Should Baltimore Orioles Target Ascending San Diego Padres Starting Pitcher?

Should the Baltimore Orioles target a San Diego Padres pitcher before this year's trade deadline?

Oct 8, 2024; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres pitcher Michael King (34) throws in the first inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers during game three of the NLDS for the 2024 MLB Playoffs at Petco Park. / David Frerker-Imagn Images

The Baltimore Orioles have a lineup filled with young, blue chip talent that will make them a factor in the American League for years to come.

If the Orioles don't meet expectations in 2025, chances are their pitching staff will be the culprit.

Baltimore's front office may exercise patience when considering expensive pitching upgrades. The team has so many premium, young hitters at both the big league level and in the minors, there's time for that already impressive group to grow before paying up for pitching additions.

That would have been a reasonable approach heading into 2025.

Then the rival New York Yankees endured an injury-riddled spring training, opening the door for the Orioles to gain ground on their divisional foe.

That new reality might lead to Baltimore paying up for a pitching upgrade before this year's trade deadline.

Houston Astros' ace Framber Valdez could upgrade any staff in baseball. He's also in a contract year, making him more reasonably obtainable. The Astros traded Kyle Tucker and lost Alex Bregman in free agency, so it would be no surprise if they moved Valdez before the deadline despite being a playoff contender.

The downside for the Orioles in pursuing Valdez is he's already 31 years old, making him a pitcher who could begin to decline as Baltimore's young lineup reaches it's peak over the next few seasons.

San Diego Padres ace Dylan Cease is another highly-regarded pitcher in a contract year who has been part of trade rumors all offseason. He's 29 years old, making him a better long-term fit for the Orioles than Valdez, but he's not the Padres' only difference-making pitcher.

Michael King is an ascending 29-year-old starter who has thrown half as many Major League innings as Cease.

Last season was King's first as a full-time member of a rotation after starting in nine of his 49 appearances in 2023 with the Yankees before being a featured part of New York's trade package to acquire Juan Soto.

King's game is built on movement, featuring a nasty sinker, sweeper and changeup to go with a mid-90's four-seamer.

Both his pitch arsenal and transition from reliever to difference-making starter mimics former Boston Red Sox pitcher Derek Lowe.

Cease has been a model of reliability, starting at least 32 games in each of the last four years. He also had a Cy Young-caliber 2022 with a 6.4 bWAR.

He'd make any rotation better, but King is the kind of pitcher who tends to perform well in October, just like Lowe used to do.

According to Statcast, opposing batters hit the ball harder against Cease than they do against King. That isolated statistic doesn't make King the better pitcher, but it's closer between these two Padres than some might expect.

For an American League contender, King comes with the added bonus of potentially facing his former team in high leverage, postseason moments.

Teams need to beat the Yankees to win the AL, and King might be the best long-term pitching asset they can get before this year's trade deadline.

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