Baltimore Orioles Trade Target Now Unlikely To Get Moved by San Diego Padres

After rumors connecting the Baltimore Orioles to an ace of the San Diego Padres, it appears like he's no longer available for trade.

Oct 9, 2024; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres pitcher Dylan Cease (84) throws in the first inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers during game four of the NLDS for the 2024 MLB Playoffs at Petco Park | Denis Poroy-Imagn Images

The Baltimore Orioles seem content with their pitching situation.

With Tomoyuki Sugano showing up to camp, the Orioles are entering the spring with their five projected starters in the rotation healthy and ready to prove the doubters wrong who say this group won't be as good as last year's.

There isn't a clear ace of this staff even though Zach Eflin and Grayson Rodriguez are both more than serviceable arms.

But without the dominant No. 1 guy, the chances the Orioles can make a real run to the World Series seems slim on paper, especially when factoring in what has taken place in their last two playoff appearances.

That's why fans and analysts alike have been clamoring for Baltimore to make a move to acquire Dylan Cease from the San Diego Padres.

The right-hander would immediately improve this Orioles rotation, pushing Eflin and Rodriguez down a spot with Sugano and Charlie Morton round out the group.

At one point this offseason, it appeared like the Padres were ready to deal the star right-hander, looking to get back some assets since he's in his final year of club control and is expected to land a megadeal next winter.

San Diego asked for a monster package in negotiations with Baltimore, causing Mike Elias and the front office to step back from the table without getting something worked out.

And now it appears like the Padres are no longer interested in dealing Cease after they made a late-offseason signing to add Nick Pivetta to the mix.

"... and contributing to the apparent likelihood that top starter and trade candidate Dylan Cease remains with the club into Opening Day," reported Dennis Lin of The Athletic when discussing the new addition of Pivetta. "Barring another club meeting Preller’s lofty asking prices, the Padres plan to open the season with a starting rotation led by Cease, King, Yu Darvish and Pivetta ..."

That's an interesting wrinkle.

San Diego seemed determined to get under the luxury tax this year, and even though they worked out a team-friendly deal with their new right-hander that could have given them the ability to actually move Cease, it now sounds like they have no interest in shipping the star out of town.

That could change if the Orioles meet the king's ransom the Padres are looking for in a deal.

But it would take a lot, and right now it appears like Baltimore is not willing to part with that type of package despite entering the season without a true ace.