2 weeks Ago
The Baltimore Orioles are a team that many people are going to be keeping an eye on in the coming weeks. Talented enough to turn things around and become contenders, they should be on the lookout for starting pitching upgrades. There is enough positional player depth for them to make a competitive package for even the best starting pitchers who are projected to be available.
But, the Orioles are going to be watched closely by other teams around the league because they could also help other contenders plug holes on their roster. Last year, they completed two trades with the Philadelphia Phillies that both teams were looking to bolster their chances of a deep postseason run in October. In one deal, Baltimore traded outfielder Austin Hays in exchange for relief pitcher Seranthony Dominguez and outfielder Colin Poche.
The other trade landed relief pitcher Gregory Soto in exchange for catching prospect Moises Chace and pitcher Seth Johnson. Evidently, Hays wasn’t the only established player whom the Orioles were looking to move ahead of the deadline last year. Rumors swirled that center fielder Cedric Mullins and first baseman Ryan Mountcastle were both readily available at the right price.
Over the winter, Mountcastle’s name came up frequently in trade rumors because he is blocking the path of one of their top prospects, Coby Mayo, from receiving consistent playing time at the Major League level. He is under team control through 2026. Mullins, on the other hand, is set to hit free agency after the season and could be dangled in trade talks again.
If Baltimore makes him available, the Phillies could make for the perfect trade partner for the second deadline in a row. Whether the Orioles remain in contention or not, they have shown a willingness to discuss their All-Star center fielder in trade talks. He has been excellent out of the gates as well.
Mullins has a .291/.443/.
600 slash line with four home runs, five doubles, three stolen bases and 17 RBI. That would be a huge upgrade in center field for Philadelphia, who has received next to nothing in terms of production from Brandon Marsh. Being able to move him back to left field would strengthen the team’s entire outfield.
It would be interesting to see what Baltimore would seek in return for Mullins in a trade. Could a swap of expiring contracts be a fit for both squads? Ranger Suarez, an All-Star in 2024 who is recovering from a back injury in the early going of the season, could be a fit for the rotation if he is healthy. Both teams would be dealing from a position of strength to address a weakness and would fortify their rosters for what they hope is a deep October run.
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