After parts of eight seasons with the Orioles, former center fielder Cedric Mullins will be coming back to Baltimore — but as an opponent playing for the Tampa Bay Rays.
Mullins, 31, signed a one-year, $7 million deal with the Rays in December after a rough stint with the New York Mets following the trade deadline.
Mullins said signing with Tampa Bay ultimately came down to a chance to play every day.
“I was looking for opportunity — opportunity to be an everyday guy, opportunity to play center field,” he said on Glenn Clark Radio March 5. “And Tampa initiated that conversation early, and I wanted to jump on that opportunity.”
The Rays come to Baltimore May 25-27 and Aug. 21-23. When he returns to Baltimore for the first time as an opponent, Mullins said he expects the moment to feel unusual.
“It’s going to feel really weird coming into the stadium and I’m on the away side,” Mullins said.
Drafted by Baltimore in the 13th round of the 2015 MLB Draft, Mullins became one of the franchise’s most recognizable players. Across 784 career games with the Orioles, he hit .250/.318/.426 with 686 hits, 101 home runs, 327 RBIs and 139 stolen bases.
“Baltimore holds a special place in my heart, simply because I felt like I gave them my all year in and year out for the city,” Mullins said. “And vice versa, the fans came out for us as well, year in and year out, even through tough times.”
Mullins said he knew a trade was possible as the Orioles’ disappointing 2025 season unfolded. The reality of leaving the only organization he had ever known was difficult. The trade required Mullins and his family to quickly relocate, adding more to his transition.
“It was the first time I had to pick up and ship basically everything that me and the family had built in Baltimore and move to a different state, city, all of the above. And so that transition was not easy,” he said.
Despite the change, Mullins said he remains grateful for the years spent helping rebuild the Orioles into a postseason contender even if they never got over the hump in the playoffs.
“It was always tough to not feel like we accomplished our goal, which was to win a World Series with the group that we had built together over time,” Mullins said.
Mullins’ struggles he first experienced helped shape the mindset he has now. To overcome his setbacks, Mullins said he focused on making steady improvement.
“It was some tough days, the emotional and mental side of having a starting role in 2019 and then getting sent to Triple-A,” he said. “And then having my struggles there and finding my way back in Double-A could crush a lot of guys and a lot of spirits. I always had this thought process where if I was going to make my way back, it was about trying to get 1 percent better each day.”
Mullins said one of his favorite memories and most memorable performances of his career was hitting for the cycle against the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2023.
“The cycle definitely was one,” Mullins said. “It was the introduction of the Bird Bath. Of course, that day we’re focused on the win. I had no clue what I was going to end up producing that day, but start to finish, I was like, ‘I’m feeling pretty good.'”
Mullins said moments like that are part of what made his time in Baltimore unforgettable. As he prepares to return to Camden Yards in a Rays uniform, he said the memories, relationships and support will always remain meaningful.
For more from Mullins, listen to the full interview here:
Photo Credit: Courtesy of the Tampa Bay Rays