Orioles rumors: Baltimore interested in Francisco Liriano, Drew Pomeranz

The Orioles are interested in Pirates left-hander Francisco Liriano and Padres lefty Drew Pomeranz, according to Jon Morosi of MLB.com. Baltimore is looking to add a left-handed starter after going the entire season with only righties.

Baltimore currently has Chris Tillman, Yovani Gallardo, Kevin Gausman and Trevor Wilson in its rotation mix after moving struggling veteran Ubaldo Jimenez to the bullpen. They are expected to be aggressive in their search for rotation help before the August 1 non-waiver trade deadline despite currently holding a two-game lead in the AL East.

Morosi notes that the Pirates are still focused on competing for a playoff berth, meaning that they may not be looking to sell pieces at this time. Pittsburgh only sits five games out of the second Wild Card spot in the National League, and will likely look to assess their deadline status at a later point.

Pomeranz is more likely to be dealt due to the Padres’ status as sure sellers, and has already drawn interest from other clubs, including the Marlins. Pomeranz has posted a solid 3.00 ERA in 14 starts with the Padres this season, and is likely more attractive to clubs due to being under control through the 2018 season at a reasonably low cost.