MLB Rumors: Orioles To Put Two Outfielders On Trade Block

The Baltimore Orioles are tied for the second-best record in the entire American League, and we certainly seem to be past the point of wondering if they're true contenders this season. 

With that in mind, it's clear the team will be looking to upgrade their starting rotation—their one relative weak spot—in advance of the trade deadline, to give themselves that needed boost down the stretch. And to that end, according to MLB Insider and former MLB GM Jim Bowden, the Orioles will be dangling two legitimate bats in the outfield to try to swing a deal. 

The reason they can do that, is that two of their top prospects are outfielders, Colton Cowser and Heston Kjerstad — and they are ever so close to getting a call to The Show, says Bowden in The Athletic.

It appears Cowser is major-league-ready, which will allow GM Mike Elias to dangle one of the Orioles’ outfielders, such as Anthony Santander or Austin Hays, in a trade to upgrade their rotation. 

You don't even have to look outside the AL East division to find a team that would be mighty interested in adding a solid outfielder to provide offense, in return for some pitching: the New York Yankees. Bowden posits the Seattle Mariners and Cleveland Guardians as other teams that would match up for that type of outfielder-for-pitcher swap. 

The O's starting rotation is currently headed up by.. um ..Kyle Gibson, the 35-year-old with the career ERA close to 5.00. Yes, he's having a nice season so far, but regression to the mean is inevitable for Gibson, and the Orioles' current middling stance as 15th in MLB in starting pitching ERA is likely to drop. 

Expect Elias to makes some moves, and Santander or Hays could be the price to pay.

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