Can Orioles Make Most of Disappointing Season with MLB Trade Deadline?

There hasn’t been a more disappointing team in baseball in 2025 than the Baltimore Orioles.

They came into the campaign expected to be one of the true contenders in the American League, with the potential to be in the World Series mix depending on how things shook out with their pitching staff.

Unsurprisingly, their starting rotation was abysmal out of the gate, putting the team in a deep hole to climb out of.

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Their strategy of going with depth over putting money toward a singular pitcher to help replace Corbin Burnes backfired, as the team didn’t get the kind of pitching performance needed to win games.

Combine that with a lineup that was woefully underwhelming as well, and the results were disastrous.

The Orioles are in the cellar of the AL East, more than a dozen games behind the Toronto Blue Jays.

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Nothing has gone right for the franchise, who are the most surprising sellers ahead of the MLB trade deadline this year.

The pressure is now on the front office, led by general manager Mike Elias, to make the most of a lost year and improve the team’s outlook for the future, providing the fan base with something to believe in again.

“Can the Orioles turn a bunch of rentals into meaningful talent? And perhaps more importantly, can their young core perform well enough in the second half to suggest all the hype and expectation is warranted (assuming they don’t skimp on pitching in the future),” wrote Chad Jennings of The Athletic (subscription required) in this week’s MLB power rankings with a theme of second-half storylines.

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Baltimore has already gotten things started when it comes to selling, trading relief pitcher Bryan Baker to the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for the No. 37 pick in the 2025 MLB Draft, which the Orioles used on prep outfielder Slater de Brun out of Summit High School in Bend, Ore.

The Baker deal is the first of what should be plenty of trades completed by Baltimore.

At the very least, players on expiring contracts, such as All-Star designated hitter Ryan O’Hearn, center fielder Cedric Mullins and starting pitchers Charlie Morton and Zach Eflin, should be on the move.

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Relief pitchers Gregory Soto and Seranthony Dominguez should fall into that category as well. Tomoyuki Sugano is also on an expiring deal, but his situation is a little more complicated as an international free agent signing with the Orioles, trying to break into overseas markets.

A reset this summer could certainly set the stage for a triumphant return back to the playoff picture in 2026.

For more Orioles news, head over to Orioles On SI.