The Orioles’ trade deadline direction is still up in the air with less than a week to go. Baltimore sits on a disappointing 52-55 record, burying them 11 games behind the division-leading Rays but leaving them just two games out in the AL Wild Card chase. They’re facing a similarly disappointing Tigers club right now before hosting the 57-50 Phillies for their final three pre-deadline games.
Baltimore could move rentals like Taylor Ward and Trevor Rogers if they slide further down the standings, or they could string together a few wins and make some modest additions to bolster those Wild Card hopes. Given their place in the standings and broader organizational outlook, it’s unlikely they’ll be prominent sellers. It seems they’re laying groundwork for a number of different potential talks, however; ESPN’s Jeff Passan reports (video link, specifically around the 24:55 mark) that they’ve talked with other clubs about second baseman Jackson Holliday, outfielder Colton Cowser and catcher Adley Rutschman. The latter is now on the injured list alongside Samuel Basallo. Both catchers being banged up makes it tougher to see the O’s moving on from Rutschman, who’s controlled through 2027. An offseason deal — if Rutschman is traded at all — feels more realistic.
Holliday would be a particularly intriguing trade candidate, though in all likelihood discussions surrounding him are merely a matter of due diligence. The 22-year-old was the No. 1 overall draft pick in 2022 and was the No. 1 prospect in baseball prior to his big league debut. He hasn’t yet lived up to that lofty prospect billing, but Holliday won’t turn 23 until the offseason and is enjoying career-best output at the plate. In 55 games and 178 plate appearances, he’s hitting .243/.354/.392 with a career-high 15.2% walk rate.
It’s not the most formidable batting line you’ll see, but Holliday’s season began with a lengthy absence due to a hamate fracture he suffered in spring training. Some setbacks along the way delayed his season debut into mid-May. Holliday hit decently at first before struggling for most of June. Hamate fractures can often have lingering impact on a hitter’s performance, but Holliday has looked much better of late. Over the past three weeks, he’s taken 50 plate appearances and turned in a ridiculous .410/.520/.487 slash with more walks (10) than strikeouts (8). He’s not going to sustain that pace, of course, but Holliday is clearly seeing the ball well. His chase rate on pitches outside the strike zone during this blistering stretch is a paltry 16.3%.
The Orioles control Holliday for four years beyond the current season. He’s yet to reach the ceiling forecast for him prior to his big league debut, but the asking price would surely still be quite high given his upside and remaining control. Clubs in need of help at multiple infield spots could still try to make a push, but the O’s wouldn’t feel pressured to agree to anything shy of a significant return. Holliday has played primarily second base as an Oriole but has experience at both shortstop and third base. Moving him now would be selling low, but if a team is willing to pay for that upside in the form of some controllable starting pitching, perhaps the O’s would at least consider it. They have Kyle Bradish, Shane Baz and Dean Kremer signed/controlled beyond the current season but little certainty otherwise, and Kremer is controlled only through 2027.
The O’s don’t have an obvious successor at second base if they surprisingly opt to move Holliday. Jeremiah Jackson‘s BABIP-driven 2025 showing has given way to a bleak .248/.268/.393 slash in a larger sample this year. Baltimore’s system isn’t especially deep in infielders — at least not in the upper minors. If the O’s are convinced that Coby Mayo can handle third base, then shifting Jordan Westburg to second base next year might make some sense, speculatively speaking. (Certainly, the throws from second would be easier on his surgically repaired right elbow than the throws from his customary hot corner.) Utilityman Blaze Alexander could mix in, and there will also be several options available in free agency (e.g. Luis Arraez, Jazz Chisholm Jr., Gleyber Torres, Brandon Lowe).
Cowser makes for a more natural trade possibility. Baltimore can control him three more years, through 2029, but he’s had a mixed-bag tenure in the bigs. Back in 2024, Cowser looked like a building block, hitting .242/.321/.447 with 24 homers and nine steals while playing plus left field defense (in addition to briefer stints in center field and right field). That year’s 30.4% strikeout rate was a red flag, however, and in 2025 Cowser’s questionable hit tool reached a breaking point. He fanned in just shy of 36% of his plate appearances while batting only .196/.269/.385.
The 2026 season hasn’t been much kinder. Cowser struggled in April, caught fire in May, and has now seen his offense wilt once again. He’s hitting .207/.315/.332 overall but just .156/.303/.222 in his past 109 trips to the plate. Cowser has played primarily center field this season and graded well there (4 Defensive Runs Saved, 4 Outs Above Average) after posting lesser marks in previous seasons.
A good portion of Cowser’s struggles at the plate in the majors have come against lefties. He’s not a great hitter versus right-handers, granted, but his .219/.312/.402 batting line (103 wRC+) is serviceable. Against southpaws, he’s mustered only a .200/.270/.349 line. Whether in Baltimore or elsewhere, he’s best deployed with in a platoon setting.
Still just 26 years old, Cowser is a former No. 5 overall pick and top prospect. He hasn’t reached stardom or even cemented himself as a regular. As with Holliday though, another club could still place a bet if they feel there’s some untapped upside. He has above average speed and a plus arm. Statcast has regularly touted his plus range.
The Orioles aren’t deep in ready-made replacements, but they’ve gotten average offense out of Dylan Beavers in a limited sample and have prospects like Nate George, Ike Irish and Enrique Bradfield Jr. climbing the system. Reed Trimble is a bit old (26) to be a true prospect but is already on the 40-man roster and close to big league ready. The O’s could try to re-sign Ward (an impending free agent and a trade candidate if things go south over the next week), and free agency will also include names like Randy Arozarena, Ian Happ, Seiya Suzuki, Trent Grisham, Daulton Varsho and Jake Bauers.
Talks this time of year are both expansive and plentiful. The Orioles discussing bigger moves like potentially dealing Holliday or Cowser certainly does not equate to either player being shopped. At the same time, it’s also fair to say that Baltimore’s ballyhooed core of young players from several years ago hasn’t panned out as well as hoped. Players like Holliday, Cowser, Mayo and Beavers have shown glimpses of breaking out but haven’t done so in full. Westburg is a solid regular but has frequently been injured. Rutschman and Gunnar Henderson have played like stars at times and “merely” quality regulars at others. The O’s have held onto some other touted prospects (e.g. Heston Kjerstad, Cade Povich) and simply not received much in the way of major league contributions.
Whether the front office thinks this group can still comprise the core of a contending club or feels that some bigger-picture changes are necessary will become clearer over time. For now, the Orioles are doing what a team stuck in the middle of a mediocre AL playoff race should do: explore options on both ends of the buy/sell spectrum to lay the groundwork not only for theoretical deadline deals — but also some potential offseason dealings if it’s determined that broader changes are necessary.
