1 Oriole could be on non-tender chopping block after the Taylor Ward trade

The Baltimore Orioles appear to be determined to change the outlook of their starting lineup this offseason, already trading oft-injured starting pitcher Grayson Rodriguez to the Los Angeles Angels for masher Taylor Ward. There's even talk that the Orioles could have lofty goals in free agency, potentially eyeing Kyle Tucker or Pete Alonso.

The early winds of the Orioles' offseason appear to signal the end of the line for Ryan Mountcastle. Mountcastle is among the handful of players on the Orioles' roster eligible for arbitration, with MLB Trade Rumors projecting his salary at $7.8MM.

Even if there were no other additions to the position-player side of the Orioles' roster, it would seem that Mountcastle is the odd man out. When Samuel Basallo is not catching, he feels like a logical candidate to serve as the team's designated hitter. Coby Mayo, assuming Alonso doesn't arrive in Baltimore, appears to be on the inside track for first base. That's not saying Mayo will be the clear answer, but it feels like Baltimore may be more willing to give him another chance instead of Mountcastle.

Ryan Mountcastle seems to be on the chopping block for the Orioles, especially after the Taylor Ward trade.

Injuries have defined the last three seasons for Mountcastle, who only played 89 games last season. When he was healthy, he was far from the power-hitting first baseman he appeared to be during his first few seasons at the Major League level. Mountcastle's offensive numbers were down across the board with a slugging percentage of .367 while posting a wRC+ of 81.

If the Orioles are going to show a willingness to spend this offseason while also mirroring the overall payroll outlook they have had since Mike Elias' arrival, avoiding paying Mountcastle nearly $8MM feels like an easy decision.

The Orioles have until Friday night to decide whether or not to tender a contract to Mountcastle, and it would seem that they will spend the hours before then trying to drum up trade interest.