If a player is not anchored down to the Baltimore Orioles’ roster beyond this season, chances are they will be on the move before the MLB trade deadline.

Over the last month, the idea of Cedric Mullins and Ryan O’Hearn being moved has felt like a foregone conclusion; however, fresh intel from The Athletic suggests a fire sale is coming for the Orioles in the coming weeks.

Getting ready for the deadline, The Athletic offered a bold prediction for each team. Once they got to the Orioles, it was clear what the forecast was.

“The Orioles are much worse than they expected, but the bright side is that their roster is built to sell. Cedric Mullins, Ryan O’Hearn, Zach Eflin, Seranthony Dominguez, Gregory Soto and Ramón Laureano are all pending free agents who could be traded without disrupting the team’s more optimistic future.”

Orioles could unload big names after bold trade prediction from MLB insider

If we’re being honest, moving rental players is the bare minimum that can be accomplished by the Orioles’ front office at the deadline.

In a trade market where there are very few defined sellers, the Orioles are in a position to reset their outlook with the number of players they can offer up in trade.

Adding to that group, Charlie Morton’s success since May 14, makes another rental player who has value ahead of the deadline.

Where things get interesting for the Orioles is if they decide to move players under control beyond this season. In this case, closer Félix Bautista is the obvious name that comes to mind.

Bautista is under control until 2028, and if the Orioles are planning on contending as early as next season, it makes sense to hold onto one of the best closers in the American League. That said, it’s a seller’s market, and Bautista would net the Orioles a haul.

For all the criticism that has been thrown in the direction of Mike Elias’ front office this season, Elias now has an opportunity to change the narrative.

Sure, there’s a case to be made that Elias shouldn’t be the general manager overseeing the moves at the deadline, but there’s no debate that this roster needs to be reconstructed.

A successful deadline could take some pressure off Elias moving forward, especially if the Orioles get back pieces that can provide an impact in the seasons ahead.