Orioles' side of Trevor Rogers trade just got even better after latest Marlins update

When the Baltimore Orioles traded Kyle Stowers for Trevor Rogers, it wasn't a great day to be Mike Elias. Then Stowers got off to an incredibly hot start with the Marlins this season, and it seemed like it was downright highway robbery of the Orioles' system. Especially since Rogers opened the season on the IL for the Orioles, not making his 2025 debut until the end of May.

Fast forward to where we currently are, and yes, Stowers looks like a stud. The 27-year-old outfielder had 25 home runs and a wRC+ of 145 in what was his first extended run at the Major League level. What's most impressive is that Stowers put up those numbers through only 117 games, missing most of the final month of the regular season.

That said, the trade no longer looks like a stain on Elias' legacy. Rogers hasn't just pitched his way to the top of the Orioles' rotation; he is already being talked about as a potential Cy Young candidate in 2026. Making 18 starts with the Orioles last season, Elias posted an ERA of 1.81 while striking out over 24% of the hitters he faced.

The Orioles still need pitching this offseason, but it turns out the trade with the Marlins provided some much-needed stability at the top of their rotation. And, it would seem, as crazy as it would have been to say at the time, the Orioles may get the last laugh.

Latest Kyle Stowers' update suggests that the Orioles got the last laugh on the Marlins

The Athletic's Brittany Ghiroli reports that the Marlins approached Stowers about a possible contract extension, but talks have stalled and a sizable gap remains between the two sides. Stowers' camp was looking for a deal similar to the 8-year extension worth $106.75 million that Bryan Reynolds signed with the Pirates in 2023. Predictably, Miami was looking to pay about half of that.

Certainly a lofty ask for an outfielder with only one full season under his belt, but if his 2025 production was a sign of what's to come, that deal will prove to be a steal by the time Stowers reaches free agency in 2030.

Of course, it's not all sunshine and roses for the Orioles yet. Rogers is a free agent after next season, and if he proves to be a Cy Young candidate, the Orioles may be priced out of his market.