Orioles Have One of the Best Potential Sluggers To Deal at MLB Trade Deadline

After a dreadful start to the season, the Baltimore Orioles have finally been starting to play better of late.

With a winning record in June, the Orioles have been able to get closer to the .500 mark, but there is still a lot of work to be done.

Despite the strong month, it seems highly unlikely that Baltimore is going to be able to get back into the playoff hunt in the second half of year.

More News: Baltimore Orioles Slugger Selected as All-Star Game Starter for First Time

Since making the playoffs feels slim at this point, it would behoove the Orioles to be sellers this summer with notable impending free agents after the campaign is over.

Even though the team has struggled as a whole, they do have some veterans who would be very appealing to contenders. A good chunk of those players will be coming from their lineup.

David Schoenfield of ESPN.com recently wrote about the one player that the Orioles need to trade this summer, being slugger Ryan O’Hearn.

More News: Orioles' Rookie Slugger Starting to Figure Things Out at the Plate

“They got O'Hearn from the Royals and milked three excellent seasons out of him as a platoon DH/1B/RF, and with so many teams starving for offense, his ability to hit right-handers (.312/.398/.518) makes him one of the best bats available.”

One of the biggest bright spots throughout the season for Baltimore has been the performance of O’Hearn. The 31-year-old has been a solid contributor since coming to the Orioles, but he has elevated his play so far this year.

In a campaign in which some of his teammates got off to a slow start offensively, the slugger has been fairly consistent throughout.

More News: Orioles Pitching Staff Suffers Another Injury Leading to Roster Shakeup

This season, he has slashed .294/.381/.472 with 11 home runs and 30 RBI. He is currently having a career year across the board and could be a fantastic player for teams to target.

In terms of offensive sluggers, finding one that can not only be a middle-of-the-order caliber hitter, but also play multiple positions is rare. O’Hearn’s ability to play either the outfield or first base helps open up the possibilities of where he might be dealt.

For the Orioles, the team does seem to be set on trying to turn things around this season, which could make the deadline very interesting. However, that could also just be a bit of a smokescreen with about a month to go before trades must be made.

While a run back to .500 is possible, the AL East has three playoff hopefuls already, leaving Baltimore in quite the hole.

More News: Recent Injury to Orioles Starter Makes His Value at Trade Deadline Uncertain

Moving veterans like O’Hearn makes a lot of sense for the franchise, which could quickly try to get back into contention in 2026.

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