Orioles Reportedly Set to Trade Their Star Slugger in Major Move

The Baltimore Orioles are poised to be one of the most intriguing teams to watch as the July 30 trade deadline approaches.

With a wealth of elite prospects in their farm system, the Orioles have the potential to make significant trades. Most rebuilding teams would eagerly trade their best players to acquire such promising young talent.

However, the extent of the Orioles’ aggressiveness remains uncertain. General manager Mike Elias is cautious about depleting his assets entirely, preferring to retain some top prospects for future impact or as trade chips for additional high-end talent.

Jeff Passan of ESPN has reported that the Orioles might take a “thread the needle” approach at the trade deadline, potentially acting as both buyers and sellers. For a team with legitimate World Series aspirations, it seems counterintuitive to trade away players when they need depth and bench options for a deep playoff run.

Passan’s report took a surprising turn when he mentioned that the Orioles are open to discussing the trades of veteran first baseman Ryan Mountcastle and center fielder Cedric Mullins.

The notion of moving Mountcastle is particularly shocking. Since his MLB debut in 2020, Mountcastle has hit 20 or more home runs in two of his three full seasons, and would have likely made it three consecutive years if not for being limited to 115 games last season due to vertigo.

This season, Mountcastle is batting .267/.307/.438 with 12 home runs, 43 RBIs, an OPS+ of 113, and a wRC+ of 109. He’s also having his best defensive season, with a defensive bWAR of 0.0, marking his first positive value in the field.

It’s unusual to see a team with championship aspirations consider trading a player who is contributing significantly to their success and is integral to both the lineup and clubhouse.

As Passan suggests, Elias and his team are aiming to balance their strategy. If they pull off a major trade to acquire another ace for their rotation, they may need to trade multiple star prospects, which could weaken their pipeline. Trading Mountcastle could help offset those losses.

Baltimore is clearly gearing up for an active trade deadline, and the next moves will be closely watched.