Trade speculation has begun for the Orioles with the trade deadline a month away as Baltimore still lacks an ace pitcher.
Keith Law, a writer for The Athletic, believes it is time for the Orioles to begin dipping into their minor league talent for that arm.
“You’re going to overpay for a starter if you’re going to trade for a starter and I think they have to,” Law said on Glenn Clark Radio June 27. “I think that is the culmination of this entire approach to building the roster, building the organization. None of this works if it does not end with, ‘And we trade our position player prospect surplus for pitching.'”
The Orioles have a surplus of talent in the farm system they could use in a potential trade for starting pitching. Seven different Orioles prospects were in the most recent MLB Pipeline rankings, including shortstop Jackson Holliday at No. 1 overall.
According to Law, Holliday joins Adley Rutschman and Gunnar Henderson as the only players the organization should view as “untouchable” in trade talks.
White Sox pitchers Lucas Giolito and Dylan Cease could be targeted by the Orioles. Giolito is sporting a 3.53 ERA in 17 starts this season for Chicago. The right-hander would be a rental, however, as Giolito is scheduled for free agency following the season. Cease is under club control through 2025 but is posting a 4.04 ERA and has not made it through seven innings in a start this season.
“[The White Sox] are so far away from contention at this point that they really do need to try to find a way to restock,” Law said. “Trading Cease might be the best option that they have for doing so, especially doing so fairly quickly. Giolito is going to be one of the best players available in the trade market. He’s a rental, you’re not going to get a ton back for him.”
Cubs right-hander Marcus Stroman (2.47 ERA in 17 starts) and Brewers right-hander Corbin Burnes (4.10 ERA in 16 starts) may also be available. Stroman is likely also a rental with a player option looming at the end of the season. Burnes is a free agent following the 2024 season.
Infielder Jordan Westburg would be a valuable trade piece for Baltimore after making his major league debut on June 26. Westburg went 1-for-4 with a run, RBI and a walk. Yet, the Orioles would likely rather package a group of other prospects than give up Westburg.
“He is capable of playing three infield positions well,” MLB Pipeline’s Jonathan Mayo said on GCR June 27. “… He’s probably an above-average, if not better, defender at second and third and if you needed him to play short every day, he’d be fine there. Oh, and he’s also shown that he’s athletic enough to play the outfield corners pretty well.”
Fellow infield prospect Joey Ortiz and Connor Norby could gain traction in trade discussions. Ortiz, 24, has split time between the Orioles and Triple-A Norfolk this season, while Norby, 23, has spent all season with Norfolk.
Mayo doesn’t believe those two could land a top starter, adding that 21-year-old Coby Mayo may have to be added into such a deal. The corner infielder has spent the entire season at Double-A Bowie.
“He’s 21 and mashing in Double-A,” Mayo said. “… Finding first basemen, it’s not easy. It’s not a deep position. So if you think he’s going to play first, or even if you want to play third and you find a place for him to go, he might get more back in return because I think he has the potential to be like an All-Star-caliber player.”
The Orioles entered the trade deadline last summer with questions as to whether they would be buyers or sellers. Mike Elias and the front office went the latter route, trading away fan favorite Trey Mancini and first-time All-Star Jorge López. The Lopez trade netted four pitchers, including reliever Yennier Cano. Cano is sporting a 1.14 ERA and 0.86 WHIP this season for the Orioles.
“There’s a scarcity of [ace] pitchers, they don’t become available very often in trades. They don’t become available all that often in free agency,” Law said. “The Orioles don’t have anybody in their system who projects as that kind of starter so at some point, they are going to have to overpay in terms of position player prospects to go get that pitcher.”
For more from Keith Law, listen to the full interview here:
For more from Jonathan Mayo, listen to the full interview here:
Photo Credit: Colin Murphy/PressBox