This could’ve been handled much better.
In recent years, Mike Elias’ trade deadline efforts have left Baltimore Orioles fans craving more. Now, as the club prepares its offseason offensive strategy, it can only look back on one deal made in July and wish things had happened differently.
The Orioles intend to be contenders next season, but how they handled their two finest trade chips at the 2025 deadline did little to help them achieve that objective.
Ryan O’Hearn and Ramon Laureano were among the most sought-after bats on the market. Elias elected to package them together in a trade with the San Diego Padres, bringing six prospects back to Baltimore.
Ryan O’Hearn-Ramon Laureano trade brought back nothing that will help Orioles in 2026
The Orioles didn’t just part ways with Ryan O’Hearn and Ramón Laureano at the trade deadline. Reliever Gregory Soto didn’t carry much trade value due to his role, while Cedric Mullins’ underwhelming season limited his return. The same could be said for Charlie Morton and Ramón Urías. O’Hearn and Laureano were the key pieces, yet GM Mike Elias chose quantity over quality when dealing his two most valuable assets.
Baltimore received six prospects in total, with four ranked among San Diego’s top 30. However, those rankings lose significance given the Padres’ weak farm system, which entered the year ranked 25th and dropped to last after their own trade deadline moves. In most organizations, these prospects wouldn’t be rated nearly as highly.
An even bigger concern is that all six prospects are still in the lower levels of the minors, meaning they won’t be contributing in 2026 — and likely not in 2027 either. For a team loaded with young hitters, the Orioles’ biggest need was young, controllable pitching talent to develop alongside them. They failed to address that.
Now, the pressure is on Elias to deliver this offseason. Baltimore needs a legitimate ace and multiple mid-rotation arms to stabilize the staff. Although Elias has said the team will explore all options to land a top-tier starter, his track record doesn’t inspire much confidence. Even acquiring a near-MLB-ready arm wouldn’t have solved everything, but it would’ve eased the pitching burden and positioned the Orioles better for 2026.
In the end, getting no players capable of helping in 2026 in exchange for your two best trade chips during a lost season is a major failure — one that makes the road back to contention significantly steeper.