Hunter Greene trade rumors should push Orioles toward a bold offseason splash

The Baltimore Orioles will address their need for pitching this offseason; that's not a prediction, that's a spoiler. The question is, will the move the Orioles make be a continuation of Charlie Morton's retirement tour last season, or will they make a move that rivals their previous trade for Corbin Burnes? As it turns out, the Cincinnati Reds may have created the perfect opportunity for the Orioles.

Similar to the Orioles, the Reds have obvious needs but, in the past, haven't been willing to throw money at the issue. The Red need cost-controlled bats, considering it's unlikely that they will be involved in the bidding for Kyle Tucker, Kyle Schwarber, Pete Alonso, or Alex Bregman this offseason. The Orioles, meanwhile, need pitching, but it remains to be seen if they will be willing to pony up what it takes to land one of Framber Valdez, Dylan Cease, or Ranger Suarez.

Meanwhile, the Reds have a number of cost-controlled starting pitchers they might be willing to move, and the Orioles have a plethora of young position players that would likely be of interest to the Reds. And, as it turns out, the Reds might just be looking to trade Hunter Greene this offseason.

While the idea has been downplayed, multiple Reds beat writers continue to speculate that the team would be willing to trade Greene for a bat this offseason. There is some need for context, and stating that Greene is on the ascent toward being one of the best pitches in baseball (if he isn't already) and is in the middle of a team-friendly deal, $53MM for 6 years with a 2029 club option. For those two reasons, it needs to be clear that the Reds simply aren't going to trade Greene for pennies on the dollar.

Hunter Greene trade buzz should wake up the Orioles front office

That said, this is a Reds team that snuck in the playoffs but will need offensive improvements if they are going to join the conversation with the Chicago Cubs and Milwaukee Brewers at the top of the National League Central. With that in mind, it's possible they move Greene under those circumstances.

The Orioles are a logical fit, considering the trade chips they have to offer. Adley Rutschman is believed to be entering the 2026 season as the Orioles' primary catcher, but if Greene were on the table, chances are Baltimore would be willing to have that conversation. Dylan Beavers almost certainly would be brought up in the conversation as well.

It would be a bold pivot for the Orioles, who have had some reservations about trading from their young core, but it's the type of move that is necessary after the disappointment of 2025.