Gregory Soto<\/a>), there\u2019s even more focus on what types of prospects Baltimore could receive.<\/p>\nThat\u2019s difficult to determine, but recent history could provide some insight into what the Orioles should expect in return for their top trade chips. They have six players on expiring contracts who are most likely to be traded. While it\u2019s almost impossible to find exact one-for-one comparisons, there are players with similar profiles or production levels that have been dealt at the deadline in recent years.<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s a look at trade comparisons since 2021 for each of those six Orioles players who could be dealt before Thursday\u2019s 6 p.m. deadline:<\/p>\n
(Editor\u2019s note: The following players were all sold while playing on expiring contracts, meaning they were set to become free agents in the upcoming offseason. All rankings are by MLB Pipeline.)<\/em><\/p>\nRyan O\u2019Hearn<\/h4>\n
2021: Royals trade OF Jorge Soler to Braves for RHP Kasey Kalich (No. 21 prospect)<\/strong><\/p>\nSoler, who led the American League with 48 homers in 2019, struggled to begin the 2021 campaign but got hot in July, just in time to be traded. Kalich was in High-A at the time and is no longer in professional baseball.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n2021: Nationals trade OF Kyle Schwarber to Red Sox for RHP Aldo Ramirez (No. 19)<\/strong><\/p>\nSchwarber hit a whopping 16 home runs in June and had a .910 OPS in the first half \u2014 higher than O\u2019Hearn\u2019s .824 OPS \u2014 though Schwarber was on the injured list with a minor injury when he was traded. Ramirez, who was in Low-A when he was traded, is now pitching in Mexico.<\/span><\/p>\n2022: Yankees trade OF Joey Gallo to Dodgers for RHP Clayton Beeter (No. 15)<\/strong><\/p>\nAfter a career year in 2021, Gallo\u2019s first half with the Yankees in 2022 was disastrous. The Bronx Bombers cut bait on Gallo and received Beeter, a 23-year-old in Double-A. Beeter made his MLB debut in 2024 but is no longer ranked inside New York\u2019s top 30 prospects list.<\/span><\/p>\n2022: Orioles trade 1B Trey Mancini in three-team deal with Rays and Astros for RHPs Seth Johnson (No. 6) and Chayce McDermott (No. 12)<\/strong><\/p>\nBaltimore fans need little refresher on this trade. Mancini was an integral part of the rebuild-era Orioles, but he was controversially traded away at the 2022 deadline despite Baltimore being in playoff contention. Mancini struggled for the Astros down the stretch (but won a World Series), while Johnson (now with the Phillies) and McDermott (now the Orioles\u2019 No. 10 prospect) appear to have questionable futures as relievers.<\/span><\/p>\n2023: Guardians trade 1B Josh Bell to Marlins for INF Kahlil Watson (No. 11)<\/strong><\/p>\nBell was a good player for years and a Silver Slugger the year before, but he posted just a .701 OPS for Cleveland in 2023. Watson, a former first-round pick, was in High-A at the time of the trade and is now in Triple-A at 22 years old.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n2023: Nationals trade 1B\/3B Jeimer Candelario to Cubs for INF Kevin Made (No. 14) and RHP DJ Herz (No. 16)<\/strong><\/p>\nCandelario bounced back from a down 2022 season and posted an .823 OPS, similar to O\u2019Hearn\u2019s mark this season. Made has risen only one level in the two years since this trade, while Herz made his MLB debut in 2024 but is injured this season.<\/span><\/p>\nTakeaway:<\/b> O\u2019Hearn, the Orioles\u2019 lone All-Star this season, will likely net the largest return of any player they trade at the deadline. While he\u2019s slumped at the plate recently, his overall numbers, his consistent performance since 2023 and the recent history of trades for good-but-not-great sluggers all seem to point toward the Orioles receiving at least one, maybe two, prospects inside a contender\u2019s top 30 list.<\/span><\/p>\nZach Eflin<\/h4>\n
2023: Cardinals trade RHP Jack Flaherty to Orioles for INF C\u00e9sar Prieto (No. 16), LHP Drew Rom (No. 18) and RHP Zack Showalter (not ranked)<\/b><\/p>\n
Orioles fans also won\u2019t need any reminders about this one \u2014 Mike Elias\u2019 first deadline splash, and one that backfired. Flaherty struggled mightily with the Orioles and was moved to the bullpen after his solid first half with the Cardinals. Flaherty\u2019s history presented intriguing upside for the Orioles, while Eflin, despite his poor numbers this season, also has history as a reliable starter on his side. Two years later, Prieto is still in Triple-A, Rom is injured and Showalter is a High-A reliever with command issues.<\/span><\/p>\n2024: Blue Jays trade RHP Yusei Kikuchi to Astros for RHP Jake Bloss (No. 9), Will Wagner (No. 13) and Joey Loperfido (NR)<\/b><\/p>\n
Kikuchi posted a 4.75 ERA with the Blue Jays \u2014 not far off Eflin\u2019s injury-impacted 5.78 ERA \u2014 and was coming off two successful seasons similar to Eflin\u2019s 2023 and 2024 campaigns. However, Kikuchi was due for positive regression and was displaying better stuff than Eflin has for much of this season. Still, the Blue Jays received three MLB-ready prospects.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nTakeaway:<\/strong> Eflin\u2019s solid start Wednesday in his return from the IL was critical, and so was his outing Monday against the Blue Jays at Camden Yards, which ended too late for this edition. If he delivers another Eflin-esque performance, it might give a contender confidence to pay the required price to acquire the veteran right-hander. But if no team is willing to give Baltimore multiple top 30 prospects, it\u2019s possible the front office elects to keep Eflin and ponder whether to extend him the qualifying offer, which he could accept to remain an Oriole in 2026 or decline and likely earn the organization an extra draft pick.<\/span><\/p>\nCedric Mullins<\/h4>\n
N\/A<\/strong><\/p>\nTakeaway:<\/strong> There are no good comparisons for Mullins, at least not since 2021. It\u2019s rare for center fielders to get traded at the deadline since most teams put a premium on the position. Corner outfielders, especially ones in platoons, are much more likely to be dealt. Kevin Kiermaier was traded from the Blue Jays to the Dodgers last year, but the elite defender had posted a paltry .546 OPS for Toronto. An everyday corner outfielder like Andrew Benintendi was traded from the Royals to the Yankees in 2022, earning Kansas City three pitching prospects, two of whom were ranked inside New York\u2019s top 30. But Benintendi was an All-Star that season, while Mullins has slumped since his scorching-hot April and is no longer the defender he was a few years ago. Guessing what the return for Mullins will be is difficult given there are no comps. A player who was worth 15.6 wins above replacement by Baseball-Reference\u2019s estimation from 2021 through 2024 is someone who should garner a large return. A center fielder with a .701 OPS this season might only net a low-level prospect. Perhaps the return for Mullins will fall somewhere in between those two.<\/p>\nCharlie Morton<\/h4>\n
2021: Nationals trade LHP Jon Lester to Cardinals for OF Lane Thomas<\/strong><\/p>\nIn the last season of Lester\u2019s illustrious career, he posted a 5.02 ERA \u2014 similar to Morton\u2019s 5.48 mark this year \u2014 but was still valued at the deadline because of his track record. Thomas struggled early in his MLB career, but he was a valuable player for the Nationals for four years.<\/p>\n
2021: Rays trade LHP Rich Hill to Mets for RHP Tommy Hunter and C Matt Dyer (NR)<\/strong><\/p>\nAt 41 years old (the same age as Morton this year), Hill pitched to a 3.87 ERA with the Rays. Hunter, a former Oriole, was injured at the time of the trade, while Dyer was 23 years old in Low-A. Dyer never made it to the major leagues.<\/p>\n
Takeaway:<\/strong> Neither of these comparisons is great for Morton considering how well he\u2019s pitched since mid-May. Morton was awful through the first six weeks of this season, but he\u2019s pitched to a 3.81 ERA with a 24.5% strikeout rate over his past 10 starts. The question for contending teams is how fearful they are of his age and his start of the season and whether they pay more because of Morton\u2019s superb postseason resume. Morton is likely worth a player or prospect of moderate value, but it\u2019s unlikely the Orioles receive a haul.<\/p>\nTomoyuki Sugano<\/h4>\n
2021: Angels trade LHP Andrew Heaney to the Yankees for RHP Janson Junk (No. 27) and Elvis Peguero (NR)<\/strong><\/p>\nHeaney, like Sugano could be, was seen as rotation depth for contending teams, not as a way to improve a starting corps. Heaney posted a 5.27 ERA with the Angels but struck out far more batters (28.2%) than Sugano has this year (15.2%). Junk and Peguero both debuted for the Angels in 2021 but are now with different organizations.<\/p>\n
2021: Pirates trade LHP Tyler Anderson to Mariners for C Carter Bins (NR) and RHP Joaquin Tejada (NR)<\/strong><\/p>\nAnderson pitched to a 4.35 ERA with the Pirates and was traded for two fliers who\u2019ve yet to reach the majors.<\/p>\n
2024: Pirates trade LHP Mart\u00edn P\u00e9rez to Padres for RHP Ronaldys Jim\u00e9nez (NR)<\/strong><\/p>\nP\u00e9rez, a veteran with a 5.20 ERA, only netted Pittsburgh an 18-year-old in rookie ball.<\/p>\n
Takeaway:<\/strong> It\u2019s difficult to imagine a team offering anything other than a low-level prospect for Sugano. The 35-year-old\u2019s ERA has fallen to 4.38 after a hot start, and the underlying metrics look even worse because of his difficulties generating swing and miss. Perhaps the only way to get a better prospect would be to pay for some of the remaining approximately $4 million on Sugano\u2019s contract. Or the Orioles could just look to offload Sugano in hopes of using that money elsewhere in the future.<\/p>\nSeranthony Dom\u00ednguez<\/h4>\n
2021: Cubs trade RHP Ryan Tepera to White Sox for LHP Bailey Horn (No. 23)<\/strong><\/p>\nTepera was in the midst of a career year with a 2.91 ERA for the Cubs when they dealt him across town for a High-A pitching prospect.<\/p>\n
2021: Rockies trade RHP Mychal Givens to Reds for RHP Case Williams (No. 20) and RHP Noah Davis (No. 26)<\/strong><\/p>\nGivens, a former Oriole, was a frequent trade chip at the deadline. After posting a 2.73 ERA with Colorado, he was traded for a pair of pitching prospects. Davis has struggled during his brief time in the majors, while Williams, who was 19 at the time of the trade, is no longer in professional baseball.<\/p>\n
2024: Mariners trade RHP Ryne Stanek to Mets for OF Rhylan Thomas (No. 30)<\/strong><\/p>\nStanek was Seattle\u2019s setup man in 2024, posting a 4.38 ERA and saving seven games before his trade to the Mets. Thomas made his MLB debut with the Mariners this season and is hitting .308 in Triple-A.<\/p>\n
Takeaway:<\/strong> Dom\u00ednguez might be one of the more underrated players the Orioles are shopping at the deadline. His 3.24 ERA and 1.34 WHIP might suggest he\u2019s a middle reliever, but since increasing his splitter usage, Dom\u00ednguez has been one of the most dominant bullpen arms in the AL. Platoon-neutral relievers like Dom\u00ednguez have transformed into often net significant value at the deadline. Last week, the Orioles traded Soto to the Mets for two pitching prospects, one of whom was ranked as New York\u2019s No. 19 prospect. A similar (or better) return for Dom\u00ednguez seems likely.<\/p>\nHave a news tip? Contact Jacob Calvin Meyer at\u00a0jameyer@baltsun.com<\/a>, 410-332-6200 and\u00a0x.com\/JCalvinMeyer<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n","print_budget_line":"","print_excerpt":"Here\u2019s a look at trade comparisons since 2021 for each of those six Orioles players who could be dealt before Thursday\u2019s 6 p.m. deadline.","print_notes":"","photo_limits":"Photo limits are: 1 featured image, 5 featured gallery images, 5 embedded gallery images and 5 in-article embedded images. Articles that exceed these limits will not export. Please adjust images to reflect these limits.","print_featured_gallery_richtext":"","print_inline_galleries_richtext":"","print_inline_images_richtext":"[related_articles location=\"left\" show_article_date=\"false\" article_type=\"automatic-primary-section\"]<\/p>\n
[caption id=\"attachment_11581797\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"5583\"]![\"Baltimore](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.baltimoresun.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/TBS-Z-Orioles-Guardians-Baseball_231645766.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&ssl=1\")
Entering Monday, Orioles starting pitcher Zach Eflin has a 5.78 ERA. (Phil Long\/AP)[\/caption]<\/p>\n
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