The Baltimore Orioles came into the season with championship ambitions. Instead, they are likely to be sellers before the MLB trade deadline. Baltimore’s 22 wins are tied for the third fewest in baseball, and although the team won’t trade any of the young core, the team’s aging veterans and players on expiring contracts could be on the move.
Cedric Mullins fits this description, and he fits well for the New York Mets’ needs. Jeff Passan listed Mullins as the best trade candidate for the Mets to pursue, but what would it take to add him?
Mets’ potential trade package for Cedric Mullins
Mets receive: Cedric Mullins
Orioles receive: Nolan McLean (Mets No. 6)
The Mets have the most wins in the National League, and this is despite Juan Soto having a down season.
While the recently signed right fielder, who is among the best players in MLB, will likely return to form and justify the record-setting deal that the Mets gave him, the team could still use some outfield help to ensure their status as contenders this year even if Soto doesn’t catch fire soon.
Tyrone Taylor is the team’s current starting center fielder. While he is one of the best defensive players in the game, he is only batting .238. The Mets would be smart to bring in a better hitting weapon, and Mullins is a rental who fits the bill. He got off hot in April and already has smashed 10 home runs. He is also a speed threat who regularly steals 30-plus bases per season.
Mullins cooled down in May and is currently on the injured list, but he also started to pick up steam again before suffering a hamstring strain. The Mets have a better chance than they’ve had at any other time in recent memory to win the World Series this year, especially if Soto returns to his normal form, so they should be looking to add all of the talent that they can.
Who besides Cedric Mullins could be moved in Baltimore?
Article Continues BelowMullins is one of the obvious trade candidates in Baltimore. The 2021 All-Star has been on the Orioles’ major-league roster since 2018, but he is on the wrong side of 30 years old and in the final year of his contract.
The Orioles have been MLB’s biggest disappointments this year, and Mullins is one of a few players who has enough production this season to warrant a decent trade return.
As a rental, the Orioles can’t expect to add one of the Mets’ best prospects, but Nolan McLean is a player who could make sense in a trade. The Mets selected him in the third round in 2023, and he has already made his way up to AAA. The Orioles have enough talent that they will likely want to erase this season and return to contention next year, so they won’t blow everything up.
That makes adding a prospect who is close to the majors an enticing idea, especially because the team needs pitching help more than anything else.
Additionally, the Orioles have had interest in McLean before. In fact, they drafted him in the third round in 2022, but they didn’t sign him because of a medical concern. McLean has proven his health since then, so perhaps the Orioles could reacquire the pitcher from Oklahoma State.
In addition to moving Mullins, Ryan O’Hearn seems like a logical trade candidate. The first baseman has been the Orioles’ best player this season. Zach Eflin, Tomoyuki Sugano, Seranthony Dominguez, and Andrew Kittredge are all free agents to be as well.
The Orioles have had some of the best prospects in recent years, including Jackson Holliday, Adley Rutschman, and Gunnar Henderson, but player graduations to the major-league level have depleted their once stacked farm system.
Replenishing the farm system with players who can help the Orioles return to contention next season seems smart, considering this year is already lost for Baltimore.
