The Baltimore Orioles have taken major strides in the past three seasons, and the team’s window for championship contention is wide open.
The Orioles won 101 games in 2023 to lead the American League East, and they followed that up with a 91-win campaign in 2024.
However, this team hasn’t reached its peak yet. With one glaring hole on the roster and a deep farm system to promote from within or to leverage as trade assets, the Orioles can be even better next year.
The Orioles are contenders, but they need one more piece
The Orioles’ strategic, long-term focus paid off, and the team is now primed to make a championship run with a window that should be wide open for several years.
The Orioles aren’t quite a perfect team, though.
Their lineup is one of the most feared in all of baseball. Adley Rutschman is a young superstar who will likely be the best catcher in the world for the next decade. You would be hard-pressed to make an argument for any other catcher as a better hitter than Rutschman.
The 22-year-old superstar hits for both average and power, and he also walks quite a bit. Not only there, but Rutschman is a legitimate offensive star at a position not known for having elite hitters.
A guy who will hit .260 or .270 with 20 to 25 home runs is considered an elite hitter for the catcher position.
Rutschman is an excellent defensive catcher with a bat that rivals the league’s best first basemen and corner outfielders in the league.
What the Orioles need
The Orioles aren’t quite a perfect team, though.
What that means depends on what perspective you look at it from.
On the one hand, somebody could look at this from the perspective that, despite all of the struggles through several miserable seasons the team went through, they are still a couple of pieces short and have critical weaknesses that could be exposed at any time.
On the other hand, though, this Orioles team could have competed this year if just a couple of things had gone their way.
With room to make more improvements, this team is only going to get better and will be even more dominant in the future.
What the Orioles need to do is improve their starting pitching. The team’s rotation was by far the biggest question mark, and it was arguably their only true weakness this season.
Luckily for the Orioles and their fans, though, there is no shortage of elite pitchers who could potentially be available on the trade market this offseason.
Garrett Crochet is one of the top players rumored to be available
Chicago White Sox star Garrett Crochet was rumored to be on the trade block at the deadline, and it’s likely he will be dealt this offseason or at next year’s trade deadline.
It would be in Chicago’s best interest to deal with Crochet as soon as possible to maximize their return.
The talented southpaw has all the tools to serve as the ace of a competitive rotation, and he has the talent to shut down an opposing lineup for nine innings in a postseason game.
Adding Crochet would put the finishing touch on the puzzle the Orioles’ front office has been building for several years.
Other potential options
A Detroit Tigers superstar is another excellent pitcher who could be available in the trade market.
Tarik Skubal just put up one of the best seasons we’ve seen from a pitcher in many years, and if the Tigers don’t think they can afford to sign Skubal to a deal that will keep him in the Motor City, they might be willing to sell while his value is incredibly high.
He would take a lot to get and would probably be the most expensive option on the market, but he’s also a legitimate ace and a bonafide number-one starter who could anchor the Orioles’ rotation for years to come.
The Orioles’ financial situation is in good shape, which means they can afford to give Skubal the kind of deal that he would be looking for.
Shane McClanahan is another legitimate ace, and the Tampa Bay Rays have a lengthy and well-known history of trading homegrown superstars well before they reach free agency.
There haven’t been many whispers about McClanahan being available, but given the Rays’ history, it is likely that he would be moved for the right price.
Just what is that price? That’s difficult to say. McClanahan is every bit as talented as Skubal, and it’s possible he could be a bit more affordable, given his injury history.
With that being said, though, the Rays will likely try to extract a premium if they were to treat McClanahan within the American League East.
The deal
Chicago White Sox receive Coby Mayo, Vance Honeycutt, Enrique Bradfield Jr., Griff O’Ferrall, Thomas Sosa
Baltimore Orioles receive Garrett Crochet
Any deal that the Orioles make to acquire an ace-caliber pitcher will almost certainly require the team to deal with at least three of its top 10 prospects, and any ask will certainly start with Coby Mayo, the team’s top prospect at the hot corner.
The Orioles should do their best to avoid trading away any of their pitching prospects because it would be counterproductive to give away a pitcher when they so desperately need pitching.
Because it is known that Crochet is available on the market, is a proven producer, and his price should be reasonable, the White Sox should be on speed dial for Baltimore’s front office this winter.
