NEW YORK — Jonathan Schoop, stylish in a black polo, gray jeans and black Gucci sneakers, strolled into the Orioles’ clubhouse just after the 4 p.m. non-waiver trade deadline on July 31 and looked around. Before him MLB Network speculated about which team was about to acquire him; behind him the lineup listed him hitting second and playing second for Baltimore. He grinned. “Should I take my clothes off, or what?” he asked.
No one answered. He decided he might as well put on his Orioles uniform, likely for the last time. He slid out of his polo and into a black undershirt—and then his phone rang.