7 Orioles who will definitely be traded after GM Mike Elias' comments

Who stays and who goes?

Eric Cole

Tampa Bay Rays v Baltimore Orioles / G Fiume/GettyImages

Even the most optimistic Baltimore Orioles fans have started to come around to the idea that 2025 just isn't their team's year. The Orioles have certainly showed flashes recently, but it would take a Herculean effort to overcome the 8.5 game deficit in the AL Wild Card race, and even more so to defeat the 13.5 game deficit in the AL East. The other teams ahead of the O's in the standings are still playing well, after all, and Baltimore hasn't showed signs of becoming world-beaters all of a sudden.

Given their fringe playoff chances, the Orioles' front office had previously resisted committing to buying or selling at the trade deadline. That seems to have changed, however, after Orioles GM Mike Elias indicated "players that interest other clubs, (and) who are coming towards the end of their contracts" could be moved before the trade deadline.

That description applies to a good chunk of the Orioles roster as it turns out. While it's unlikely the Orioles will trade every single pending free agent, Baltimore is widely considered to be one of the teams with the most big-league talent available, and a closer look backs that up.

Here are the players the Orioles are almost certainly trading before the trade deadline

Charlie Morton, Orioles pitcher

Charlie Morton struggled through his first 10 starts or so, and many fans thought Baltimore would be lucky to get anything for him at the deadline. However, the veteran starter has turned things around over his last 10 starts with a 3.63 ERA and 3.24 FIP. Getting beat up by the Tampa Bay Rays on July 18 didn't help his trade value, but the Orioles should be able to find a taker for Morton given the lack of financial commitment.

Ramon Laureano, Orioles outfielder

Ramon Laureano seems to have found new life in Baltimore after signing a one-year deal last offseason. While his .838 OPS isn't crazy production, it lines up with the resurgent numbers he had with Atlanta in 2024. Given the lack of bats on the trade market right now, don't be shocked if the Orioles get more for Laureano that you might think.

Andrew Kittredge, Orioles pitcher

Relievers are in high demand around the trade deadline and Andrew Kittredge fits the profile most teams are looking for this time of year. He's also having a pretty good season with a 3.86 ERA in 25 appearances. Kittredge's 2026 club-option could help boost his price tag a bit, but could also make it more likely that Baltimore keeps him around.

Zach Eflin, Orioles pitcher

Zach Eflin would normally be a prime candidate to be traded. A veteran starting pitcher with a tracker record of eating innings in the last year of his contract is a valuable commodity at the deadline. A back injury in June, however, added some uncertainty to his trade market. Even though there's a chance he doesn't play until after the deadline, Eflin should still have a new team when the dust settles after July 31.

Cedric Mullins, Orioles outfielder

There has been no shortage of trade rumors surrounding Cedric Mullins. It would be easier to move Mullins if he was hitting, but as a lefty bat with a history of good seasons at the plate and the ability to play center field, Mullins will garner plenty of attention. Wherever he ends up, his new team is getting a true diamond-in-the-rough player, and Mullins could end up being a steal given his upside.

Tomoyuki Sugano, Orioles pitcher

Every contender needs pitching depth this time of year and while Tomoyuki Sugano's numbers in 2025 don't exactly jump off the page, he should be a decent source of innings the rest of the season. Sugano's market probably shrank a bit given his struggles of late, but expect Baltimore to find a taker for him, especially if their asking price is reasonable.

Ryan O'Hearn, Orioles DH

Here we find the Orioles player that has been their most rumored trade target. Ryan O'Hearn is having a career year and made his first All-Star team, which has attracted some attention from offense-needy contenders at the deadline. It's almost a mortal lock that Baltimore moves O'Hearn before the deadline and probably for a nice trade package.

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Eric Cole

I started my career writing about baseball covering the Atlanta Braves for SB Nation's Talking Chop back in 2015 which has since been renamed Battery Power. After years of writing for those fine folks, I made the decision to take over as Site Expert at House That Hank Built before becoming a full-time MLB Staff Writer for FanSided in 2023. Along the way, I have been a guest on multiple ESPN radio affiliates as well as 680 The Fan and 92.9 The Game to discuss Braves baseball and especially Braves prospects and was a long-time host on the Battery Power podcast. These days, I continue to write about the Braves as well as covering the Astros, Padres, and Angels with particular expertise with minor league coverage, the MLB Draft, and bashing Anthony Rendon when possible. When I am not writing about or talking about baseball (which is seldom), I am an avid baseball card collector (Maddux and Soroka being my primary personal collections) and I also collect shark teeth. All other sports are mostly dead to me as my Bills have broken my heart too many times.