The Baltimore Orioles needs have been known for some time. What has also been known is that the Orioles carried a surplus of starting pitchers. Dan Duquette did the logical thing by trading a starter in Yovani Gallardo for left-handed hitting outfielder Seth Smith. This is a move that helps the Orioles in a few different ways.
First, the Orioles resolve their starting pitcher surplus problem by trading away one of them. Gallardo was a disappointment for the Birds going 6-8 with a 5.42 ERA in 2016. In addition, Gallardo missed time due to shoulder discomfort.