Orioles Facing Fierce Competition for Top Trade Target
The Baltimore Orioles already found their closer when they signed All-Star reliever Craig Kimbrel earlier this offseason, but there's still work to be done before the 2024 season begins.
Specifically, they still need an ace.
Based on recent reports, they appear to be making a strong push for Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Dylan Cease. Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic confirmed as much Thursday night, naming the Orioles as a potential favorite to land Cease.
According to Rosenthal's report, Baltimore isn't the only AL East team interested in the star hurler, however.
Rosenthal writes that the Orioles and New York Yankees are two teams that have expressed "sincere" interest in Cease.
Considering both teams' desire for a top-tier starting pitcher, that isn't surprising. Rather than shell out big bucks for a free agent like Blake Snell or Jordan Montgomery, Baltimore would prefer to add someone like Cease who's cheaper and has multiple years of team control. Given their abundance of young talent in the minors, the Orioles certainly have the prospects to build a compelling trade package.
The Yankees, on the other hand, are still searching for a big name to add to their rotation after missing out on Yoshinobu Yamamoto. New York already has reigning AL Cy Young winner Gerrit Cole, but Cease would be a nice consolation prize.
Rosenthal reports that a third AL East team -- the Boston Red Sox -- is in the mix as well, as are the Los Angeles Dodgers and St. Louis Cardinals. Cease is a hot commodity, as he finished runner-up in the 2022 AL Cy Young race and is still two years away from free agency.
With so many marquee franchises pursuing Cease, GM Mike Elias needs to be aggressive if he wants to beat out the competition. If he doesn't, it will be significantly harder for Baltimore to defend its AL East crown next season, especially if Cease ends up with a division rival.
