Dealing from ’pen might be right call

Relievers Britton, Brach could be O’s biggest trade chips at nonwaiver deadline

If there was one thing to take away from Dan Duquette’s comments during last week’s State of the Orioles session with season-ticket holders, it was that the team’s executive vice president is focused on improving the team for both now and the future as the nonwaiver trade deadline approaches.

Since Duquette became the Orioles’ baseball operations chief before the 2012 season, he has built the club with a focus on being competitive every season. The Orioles have done just that, and because of that, when the deadline approaches, he has shown a penchant for making deals that supplement the team for making a run that season. Duquette said he believes he owes that effort to the fans and owner- Tonight, 8:05 TV: MASN2 Radio: 105.7 FM ship.

“We like our ballclub,” Duquette told fans before Saturday’s game. “We like our players. We like our core players and we’d like to be able to contend, so anything that we do will be with that in mind to have a contending team. The way I look at it, you’re either trying to improve your club for today or you’re trying to improve your club for the future for tomorrow. And sometimes you have opportunities to help your club today and then other times you can try to help your club for the future. So whatever we do, we’re going to try to help the club.”

The Orioles (48-53) are on the fringes of