Orioles trade for ace starting pitcher floated by former MLB executive

Jim Bowden has a move that the Orioles should be considering as the pitching staff continues to struggle into May.
Joe Ryan is among the best starters in the league in 2025. Could he be a good fit for the Orioles?
Joe Ryan is among the best starters in the league in 2025. Could he be a good fit for the Orioles? | David Berding/GettyImages

The Baltimore Orioles lost Corbin Burnes to the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 2024-25 offseason, and their offseason acquisitions have been underwhelming. Entering play Wednesday, Orioles starters have a combined ERA of 5.75, which ranks 28th in Major League Baseball. Former MLB executive Jim Bowden believes he may have the answer for the O's.

Bowden suggests a trade that would send Coby Mayo, the No. 2 prospect in the Orioles' system and No. 11 prospect in all of baseball per MLB Pipeline, along with left-hander Cade Povich and prospect Michael Forret, to the Minnesota Twins for right-handed ace Joe Ryan.

Mayo has spent sparse time with the Orioles and hasn't had a favorable experience at the big league level, hitting .082 lifetime entering Wednesday. Mayo proved that he is capable in the minors and likely just needs time with the big league club to get his legs under him.

Povich made his MLB debut last season, posting a 5.20 ERA over 16 starts. Through his seven starts this season, he has a 5.55 ERA, already allowing over half of the home runs he did last year. Povich would be returning to the Twins after being dealt to the Orioles in 2022 for reliever Jorge Lopez. He'd slot in as a replacement for Ryan in Minnesota, and the Orioles would be getting their ace in the deal to make a push to get back into contention.

Bowden called Forret the "sleeper" of the trade, although he's the least known of the package. The Orioles' No. 8 prospect has been a full-time starter for High-A Aberdeen and posts a 1.66 ERA over five outings with 29 strikeouts in 21 2/3 innings pitched. The future can be bright for the 2023 14th-round pick, and Minnesota may have a fast track for him to the big leagues.

The Orioles need pitching help to compete in a tightly contested American League. Ryan would be the boost to the rotation that the Orioles need to vault back into contention this season.

Baltimore has a window with their young talent, and a lack of pitching would be a poor way to spend the youthful years ahead. If the Orioles wait too long to pull the trigger on a move of this caliber, they could find themselves preparing for the future instead of the year at hand.

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