{"id":278559,"date":"2025-11-11T22:25:14","date_gmt":"2025-11-11T22:25:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/278559\/"},"modified":"2025-11-11T22:25:14","modified_gmt":"2025-11-11T22:25:14","slug":"mlb-mailbag-mlb-trade-rumors","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/278559\/","title":{"rendered":"MLB Mailbag: – MLB Trade Rumors"},"content":{"rendered":"

This week’s mailbag gets into Orioles starting pitcher targets, whether the Tigers have championship core pieces beyond Tarik Skubal<\/a>, many hypothetical trade scenarios, and much more.<\/p>\n

Tim asks:<\/p>\n

I appreciate all the work you put into the Top 50 Free Agent list, as well as the Top 40 Trade Candidates list. My question is: do you really expect the Orioles to pursue any top of the rotation pitchers? I have a hard time believing Mike Elias will pursue such pitchers via Free Agency, as evidenced by his risk-averse history. Please calm my fears that we’ll have a repeat of last offseason’s lackluster moves.<\/p>\n

Ben asks:<\/p>\n

After their tepid foray into the starting pitching market last year (Sugano, Morton, Gibson) yielded less than stellar results, do you see Baltimore adjusting their approach on the starting pitching market by targeting more high-end arms? If so, do you think a trade or free agent signing is more likely?<\/p>\n

These questions work well together, because we’re trying to guess whether Elias will repeat his over-cautious approach to the rotation, or learn from it.<\/p>\n

The Orioles were in on all the big names last offseason, but apparently didn’t like the prices on any of them.\u00a0 By January 3rd, the Orioles had committed to Tomoyuki Sugano<\/a> and Charlie Morton<\/a>.\u00a0 The only good starting pitcher remaining on the market at that point was Nick Pivetta<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Part of Elias’ folly was reliance on Grayson Rodriguez<\/a> and Zach Eflin<\/a>.\u00a0 Injuries have pretty much been constant throughout Rodriguez’s big league career.\u00a0 Eflin had a run of good health from 2023-24, but he was also dealing with chronic knee and back pain.\u00a0 While he’d pitched really well for the Orioles in nine regular season starts in ’24, his success was mostly about strike-throwing.<\/p>\n

I’ve written before in this space that holding on to a well-regarded prospect who ultimately does not pan out is just as bad as trading one who does.\u00a0 Elias is not exactly going to get fired for holding on to Heston Kjerstad<\/a> or Coby Mayo<\/a> last winter, but you have to wonder whether Garrett Crochet<\/a> or Jesus Luzardo<\/a> could’ve become Orioles.\u00a0 The Orioles gave up Joey Ortiz<\/a> and DL Hall<\/a> to get Corbin Burnes<\/a>, but didn’t take a similar chance last winter.<\/p>\n


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