Orioles’ Ryan Mountcastle trade proposal points to brutal offseason truth

Even with spring training starting this week for the Baltimore Orioles, the hope is that Mike Elias and Co. aren't done moving pieces around. The Orioles cleared a spot on the 40-man roster late last week when Bryan Ramos was claimed off waivers by the Cardinals, and the hope is that's a sign of a larger move approaching the finish line. Finding a frontline starting pitcher is certainly the priority for the Orioles, but figuring out what do with Ryan Mountcastle should also be top of mind.

Mountcastle felt like the odd man out on the Orioles' roster when the offseason started, and there's been little done to change that impression. Instead of washing their hands of the first baseman with diminishing offensive talent by non-tendering him, Baltimore not only tendered him a contract, but their agreement included a 2027 club option.

It seemed that agreement was done as a way to increase Mountcastle's trade value, but Baltimore seemingly is finding no luck in trying to move him. It speaks to why Bleacher Report had to construct a pretty unlikely trade scenario for Mountcastle when thinking about potential trades before Opening Day.

Orioles may now be stuck with Ryan Mountcastle as trade partners dwindle

Tim Kelly suggests that Mountcastle would be a trade fit for the Nationals. It feels like Kelly just picked a random team out of a hat. He makes the case that Mountcastle could turn into a legitimate trade chip in July, but it's hard to envision a rebuilding Washington being willing to trade anything of prospect consequence for the 28-year-old veteran. The Nationals also have very little to offer the Orioles that could help them this season.

A team like the Padres makes a play for Mountcastle before Opening Day, but they likely want to explore options with higher upside first. In other words, it feels like teams are calling the Orioles' bluff, expecting them to eventually release Mountcastle.

The brutal truth is that Elias has, in a sense, wasted the previous two months by ignoring the logjam that was created with Pete Alonso's signing. Coby Mayo is now forced to open the season in Triple-A, and Mountcastle will waste away on the bench. Elias has had a flashy offseason, but his indecisiveness with Mountcastle's status just speaks to how he lacks the nuance for the fringe areas of the roster.