With Opening Day less than 36 hours away, the Baltimore Orioles are essentially locked and loaded for 2025. They are once again looking to make the postseason, with hopefully better results.
General manager Mike Elias has built one of baseball’s best farm systems, absolutely loaded with position player talent. However, the pitching hasn’t come nearly as far. In order to address this, MLB insider Jim Bowden has predicted that the team will add not one, but two current San Diego Padres starting pitchers: Dylan Cease and Michael King.
“The Padres trade Dylan Cease to the Orioles for first baseman Coby Mayo and lefty Cade Povich,” wrote Bowden in his article on Monday.
That is a solid package for an ace-level pitcher that will hit free agency in the winter. Cease is currently in the middle of his prime and has routinely shown why he is one of baseball’s best starters. Both Povich and Mayo have shown promise in the minors, and flashes in the majors. However, they haven’t put it all together yet. Sending them to the west coast for an established top-end starter that they can get a jump start on to resign isn’t a bad idea at all. Would Elias make this same type of move once again, after making a deal for former ace Corbin Burnes last offseason?
Dylan Cease, Michael King would supercharge Orioles rotation
“Michael King signs with the Orioles after agreeing to terms on a five-year, $182 million free-agent contract,” predicted Bowden.
If King pitches like he did this past season, then a contract like that makes perfect sense. The 29-year-old has less mileage on his arm than Cease and could be in line for a payday like his current and possibly future teammate. Adding both arms within a few months of each other could make the Baltimore rotation one of the best in baseball. Is this something that the team’s new ownership would sign off on? If so, then World Series titles four and five might be on their way to Camden Yards by the end of 2026.
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