Which players shouldn’t have been traded by the Orioles? | MAILBAG

Question: There are players who did not have success with the Orioles, were traded and are now having success with other teams — Kevin Gausman, Kyle Stowers, Joey Ortiz, Koji Uehara, Jack Flaherty and Tanner Scott come to mind. Who are some others who did not have success with the Orioles but are in other organizations? From: Marc Goodman

Answer: Marc, there’s a lot to unpack here. First, some players who were not successful with the Orioles have had success in other organizations, and then there are some, including Ryan O’Hearn and Danny Coulombe, who had more success with the Orioles than elsewhere.

Let’s take each of your examples. Kevin Gausman was traded from the Orioles to the Braves in 2018, and it wasn’t until 2021, when he pitched for the San Francisco Giants, that he reached his potential.

Kyle Stowers played brilliantly for Miami in 2025, but so did Trevor Rogers, and that trade may have worked out well for both teams.

Joey Ortiz was traded to Milwaukee for Corbin Burnes, without whom the Orioles may not have gone to the postseason last season. There was no regular spot for Ortiz, who batted .230 with a .593 OPS for the Brewers last season.

Jack Flaherty was not traded from the Orioles. He left as a free agent and was 8-15 with a 4.64 ERA for Detroit last season.

Koji Uehara was traded to Texas in 2011 for Chris Davis and Tommy Hunter. That was a terrific trade for the Orioles. Davis led the majors in home runs twice before trending down.

Tanner Scott was traded to the Marlins in 2022. The Orioles received three minor leaguers in the deal, none of whom have reached the major leagues.

The Orioles have made some good trades, and some that weren’t so good.

Question: Any speculation on whether Jeremiah Jackson will return in 2026? I know he made some mistakes in the outfield, but he seems like a promising hitter with a strong work ethic. From: Seth Blum, Owings Mills

Answer: Seth, I think Jeremiah Jackson has an excellent chance to make the Orioles next spring. You are correct. He did hit well, though he did make some mistakes in the outfield. He’s not guaranteed a spot and will have competition in Sarasota, but if he plays well there, he’ll have a shot at the Opening Day roster.   

Most weekdays, I’ll be answering at least one Orioles question. If you’d like to submit a question, send it to: Rich@BaltimoreBaseball.com. Questions may be edited for clarity, length and style.