The trade deadline came and went with the Orioles ultimately dealing nine major leaguers for what resulted in 16 minor-league players over the course of July.
Though inevitable for weeks with Baltimore mired in last place, it was bittersweet bidding farewell to Cedric Mullins under such disappointing circumstances rather than making a final playoff push in his contract year. After all, Mullins had arrived in the major leagues days after the 2018 fire sale as the successor to Adam Jones. And despite early struggles that included a demotion all the way down to Double-A, Mullins became one of the early faces of the rebuild who brought hope, blossoming into an All-Star center fielder and recording the first 30-30 season in franchise history in 2021. The 30-year-old is a total pro and will be missed.
Tough goodbyes also included 2025 All-Star selection Ryan O’Hearn and reliable utility man Ramon Urias, who both arrived in Baltimore in anonymity before becoming valuable contributors for two playoff clubs. The Orioles chose to pass on a 2026 club option and traded outfielder Ramon Laureano, who was one of their best players in 2025 and will go down as easily the best signing of an otherwise poor offseason for general manager Mike Elias this past winter.
Starting pitcher Charlie Morton and relievers Seranthony Dominguez, Gregory Soto, Andrew Kittredge, and Bryan Baker rounded out the list without sparking much sentimentality.
As for the young players added to the farm system, there are surely interesting talents about which to read, but very few appear to be close to the majors, leading one to conclude Elias isn’t going anywhere at season’s end despite the wishes of many of his harshest critics. It also makes it easy to jump to the hasty conclusion that this selloff and subsequent return signal another rebuild after what was easily one of the most disappointing seasons in the 72-year history of the franchise.
That would be quite surprising, especially since the club’s young core is still intact coming out of the deadline. We can debate whether the Orioles should have kept Laureano, Urias, or Kittredge, but let’s not pretend they were likely to be major headliners for a contending club next year either. Still, one can hardly blame this fan base for being skeptical and untrusting after enduring a multiyear rebuild that resulted in two trips to the postseason and no playoff wins before this train wreck of a season.
With plenty of money coming off the books, the working hypothesis is that this new inventory of prospects will enhance Elias’ ability to make trades to improve the major league roster in addition to whatever the club might spend in free agency. That’s the way some of the young players arriving in these trades can help the Orioles immediately despite being a few years away from the majors themselves.
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Of course, time will tell whether this deadline was truly successful or not. Elias’ seat will be on fire this offseason with much heavy lifting to do, especially on the pitching side. The Orioles certainly need a more aggressive and multi-pronged approach to roster building than we’ve seen at any point during the Elias era while also hoping to have better health next season. There’s also the matter of hiring a new manager and coaching staff at the end of the season.
In the meantime, the Orioles have plenty of evaluating to do over the season’s final two months.
What’s the prognosis for Felix Bautista and Grayson Rodriguez and what will that mean to Baltimore’s pitching plans?
When might we see the rehabbing Kyle Bradish and Tyler Wells activated and back in the majors?
Can Zach Eflin get healthy and pitch well enough down the stretch to garner any 2026 consideration with a qualifying offer or reasonable extension?
Who will look like a safe bet for the 2026 rotation?
Will anyone in a bullpen full of unprovens and unknowns emerge as a legitimate option to consider next spring?
8With Mullins gone, is Colton Cowser the new center fielder for the foreseeable future?
Will Coby Mayo take advantage of everyday playing time?
When will we see Samuel Basallo and Dylan Beavers arrive in Baltimore?
So many questions, but few answers.
After a disappointing season left no choice about the direction of the club at the deadline, the sell-off was the easy part.
The real work now begins with Elias needing a home run of an offseason to fix this mess.
