Baltimore Orioles Considered ‘Longer Shots’ To Acquire World Series Hero

The Baltimore Orioles have been mentioned among the list of potential suitors for a veteran pitcher but as a long shot.

Sep 17, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Jordan Montgomery (52) leaves the mound in the fifth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. / Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

The Baltimore Orioles are a team that people are keeping a close eye on when it comes to the pitching market.

They added another solid veteran to the mix last week, agreeing to a one-year deal with ageless wonder Charlie Morton. He provided the team with another excellent depth piece in a rotation that needed help.

The Orioles have also been linked to several of the top-of-rotation arms being floated on the trade market.

Seattle Mariners ace Luis Castillo and San Diego Padres star Dylan Cease are two of the most popular names being mentioned in rumors. One MLB analyst also pitched Baltimore acquiring emerging star Bryce Miller from the Mariners.

There is no arguing that the Orioles have done a nice job compiling starting pitching depth. Zach Eflin, Grayson Rodriguez, Morton, Dean Kremer and free agent signing Tomoyuki Sugano look to be the starting rotation right now.

Albert Suarez and Trevor Rogers are two more options. Eventually, Kyle Bradish and Tyler Wells will return from injury and factor into the mix as well.

Alas, a team can never have too much pitching. If the opportunity presented itself to add more established options to the mix, Baltimore would think long and hard about pulling the trigger on a deal.

A team that could be looking to unload some pitching in the near future is the Arizona Diamondbacks. They look to have a surplus on the mound after signing Corbin Burnes away from the Orioles in free agency with a six-year, $210 million deal.

The most likely candidate to be on the move is Jordan Montgomery, who had a disastrous 2024 campaign after landing in the desert as a free agent.

A ghastly 6.23 ERA was registered, but his 4.48 FIP indicates there was some bad luck involved and he didn’t perform nearly as poorly as his raw numbers would indicate. While still the worst FIP in a single season of his career, a full Spring Training would certainly help get him back on track.

Could the veteran lefty be an option for Baltimore? Nick Deeds of MLBTradeRumors mentioned them as a potential fit but placed them in the “longer shots” tier.

“Baltimore would’ve seemed like one of the better on-paper fits for Montgomery’s services just a week ago, but they recently inked right-hander Charlie Morton to a one-year deal for 2025. That won’t necessarily take them out of the rotation market entirely, but it seems as though Baltimore would only add to its rotation in order to bring in a clear upgrade over its internal options. Given Montgomery’s down season, it’s hard to imagine the club feeling that way about him at this point. After all, fifth starter Dean Kremer posted a higher ERA+ than Montgomery in two of the last three seasons.”

Based on reports, the team may not be done making additions to their pitching staff. However, it would need to be for a player who is a clear upgrade who can help replace what Burnes provided them at the top of the rotation.

Montgomery from a year or two ago would have potentially qualified as such given his strong performances with the St. Louis Cardinals and Texas Rangers. But, unless the Orioles believe he is prime for a massive bounceback, they are likely to look elsewhere if they add another arm.