For the deadline to add players to the 40-man roster and protect them from the Rule 5 draft to have particular intrigue, two factors need to be present: a glut of candidates to add, and a scarcity of spots to add them.
Neither, really, is present for the Orioles today, as they approach the Friday evening deadline to protect players. They have seven open spots on the 40-man roster, and no more than one or two players that scouts would consider in the Rule 5 draft.
Minor league players who were over the age of 19 when they signed their first professional contract are exposed to the Rule 5 draft after four seasons, while players 18 or younger have five seasons before they need to be added.