Orioles acquire Michael MorseIt’s official. Michael Morse is the newest member of the Baltimore Orioles. Dan Duquette sent outfield prospect Xavier Avery for a month of Morse in hopes of returning to the postseason.

Morse is making $6.75 million this season and Steve Adams of MLBTradeRumors.com reports that he is owed $1.1 million on that contract. He has hit just .226/.283/.410 in 76 games this season and missed five weeks with a quad strain. Baltimore’s offense has really struggled against left handed pitching, hitting just .247/.293/.405 against southpaws this season. Morse is a career .293/.349/.495 hitter against lefties.

In return, Seattle gets Baltimore’s number ten prospect according to MLB.com’s Jonathan Mayo and seventh according to Baseball America. Avery hit just .237/.312/.312 in 333 plate appearances in the International League with Triple-A Norfolk this season. He began the season having hit .300/.391/.406 with Double-A Bowie in the Eastern League.

In a matter of months both outfielders of the future, Avery and L.J. Hoes, have been dealt by the O’s. Hoes helped bring starter Bud Norris, who isn’t a free agent until 2016, to Baltimore.

The price seems steep for a guy who will play for only a month in Baltimore, but if it gets the O’s back to the postseason it won’t matter.