2 way-too-early trade targets that could push Baltimore back into the playoffs

Even though it is early in the season, just by looking at the standings, it's possible to begin to predict which teams might be sellers at this year's deadline. Some of the teams at the bottom of the standings are teams that came into the season with high hopes, but their poor start has already created a bit of a math problem as far as their chances to get back into the playoffs. Other teams don't have records quite so poor, but looking at their on-field product makes it obvious that they are not going to be playing in October this year.

The Baltimore Orioles find themselves in the middle. They've managed not to fall into the depths of the basement the way they did last year and despite not being quite where they'd want to be in the standings they're still just a couple games out of a playoff spot. They could still go either way. They have flashed some of the talent that made people optimistic about them in the preseason, and they've gotten some surprising contributions from unexpected players on their roster. They are a flawed team, though, and have an obvious need at the top of their rotation that they need to fill if they have any ambitions for this season at all.

Top pitchers don't get moved every single deadline, so the Orioles will have to get aggressive and put real value on the table if they expect teams to hand over some of their best pitchers. Over the past few years, the Orioles have targeted pitchers with a few years of control in their trades, so here are some pitchers that fit that mold on teams that should be thinking about selling at this deadline.

1. The Orioles should be willing to go all in on Ragans even with the injury concerns

Ragans is off to a slow start this year due to some nagging injuries, but since joining the Royals, when he's been healthy, he's been one of the nastiest lefties in all of baseball. In his one fully healthy season in Kansas City, he pitched to a 3.14 ERA with a 2.99 FIP and led the league in K/9. He punctuated that season by being really good in the Royals' first postseason run since winning the World Series in 2015. Besides just being really good, Ragans is on an incredible contract that has him under team control through 2028 at a remarkably reasonable rate.

Even though the Royals are one of the most disappointing teams in all of baseball this year, they still have a good core of players and hope to return to the playoffs in the near future. So why would they be interested in shipping off a top-of-the-rotation starter on a sweetheart deal? There are a few reasons.

With Bobby Witt Jr, Maikel Garcia, Jac Caglianone, and Carter Jenson all under team control through at least 2031, the Royals have a strong core of young players, but clearly, the current roster around them isn't enough, and they have one of the worst farm systems in baseball.

Ragans is their best chip that they can cash in to replenish their farm system, and with how many prospects the Orioles drafted and traded for last year, they have the volume of prospects to bring an overwhelming offer to the table.

2. The Orioles should be willing to buy high on this year's breakout star

Soriano has looked like one of the best pitchers in baseball this season. He has slowed down a bit after a blazing hot start to the season, but still has a sub-3 ERA and is among the leaders in pitcher WAR. It's the kind of breakout that feels out of nowhere, but it really shouldn't. He put up good numbers the last few seasons as a young pitcher, and now, as he's entering his prime, it's clicked for him, and he's elite.

This one feels a little mean-spirited because Soriano just barely broke out for the Angels. It's hard to sell high on a young player that is finally hitting their potential, but the Angels are 13 games under .500 with no reinforcements coming. They also have one of, if not the worst, farm systems in baseball. They biffed the number two pick in last year's draft, and in the 2024 draft, which featured the deepest crop of amateur talent in the last 25 years, they drafted maybe the worst player in the entire first round ahead of Konnor Griffin.

They need a reset. Soriano is under team control through 2028, and no matter how well he pitches, the Angels are going to finish in fifth place in their division every year until he hits free agency. It's time to sell high. The Orioles, for their part, should look at their roster, see that this is the kind of piece they're missing, and be willing to buy high.

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