The Baltimore Orioles’ offseason has been a mixed experience so far, as they’ve addressed some needs but also faced significant losses.
To bolster their lineup with more right-handed power, they signed outfielder Tyler O’Neill and catcher Gary Sánchez. O’Neill is set to replace Anthony Santander, who recently inked a lucrative deal with the Toronto Blue Jays. Meanwhile, Sánchez will take over backup catching duties from James McCann behind Adley Rutschman and may also see time as a designated hitter.
Pitching, however, remains a concern for the Orioles. Their 2024 ace, Corbin Burnes, departed in free agency, landing a six-year, $210 million contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks. Unable to secure any of the top-tier free-agent pitchers to fill the void, Baltimore instead signed veterans Charlie Morton and Tomoyuki Sugano to provide rotation depth.
They will likely join a rotation featuring Grayson Rodriguez, Zach Eflin, and Dean Kremer, along with potential contributions from Albert Suarez and Trevor Rogers. Kyle Bradish and Tyler Wells are also expected to rejoin the mix after recovering from injuries. While the Orioles have a deep rotation, they lack a true ace capable of matching the top contenders in the American League or MLB as a whole.
This could change if they strike a deal with the Seattle Mariners, who appear to be ideal trade partners.
The Orioles have a surplus of young hitters, many of whom lack spots at the Major League level. Meanwhile, the Mariners have enviable starting pitching depth and are short on impact bats, making a trade from their respective strengths a logical solution.
Jim Bowden of The Athletic has suggested that the Mariners could target Orioles corner-infield prospect Coby Mayo in a deal involving one of Seattle’s talented young starters, such as Bryan Woo. Bowden noted, “To land him, they’d have to give up one of their good young starters such as Bryan Woo, but that’s the price they need to pay at this point given their dire need to upgrade the infield corners.”
Mayo’s path to the majors is currently blocked, with Ryan O’Hearn and Ryan Mountcastle entrenched at first base and Jordan Westburg poised to handle third base. Even the designated hitter role is crowded, with former No. 2 pick Heston Kjerstad expected to see time there when not playing in the outfield.
If the Orioles are reluctant to trade Mayo, they could consider using Mountcastle as the centerpiece of a deal, potentially targeting a less-heralded Mariners pitcher. However, acquiring an ace-level arm should be a priority, and Seattle has the assets to make it happen. If it takes parting with Mayo, Baltimore may need to pull the trigger to solidify their rotation.
Leave a Reply