Baltimore Orioles Linked To Pitcher in Blockbuster Trade Idea

The Baltimore Orioles could use at least one veteran pitcher and this trade scenario, albeit complicated, would get it done.

The Baltimore Orioles have a starting pitcher on their minds via free agency or trade. But how complicated does it really have to be?

MLB.com filed a story titled “six bonkers blockbuster trades” and the one the Orioles were connected to fits the bill. It would also, conveniently, give the Orioles a starting pitcher that could anchor their rotation — Dylan Cease.

“I’ve made it very clear that the White Sox are willing to listen in on any of our players," White Sox general manager Chris Getz said recently.

So, teams can inquire about Cease. He two more controllable years left, which is attractive to any team. He’s emerged as a quality right-hander who finished second in Cy Young voting in 2022 after going 14-8 with a 2.20 ERA.

In 2023 he went 7-9 and his ERA went up to 4.58. But he has a solid track record for his career with a 43-35 record and a 3.83 ERA. He also strikes out 10.8 hitters per nine innings and led the American League in the category in 2021 (12.3).

So, why is this deal so … complicated? Because Cease isn’t actually the centerpiece. The Orioles would benefit from the idea that the Houston Astros would move third baseman Alex Bregman to the New York Yankees.

Yep, in this four-team deal, Bregman is the centerpiece. The Astros would move him and outfielder Jake Meyers to the Yankees, and the White Sox would move pitcher Jared Shuster to the Yankees so that the Astros could acquire … Baltimore infielder Jordan Westburg.

In this deal, the Orioles get Cease and trade Westburg to the Astros, who theoretically becomes Bregman’s replacement at third base.

So what do the White Sox get out of all of this? A Top 10 prospect from each of the other three teams — outfielder Jasson Domínguez (Yankees’ No. 2 prospect), catcher/first baseman Samuel Basallo (Orioles’ No. 5 prospect) and pitcher Spencer Arrighetti (Astros’ No. 3 prospect).

So, the Orioles would give up a rookie infielder and a catching prospect with nowhere to go at the MLB level — thanks to Adley Rutschman — for Cease.

It’s complicated, but the Orioles would appear to get something they need out of all of this.