4 starting pitchers Orioles should pursue at trade deadline after Cade Povich's rocky debut

While the Baltimore Orioles are a very good team once again, they have a flaw starting to emerge. The pitching staff has been sub-optimal. They were short to start the season in the rotation, were briefly healthy, and then the injuries hit again in the form of season-ending elbow surgeries for John Means and Tyler Wells. Add in Dean Kremer hitting the 15 Day IL with a triceps strain, and the strain has become evident.

In an attempt to patch holes in the rotation and give Kyle Bradish a little extra rest, the Orioles called up touted pitching prospect Cade Povich to start the series finale against a division rival in the Toronto Blue Jays, who the Orioles made quick work of in the first two games. It didn't go so well for Povich, as he was tagged for six runs on five hits and four walks in his debut, a 6-5 loss for the O's.

While a lot has been made of Craig Kimbrel's struggles and the Orioles' possible pursuit of another high-leverage relief arm at the trade deadline, it's now time for the Orioles to shift to starting pitching upgrades at the trade deadline.

Which starting pitchers should the Orioles target at the trade deadline?

Garrett Crochet

In the middle of his first season in the starting rotation for the White Sox, Garrett Crochet would be a boon for the Orioles rotation. He hasn't missed any time this year and has been pretty good, posting a 3.49 ERA, 2.88 FIP, and 0.93 WHIP in 13 starts and 69 2/3 innings at the top of the White Sox rotation.

His ERA+ is at 115, above league average, and his advanced metrics are absolutely stellar. How stellar? Try a rating above the 90th percentile in fastball run value, fastball velocity, expected ERA, expected batting average, strikeout percentage, and extension.

To top it all off, Crochet isn't scheduled to hit free agency until after the 2026 season, so it's a commitment for the long haul as well. While Crochet might cost a pretty penny, the Orioles have the ability to make it happen, and he has the potential to be way better at his peak than current-day Means.

Tyler Anderson

After a rocky first season with the Angels (that's probably generous), the Angels were looking for anyone willing to take Anderson and his contract off their hands this offseason. Understandably, no one bit, but teams should be more willing to overpay now considering the season Anderson is having in Year 2 donning an Angels uniform.

Through 12 starts this season, Anderson has without question been the Angels' best pitcher, probably combined between the starters and relievers. He has a 2.37 ERA and 1.13 WHIP over 76 innings, sporting a stellar 173 ERA+. His walk rate is a bit high and his strikeout rate is a bit low, but he's never been one to overpower hitters.

In overall pitching run value, Anderson ranks in the 89th percentile, and he is in the 100th percentile in offspeed run value. With an average exit velocity ranking in the 84th percentile, Anderson has done a good job limiting hard contact as well.

Anderson's contract does unfortunately come into play here. He's due $13 million total this season and next before hitting free agency, so any teams asking would likely want the Angels to hang on to some money to facilitate a trade. The Orioles might be willing to toss in a better prospect or player if the Angels can do that, and the Orioles can turn Anderson into an even better pitcher with their current development program, making the higher cost worth their while.

Ryan Weathers

Yes, you read that right. The Orioles should try to land Ryan Weathers at the trade deadline. With a lot of injuries to the Marlins' starting rotation, the lefty Weathers was forced into duty after it looked like he was destined for Triple-A.

The first few seasons in the majors for Weathers, a former top prospect, have been bad, spent playing for both the Marlins and San Diego Padres. He's had a breakout season this year for the Marlins, posting a 3.41 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, and 126 ERA+ in 12 starts, spanning 68 2/3 innings.

Weathers has limited the walks, issuing 20 so far this year, and has picked up 64 strikeouts, an encouraging sign. He's still in his pre-arbitration years and under team control until the end of the 2028 season. His fWAR is nearly 1.0 and he's been a valuable piece in the Miami rotation.

His offspeed pitches are very good, ranking in the 88th percentile in offspeed run value to complement a 79th percentile ranking in fastball run value and a 84th percentile ranking in pitching run value. He's also done a good job keeping the ball on the ground, with a 51.5 ground ball percentage to put him in the 87th percentile in that category.

With Weathers in the middle of a breakout season, it's hard to say what he could potentially cost in terms of a return, especially given his first few forays in the major leagues weren't good. It can't hurt the Orioles to pick up the phone, however, and Weathers would be a good pickup for them this summer if they can pull it off.