The 2025 MLB season is set to begin, and the Baltimore Orioles will be a fascinating team to watch.
After an impressive 2024 season that saw them finish with a 91-71 record, the Orioles were swept out of the playoffs by the Kansas City Royals. During the offseason, Baltimore endured two significant losses.
Both starting pitcher Corbin Burnes and outfielder Anthony Santander departed in free agency, leaving potential gaps in the Orioles’ roster.
Losing Burnes, in particular, will be a challenge for the Orioles to overcome. Their projected rotation now features Zach Eflin, Grayson Rodriguez, Charlie Morton, Dean Kremer, and Tomoyuki Sugano.
Ideally, Baltimore will look to make a move during the season to strengthen its rotation.
Jim Bowden of The Athletic has made a prediction that Orioles fans will appreciate, projecting Baltimore to acquire ace pitcher Dylan Cease in a trade with the San Diego Padres.
In this projected trade, the Orioles would send first baseman Coby Mayo and left-handed pitcher Cade Povich to the Padres in exchange for Dylan Cease.
“The Padres trade Dylan Cease to the Orioles for first baseman Coby Mayo and lefty Cade Povich,” Bowden wrote.
Acquiring Cease would provide Baltimore with the true No. 1 starter they need after the departure of Burnes.
In the 2024 MLB season with the Padres, Cease made 33 starts, posting a 14-11 record with a 3.47 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 3.4 K/BB ratio, and 189.1 innings pitched.
