1 bonkers trade Orioles must make before 2024 season
The Orioles should make this trade to help their rotation
The Baltimore Orioles established themselves as a real player in the American League during the 2023 MLB season, and the team is build pretty much solely on young talent
After securing the top record in the American League, the Orioles had a disappointing exit in the playoffs, being swept in the ALDS by the eventual World Series champion Texas Rangers. Regardless, it was a huge step forward for Baltimore.
It gets even better, because the Orioles still have the top farm system in baseball, with the top overall prospect Jackson Holliday expected to join established players like Adley Rutschman and Gunnar Henderson at some point this upcoming season.
However, the main talking point when it comes to the Orioles is the pitching staff. That was the downfall of them in the postseason against the Rangers, and there is still no real ace atop the staff unless Grayson Rodriguez puts it all together. Even a middle of the rotation type of arm would help a lot.
Even though the Orioles emerged as contender s this season, it does not seem as if ownership or the front office plan to spend on starting pitching in free agency, despite arms like Blake Snell, Jordan Montgomery and others being available. So that means the Orioles will have to turn to the trade market to improve the rotation.
Names like Corbin Burnes and Shane Bieber stick out, but they are one-year rentals. For a team that has a long-term view when it comes to contending, a player with two years of control left in Dylan Cease makes a lot more sense.
The Orioles have been mentioned as a top contender if Dylan Cease were to get traded, and they should absolutely pull the trigger on a trade with the White Sox. The Orioles have the prospects to beat any offer another team can make with the White Sox, they have players who are going to be blocked from making the majors, and it would help them contend over the next two years to make a deal.
Orioles trade Jordan Westburg and Heston Kjerstad to White Sox for Dylan Cease
