Orioles Trade Rumors: Cedric Mullins and Ryan Mountcastle expected to be on the market ahead of deadline

With the trade deadline approaching, the Orioles are reportedly considering a move for Ryan Mountcastle and Cedric Mullins. Mountcastle and Mullins, veteran at-bats, have been with the organization since 2020 and 2018 respectively. Even if the Os trade away two vital pieces of their lineup, it won't affect their roster as they have enough depth to cover those spots.

The Orioles became one of the best teams in the MLB for the second straight season. With a 60-40 record, they are first in the AL East standings. The Os have a farm system to strengthen their roster by plugging in the gaps as the deadline approaches. On that note, ESPN's Jeff Passan believes Baltimore will trade either Mountcastle or Mullins.

Mullins is the weaker of the two. The outfielder was once on the ballot for AL MVP in 2021. But his stocks seem to have gone down over the last two years. He is batting at a poor .214 average and has a defensive Outs Above Average of 1, which is lower than the 9 he posted in 2022.

The Os have plenty of other young outfielders like Colton Cowser, Heston Kjerstad, and even prospects like Kyle Stowers who are ready to take the responsibility.

Ryan Mountcastle's season hasn't been bad at all. In fact, with 22 doubles and 12 home runs, the first baseman has been batting at .267. But some teams look for more out of the position and with strong prospects like Coby Mayo and Samuel Basallo, Brandon Hyde might be prompted to bring them up from the minors.

Looking at possible trade deals for Cedric Mullins and Ryan Mountcastle

Although trading Cedric Mullins might not give the Os much in return, he can be a like-for-like trade option for an arm in the bullpen. As for Ryan Mountcastle, there are options to leverage his name in the trade table for a starter. With the Os looking at Tarik Skubal, they can take him to a trade package that might tempt the Detroit Tigers.