Baltimore Orioles More Likely To Go Trade Route To Acquire Starting Pitcher

The Baltimore Orioles might steer clear of free agency to find another starter.

Sep 3, 2024; Oakland, California, USA; Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Luis Castillo (58) delivers a pitch against the Oakland Athletics during the fourth inning at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. / D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images

The Baltimore Orioles' No. 1 priority this offseason was always to find pitching in someway.

They got just one year from Corbin Burnes, who is likely to leave in free agency, and are now down an ace to lead their staff.

The Orioles acquired Zach Eflin at the trade deadline, but he is more of a two or three to go along with Grayson Rodriguez as he develops even more.

Hence, Baltimore will have to look at the outside market once again.

Just like last winter, it will be the trade market they look to for another option in the rotation. According to Roch Kubatko of MASN, another move for an ace appears to be the more likely option rather than signing someone in free agency.

The two top arms presumably available this offseason are Luis Castillo of the Seattle Mariners and Dylan Cease of the San Diego Padres.

Since being shipped to the Mariners in 2022, Castillo has made an All-Star team and even finished 5th in Cy Young voting in 2023.

Last season, the 32-year-old registered a 3.64 ERA in 175.1 innings with 175 strikeouts and a 1.8 bWAR. In two-and-a-half seasons with Seattle, Castillo has posted 6.2 bWAR.

He signed an extension with the Mariners, so he is under control until 2027. He also has a no-trade clause he would have to waive before being dealt, but the Mariners are still listening on him.

The three time All-Star has made at least 30 starts in each of the last two seasons and would add another workhorse ace to the front of the Orioles rotation, as Burnes did.

The other ace who has become available is Cease. He was just traded to the Padres last winter, but is available once again.

The reason he is being shopped is not because of what he did on the mound since he was excellent in 2024. In 33 starts, Cease posted a 3.47 ERA, 224 strikes outs and a 4.2 bWAR over 189.1 innings. He finished fourth in NL Cy Young voting as well.

He is one of the best strikeout pitchers in baseball, making him a very desirable pitcher.

The reason he has become available is the same reason the Padres traded Juan Soto last offseason; he is in his last year of control.

He will likely test his luck in free agency, so the Padres will want to get some value for him rather than letting him walk for nothing.

Would Baltimore want to go through that again after it just happened with Burnes?

Time will tell, but Cease is the type of pitcher who can put them over the top in their rotation to help them make a long playoff push.

The Orioles want to stay away from free agent pitchers who have qualifying offers since they do not want to lose a draft pick, so they might look to hit the trade market hard.