May 5, 2024; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; The Baltimore Orioles logo on the sleeve of designated hitter Gunnar Henderson (2) as he prepares on deck during the seventh inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images Katie Stratman-Imagn Images

Orioles linked to underrated center field upgrade

Originally posted on Baltimore Orioles on SI
By Grant Young | Last updated Dec 1, 2025 4:00 PM ET

The Baltimore Orioles have already begun addressing several roster holes this team had after their disappointing 2025 campaign. In fact, Baltimore has been among the more active teams to this point, which is shown by them trading for former Los Angeles Angels outfielder Taylor Ward in exchange for pitcher Grayson Rodriguez and signing ex-Mets reliever Ryan Helsley to a two-year, $28 million deal.

These moves accomplish two aims for Mike Elias and the rest of the Orioles' brass. Bringing Ward on board adds an impact bat in the middle of the Orioles lineup (which struggled to produce power last season), and Helsley will likely step in as Baltimore's closer, at least until Felix Bautista is healthy enough to return.

But there are still spots that Baltimore will likely need to address. Among the most glaring is center field, after the team dealt longtime Orioles outfielder Cedric Mullins to the New York Mets at last year's trade deadline.

David Richard-Imagn Images

What caliber of player the Orioles brass decided to pursue in center field will likely hinge on whether they manage to acquire an ace-caliber pitcher, such as Michael King, Framber Valdez, Ranger Suarez, or Tatsuya Imai. If they do, they probably won't want to break the bank on a center field option.

And it appears that Houston Astros outfielder Jake Meyers might be a potential target.

Orioles Connected to Trade For Jake Meyers

In a December 1 article, The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal and Katie Woo conveyed that the Astros could be open to trading Meyers this winter, and that the Orioles would make sense as a destination, given their need for a center fielder.

Meyers is coming off a solid 2025 campaign, where he hit .292 with a .727 OPS and stole 16 bases in 104 games. He missed a lot of the season with calf issues but managed to be productive at the plate when he was available. He's also one of the best defensive center fielders in the sport, which could be appealing for a team like Baltimore.

#Astros OF Jake Meyers is generating trade interest and HOU is open to moving him for controllable starting pitching, per @Ken_Rosenthal and @katiejwoo pic.twitter.com/1zmfAUWXW0
— MLB Deadline News (@MLBDeadlineNews) December 1, 2025

To be clear, Meyers is not going to significantly alter the Orioles' outlook in the outfield or in their lineup. But he would be an added insurance option and could exceed whatever prospects the Orioles would need to trade to acquire him.

What's for sure is that trading for Meyers would finalize Baltimore's outfield corps as among the deepest in the American League.

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This article first appeared on Baltimore Orioles on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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