The Orioles managed to avoid sweeping in the hands of the light earlier today, but were still in the game below 0.500 with a difference of -99. They ranked first in the US Eastern League and 13.5 of 8.5 games in the AL Pass position, and they need seven teams to cross to get there. They’ve traded Brian Baker For light earlier this month, General Manager Mike Elias suggested in an interview with Siriusxm’s MLB Network Radio that further players might be shipped out. However, GM clearly shows that he is focused on trading short-term works rather than players beyond club control this season.
“When we’re on the rankings, 11 days away from the trade deadline, we have to stay realistic about our situation,” Erias said. “The conversation I’m having now is more geared toward something about some of the major league players we have available. We’re not blowing up the team. We think we’re going to be very good again in 2026. We’re not interested in changing the foundations of the team, but in our other clubs, we’ve already given some interest, we’ve already given some interest, we’ve already given some effort, we’ve got that range.”
Whether it’s Elias’ disgust with a long-term contract or the two ownership groups he works for (the Angelos family sold the Orioles to a group led by David Rubenstein before the 2024 season, the Orioles don’t have many players long-term signings. Elias signed only one free agent (Taylor O’Neill) signed a multi-year contract and did not promote expansion with any of the team’s young cores. They have a very attractive group of young players who are still under control through arbitration, but Baltimore’s tendency toward one-year contracts have led them to sell a lot of players over the next few weeks.
First baseman/designated batsman Ryan O’Hearncenter guard Cedric Mullins And corner outfielder Ramon Laureano They are all in the final guaranteed season in Baltimore. (Laureano does have a reasonable $6.5mm club option for 2026). catcher Gary Sanchez Although he has a sprained posterior cruciate ligament in his right knee, he may not be until September, which is also a one-year contract.
In terms of pitching, the first Zach Eflin,,,,, Charlie Morton and Tomoyuki Sugano All free agents at the end of the season, so are the relief players Gregory Soto and Seranthony Dominguez. Right-handed Andrew KittrechLike Laureano, the club options for the 2026 season are one year long. His value is 9mm.
O’Hearn made $8mm this season, hitting .282/.378/.458 with twelve home runs. He will be one of the best rental bats on the market. Mullins earned $8.725mm and hit only .218/.300/.4O5 with 13 home runs and 14 steals, but he is one of the few center field choices that can be used. The revived Laureano had a career-best year on the plate, hitting .276/.340/.498 to 247 sets, while paying just 4mm.
Eflin has been out for nearly a month due to a back injury, which probably helped him surrender 17 times in the final nine innings before being put on the injured list. That ugly stretch kept his time going until 5.95, but before that time he had a 4.08 race time and ran on a 2023-24 run, he threw away 343 innings with 3.54 ERA and 3.54 ERA and a great strikeout/walking rate. He made 18mm this season. Eflin, who released a 1.50 ERA in three minor league rehabilitation games, told MLB.com’s Jake Rill yesterday that he felt he was ready to rejoin the rotation.
Morton’s struggle earlier this season symbolized in many ways the team’s overall struggle. However, he was sent to the bullpen for several weeks before correcting the ship. While the 41-year-old Righty is still in the horror of 5.58 ERA, he has scored 3.47 in the past 47 innings. Morton was beaten seven times in his recent outing with Tampa Bay, but before that, he had scored 51 2/3 innings of 2.61 ERA batting. Even at the ugly last start, his salary of 15mm was another hurdle, but he looked largely back on track.
Sugano, 35, is in his first major league season. Longtime star of the Japanese NPB, his year was Morton’s countdown: a great start, followed by wide spots. Despite having one of the lowest strikeout rates in the sport (14.2%), Sugano continued with a 3.04 ERA, but his lack of missed bats has caught up with him. His ERA is 7.94 and has been burned seven home runs in his last six games (28 1/3 innings). His salary is 13mm.
Both left-handed and right-handed Dominguez missed a lot of bats and had shaky orders, although Soto’s walking speed has been reduced to 10.1% this year. The average on the heater is above 97 mph, while the era (3.67 for Soto, 3.72 for Dominguez) is almost the same. Independent metrics also similarly scored them, fixing them all together in the mid-3.00 period. The Soto is priced at 5.35mm, and the Dominguez is $8mm. The 35-year-old Kittredge missed the first two months of the season due to the knee surgery he needed during spring training, but has been solid since returning: 3.86 ERA, 22.9% strikeout rate and 5.7% walking rate.
It is not clear from Elias’ comments whether the Orioles will at least entertain the offer of players under control after this season. Ken Rosenthal of Track and Field reported last week that Elias has heard at least other teams calling for left-handed Trevor Rogers Closer Felix Bautistabut it may be just due diligence. Bautista controlled two seasons through arbitration and would be particularly shocked if moved. The Dodgers are one of the teams making the call, but a deal is definitely unlikely.
O’s bats have some low-priced bats, but it’s hard to imagine anyone even signing part of O’Neal’s contract when they sign in 2027, and hits only .182/.270/.327. Ryan Mountcastle It was an interesting buy option, but he only hit .246/.280/.348, and then the hamstring tear brought him to the 60-day IL. He will soon start the rehabilitation task and may be a non-training candidate, so maybe there is more willingness to listen there. However, it seems impossible for Baltimore’s core to be obtained in any capacity. If so Gunnar Henderson,,,,, Jordan Westburg,,,,, Adley Rutschman,,,,, Colton Cowser or Jackson Holliday Discuss carefully.
