Orioles Ketle Marte trade talks at least prove that Mike Elias is looking to take a big swing

One of the biggest questions facing the Baltimore Orioles this offseason is whether or not the team was prepared to take the big swings necessary to improve the team. We were given a glimmer of hope last offseason when the club signed Pete Alonso to a five-year, $155 million deal, showing that David Rubenstein would be willing to reach deep into his pockets to make a splash.

However, landing one big fish does not make for a trend. Just because the Orioles signed Alonso last year doesn't mean that another one (or two or three) is coming down the pike. However, the door has just been opened for another blockbuster move, with Baltimore reportedly engaging the Arizona Diamondbacks in trade talks for superstar second baseman Ketel Marte.

Jake Rill of MLB.com reported that no deal is imminent, but just the fact that Mike Elias and company are kicking the tires on Marte is interesting. Earlier this week during MLB's General Manager Meetings, superagent Scott Boras said that he believes that the Orioles have the opportunity to add big, adding that he's heard that they're trying to advance.

Trading for Marte would certainly qualify. The 33-year-old has four years and $77.75 million remaining on the six-year, $116.5 million extension he signed ahead of the 2025 season. Marte also holds a $11.5 million player option for 2031.

There are significant hurdles to a deal, though. While Diamondbacks general manager Mike Hazen has mentioned shaking up the roster and being willing to make adjustments, they aren't going to give away Marte for free. Baltimore will also want to do its due diligence on the three-time All-Star, especially after he went AWOL in August during a trip to play the Red Sox in Boston.

Marte also has 10-5 rights, meaning he's played in the majors for at least 10 years, with the last five coming with his current team, giving him a full no-trade clause. Even if Arizona and the Orioles come together on an agreement, Marte could kill the whole thing if he decides that he doesn't want to play in Baltimore.

Even if a Marte trade doesn't come to fruition, the Orioles are following an exciting process

One of the biggest critiques of the Mike Elias era has been his aversion to taking big swings. Marte would be a big swing and one that would set off a domino effect that could greatly reshape the roster.

The Orioles have too many infielders as it is, with Elias loudly considering moving one or more infielders to the outfield, at least part-time. Marte has some experience playing center field, though he hasn't logged significant time out there since 2021. It's unlikely that Baltimore is actually considering moving him back to the outfield.

What really matters is that the organization is taking a clear-eyed approach to evaluating the infield. While it seems full, Jordan Westburg can't be counted on to stay healthy. Coby Mayo and Christian Encarnacion-Strand both had breakouts in 2026, but both players have a history of underperformance. Jackson Holliday has been a major disappointment to this point in his career, while Gunnar Henderson is coming off another down year.

All of this is to say that while there are a lot of guys in the mix in the infield, it's not like they can't be upgraded. It's possible that one or more of these players (not Henderson) would go back to Arizona in a deal, but there's also the potential that acquiring Marte would then allow the Orioles to spin off their infield excess to solve other roster needs.

Lastly, there's the question as to whether or not Marte is actually worth acquiring for his contributions on the field. A switch-hitter with strong contact rates, low strikeout rates, and the ability to hit for power is enticing, but he saw his line drop from .283/.376/.517 in 2025 to .249/.316/.432 in 2026. As he enters his mid-30s, is it really reasonable to expect him to return to his previous dominance?

At the end of the day, this almost doesn't matter. The more important takeaway is that the Orioles are willing to consider being creative, making a big splash, and are open to making additional moves based on what kind of superstar they're able to land. Embracing that kind of flexibility will open up more avenues to improve, and keeping that as a strategy moving forward will only serve Elias and the organization well.

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