. “But it is what it is, it’s a business.”

So the O’s bullpen will look even more different when they play Friday afternoon’s series opener at Wrigley Field against the Cubs, Kittredge’s new team. Chicago is bolstering its relief corps after also acquiring righty Michael Soroka from Washington earlier on Wednesday.

Baltimore has been collecting young pitchers in these deals, as it previously acquired right-handers Wellington Aracena (the club’s No. 20 prospect per MLB Pipeline) and Cameron Foster in the Soto trade and righty Juaron Watts-Brown (O’s No. 8) in exchange for Domínguez.

The O’s should continue to be active ahead of Thursday’s 6 p.m. ET Trade Deadline. Their biggest trade chips are a host of players on expiring contracts -- All-Star designated hitter Ryan O’Hearn, center fielder Cedric Mullins, corner outfielder Ramón Laureano and starters Zach Eflin, Charlie Morton and Tomoyuki Sugano.

But the Orioles appear to potentially be open to moving players with at least a full year of control, as evidenced by the Urías trade.