Predicting the Orioles starting rotation after the trade deadline

It should come to no surprise that the Baltimore Orioles and Mike Elias have been cherry picking top prospects from their farm system. What is surprising, however, is how early they have been doing it. So far with pitching alone in 2022, they have called up the aforementioned Kyle Bradish and  Denyi Reyes.

The O’s have already claimed Beau Sulser and  Logan Allen off of waivers, so to say they have been active in the transaction market would be an understatement. Although the latter of those four names might not be headed for the starting rotation, there are a few minor leagues who should be expecting a call very soon.

Honorable mention possibility:

DL Hall

The reason we put DL Hall as an honorable mention, isn’t because he won’t get the call up, because he will, but because he won’t be in the starting rotation by the deadline. Acting as a starting all throughout the Orioles minor leagues, Hall has been electric. He has started 53 of his 57 minor league appearances, but we find him and his power more suited for the bull pen.

Predicting the Orioles starting rotation after the trade deadline

His ability to mix speeds and dazzle hitters and fan a like will no-doubt see him head to Baltimore, but with an already packed rotation (hopefully), Hall can assist the already blooming pen and become a nasty contributor in late innings.

Projected Rotation Spot – 5:

Grayson Rodriguez

Don’t expect Grayson Rodriguez to be in the number 5 slot of the rotation for long, but by nature of who is already there, and who will be, we predict him to fill that hole by the trade deadline at the latest (hopefully much sooner). Currently pitching with a 3.09 ERA with the Norfolk Tides, Grayson also has 47 Ks and a WHIP of 1.00. Sooner, rather than later seems to be the decision.

By now, if you have been paying close attention, you will notice that we have predicted the Orioles #1, 2, 3, and 5 spots in their starting rotation. Additionally, Tyler Wells and Spenser Watkins are missing. For what it’s worth, we predict Wells to head back to the pen, but only because of who is coming up, or who is predicted to be in B’more by the summer.

With Lyles, Zimmermann, Bradish, and Rodriguez slotted already, that means the Baltimore Orioles only have one spot left in their rotation. It appears that there are a few, solid, starting pitchers who sitting on the trade block, and I would expect the Orioles to take a look at all of them.

Tyler Mahle, David Price, Luis Castillo,  Frankie Montas, and Sean Manaea are all on the hot seat, but will, or should, Mike Elias make the move for any of these five names? Probably not, but only because of what their current teams would require in return. Remember, the O’s should not be a seller come this trade season.

Predicting the Orioles starting rotation after the trade deadline

Projected Rotation Spot – 2:

Dinelson Lamet

It has been a few years since we last saw Dinelson Lamet commanding time in the San Diego Padres rotation. However, that doesn’t keep Lamet away from being a MLB trade candidate in 2022. The 29-year-old righty ($4.775 million salary) is being shopped around, and Elias should be all over it.

His current contract keeps him in team control until 2023; just enough time to see what he really has. He needs a someone to commit to him as much as he needs to commit to a team. Now sitting in a bullpen role, the once starting pitcher needs to get his career back on track, a luxury the O’s could offer. The once All-Star and Cy Young short-lister could be heading to Baltimore by August.

Well, that’s it! By the end of the MLB trade deadline, we predict that the Baltimore Orioles will have a starting rotation of Jordan Lyles, Dinelson Lamet, Bruce Zimmermann, Kyle Bradish, and Grayson Rodriguez. That might not be a World Series winning rotation just yet, but it’s well on the way, and would show all of the intentions of a rebuild actually working.