The Baltimore Orioles are one of the best teams in baseball, with many of their young stars carrying the team this season. Unfortunately, injuries to the starting rotation and a few weak spots in the lineup have fueled Orioles rumors about potential trade targets this summer.
Pitching will obviously be one of the areas Baltimore wants to address. It has already lost three starters to elbow injuries and the bullpen could use more depth. However, there’s a hole in the Orioles lineup that the front office is now interested in addressing by July,
Related: 10 MLB trades we’d love to see this summer, including Baltimore Orioles’ deal
According to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale, the Orioles are ‘on the lookout’ at the MLB trade deadline for a replacement to take over for the struggling Cedric Mullins. The All-Star center fielder has been unable to turn his season around, prompting Baltimore to begin exploring its options.
- Baltimore Orioles stats 2024 (ESPN): 356 runs scored (2nd in MLB), .449 slugging (1st), .249 batting average (10th), 3.07 ERA (2nd), 30 quality starts (10th), 1.12 WHIP (2nd), .217 BA allowed (2nd)
Entering MLB games today, Mullins ranked 37th among qualified center fielders in OPS (.564) and he ranked 41st in batting average (.188) in 214 plate appearances. While he’s in the 88th percentile for Outs Above Average, the veteran’s issues at the plate are making him practically unplayable in the Orioles lineup.
Related: MLB power rankings Week 12, see where Baltimore Orioles land
Identifying Orioles trade target to replace Cedric Mullins
Baltimore certainly has the assets to make a blockbuster deal at the MLB trade deadline, with an interest level in the Orioles top prospects that would make a deal for someone like Luis Robert possible. However, the number of needs on Baltimore’s roster suggests a slightly smaller deal is more realistic.
Related: 4 Baltimore Orioles pitching targets to pursue this summer
- Jazz Chisholm Jr, Miami Marlins – An All-Star center fielder with the Miami Marlins, Jazz Chisholm Jr. is also under team control through 2026. Following a slow start to the 2024 season, Chisholm is slashing .277/.323/.480 with a .803 OPS, 6 home runs, 16 RBI and 18 runs scored in his last 38 games. He’d cost some top prospects, but not nearly as much as a Luis Robert trade would.
- Kevin Pillar, Los Angeles Angels – If Baltimore doesn’t want to make a trade for a high-end outfielder who would unseat Cedric Mullins from his starting spot long-term, Kevin Pillar is an intriguing option. Since joining Los Angeles, Pillar owns a .984 OPS with a .340/.382/.602 slash line. He would be very cheap to acquire and could at least provide Baltimore with more depth in the outfield.
- Harrison Bader, New York Mets – If Baltimore is willing to take the sacrifice offensively in center field, it’s hard to do better defensively than Harrison Bader. He ranks in the 93rd percentile for Outs Above Average and is in the 93rd percentile for Fielding Run Value. He isn’t great at the plate, but his .693 OPS is better than what Mullins has provided this year.
- Luis Robert Jr, Chicago White Sox – We wanted to highlight some of the more realistic and more cost-friendly Orioles trade targets first. However, if a deal for Chisholm can’t be worked out, sacrificing top talent in the farm system for Luis Robert Jr. might be worth it. He is an All-Star talent with offensive skills that could be unlocked to an even greater extent with the surrounding talent in the Orioles lineup. Plus, he would be under team control through 2027.
Also Read: Latest MLB trade rumors