Orioles can’t seem to quit this player this offseason, but he won’t last much longer

Entering the offseason, it seemed clear that Ryan Mountcastle may have been on borrowed time with the Baltimore Orioles. Mountcastle's reps at first base had been earmarked for Samuel Basallo and Coby Mayo, and his offensive regression over the last two years made it clear that giving up plate appearances as the team's designated hitter may not be the answer either.

The moves the Orioles have made this offseason also make you wonder how Mountcastle is going to get regular at-bats. Beyond the Orioles' signing of Pete Alonso, their trade for Taylor Ward also leads to a crowded outfield picture that may push free-agent bust Tyler O'Neill to the bench.

In other words, even as a right-handed option on the bench, Mountcastle may not be the first bat that first-year manager Craig Albernaz turns to. It makes you wonder why the Orioles opted to tender Mountcastle a contract for 2026, instead of letting him become a free agent last month.

Ryan Mountcastle has survived the Orioles' offseason, but he continues to look like the odd man out.

While Mountcastle has survived the Orioles' offseason so far, he shouldn't be out of the woods yet. In the coming weeks (hopefully), there should be clarity on the free-agent front. The likes of Kyle Tucker, Cody Bellinger, Alex Bregman, Munetaka Murakami, and Kazuma Okamoto should all have new teams.

It's very possible that the Orioles are waiting for that moment before dangling Mountcastle in trade talks. Considering the struggles the 28-year-old first baseman had last season, it's no surprise he wasn't a key piece in the Orioles' trade for Shane Baz. But, outside of 2025, he's always been an above-average offensive player, including two seasons where he hit over 20 home runs.

For teams who miss out on the aforementioned free agents, Mountcastle could be an ideal bounce-back option. A team like the Chicago White Sox could be one to watch. The White Sox have been linked to mid-tier first basemen this offseason, and Mountcastle certainly falls under that category. Not to mention, if he bounces back to start the 2026 season, he becomes a clear trade chip.

Mountcastle still being on the Orioles' roster isn't a problem, but if that status remains unchanged by Opening Day, Mike Elias might be repeating a familiar mistake.