Intriguing Two-Month Rentals: DH/1B/OF Ryan O’Hearn, CF Cedric Mullins, RHP Zach Eflin, RHP Charlie Morton, RHP Tomoyuki Sugano, RHP Seranthony Domínguez, LHP Gregory Soto, C Gary Sánchez
Controllable through 2026: OF Ramón Laureano, RHP Andrew Kittredge, LHP Trevor Rogers, 1B Ryan Mountcastle, IF Ramón Urías
Longer Term Possibilities: RHP Félix Bautista
Will the 40-49 O’s actually throw in the towel? And how aggressive are they willing to be about it?
Including Bautista as a “longer term possibility” is probably a bit much, as the Mountain has two years of arbitration eligibility remaining, with Baltimore surely planning on getting back to the playoffs before he reaches free agency.
If, say, the Phillies are feeling desperate enough about their bullpen situation to put together a monster offer for Bautista, though, anything’s possible.
And what’s wild is the Orioles could trade away all 14 players listed above and still have a contender for the next two seasons.
Without even attempting to account for what they’d be getting in return for those 14 players, they’d still have a lineup consisting of Adley Rutschman, Jackson Holliday, Gunnar Henderson, Coby Mayo, Jordan Westburg, Colton Cowser, Tyler O’Neill, Heston Kjerstad and top prospect Samuel Basallo, plus a rotation of Grayson Rodriguez, Kyle Bradish, Dean Kremer, Tyler Wells and Cade Povich with Yennier Cano at closer.
So, yeah, they can get mighty aggressive in unloading anyone and everyone who isn’t part of the long-term future.
Even if they keep it to just the rentals, though, they can put together an impressive fire sale in the quintet of O’Hearn, Mullins, Eflin, Sugano and even Morton, as he’s posting a 2.76 ERA over the past two months out of nowhere.
Combine the prospects they could get for them with the possibility of getting the No. 1 pick in next year’s draft and Baltimore ought to be back in the mix for 100-win seasons in a hurry.
