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Orioles rumors: 3 pitches expected to be traded
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The Baltimore Orioles might not be officially ready to waive the white flag, but speculation regarding their trade deadline plans has already started to circulate.
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MLB insider Bob Nightengale recently reported that the Orioles could look to trade three starters who have not performed well in 2025. Zach Eflin , Charlie Morton , and Tomoyuki Sugano could all be elsewhere before the end of July.
" Baltimore Orioles starter Zach Eflin , who has been out with back discomfort since late June, is expected to return to the Orioles rotation after the All-Star break, and will become immediate trade bait," Nightengale wrote.
"The Orioles also are expected to trade Charlie Morton and Tomoyuki Sugano barring a dramatic winning streak after the break."
Baltimore is 43-51 on the season. They are at the bottom of a competitive American League East and 6.5 games back of a Wild Card spot. It would not be mathematically impossible for them to make the Postseason for the third year in a row, but the club has been gearing up for a detour since former manager Bradon Hyde was fired earlier this season.
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Prior to his injury, Eflin had been struggling to find consistency. Through 12 starts, he has earned a 5.95 ERA. According to Baseball Savant, he ranks in the 97th percentile in BB% but only the 22nd percentile in xBA.
Sugano has been similarly underwhelming. The 35-year-old has posted a 4.44 ERA across his 18 starts in MLB. The Orioles' front office had high hopes for the Japanese right-hander when they signed him to a one-year deal in the offseason, but the two-time Sawamura Award winner has not yet found his comfort zone in Baltimore.
Morton's age and Postseason experience might make him the most intriguing trade piece of the trio. The 41-year-old is a two-time World Series champion and holds a career 3.60 Postseason ERA. A contender could take a chance on Morton and hope that the New Jersey native has one more playoff run left in him.
It is unlikely that the Orioles envisioned themselves as sellers before the season started, but their present circumstances have changed how they will approach the next few weeks.
Related: Brewers trade proposal lands Orioles star amid Jacob Misiorowski breakout
Related: Why Tomoyuki Sugano believes Orioles can still make MLB playoffs
