Former MLB Executive Urges Orioles to Make This One Change to Save Franchise

What can the Baltimore Orioles do amid a lost season?

Apr 30, 2025; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Orioles first baseman Ryan Mountcastle (6) hits a home run and celebrates with second baseman Jackson Holliday (7) and outfielder Heston Kjerstad (13) during the second inning against the New York Yankees at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. | Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images

There isn’t a team in baseball who has disappointed as much as the Baltimore Orioles during the 2025 MLB regular season.

They entered the year with legitimate World Series aspirations, or at the very least contending in what looked to be a wide open American League.

Instead, entering the last week of May, the discourse around the franchise has turned into how big of sellers they will be ahead of the trade deadline because of how poorly the team has performed on the field.

Entering play on May 23, the Orioles are 16-32. That has them in the cellar of the AL East. The Chicago White Sox and Colorado Rockies are the only two teams in baseball who have fewer victories than that.

Given how bad their pitching is, a turnaround does not look feasible.

As a result, they have been urged by former MLB executive Jim Bowden to make the most of a bad situation.

How Can Baltimore Orioles Make Most of a Lost Season?

That means trading away as many of the desirable assets on their roster and bringing back some high-upside prospects. Despite the team’s poor level of production, there are several individual players who would garner a lot of interest from contending teams.

Mike Elias is on the clock, says @JimBowdenGM.

"If this team doesn't turn around and win, you've got to take these five or six assets that you have and turn them into 12 prospects." pic.twitter.com/x11R9sf92B

— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) May 19, 2025

In addition to being sellers, Bowden would love to see Baltimore begin to reinvest in their young core, getting them back on track.

Outfielder Heston Kjerstad has been a mess, failing to live up to his lofty prospect ranking. The same can be said for Coby Mayo, who dominates in the minor leagues but has provided nothing at the Major League level yet, blocked from consistent playing time.

Trading a few of the veteran pieces in place, such as first baseman Ryan Mountcastle, outfielder Tyler O’Neill and designated hitter Ryan O’Hearn, would clear the way for the Orioles to see what the younger guys can do with extended playing time and not looking over their shoulder at a replacement.

Another player they need to figure things out with is catcher Adley Rutschman.

Having already reached the All-Star level, his production has plummeted. His struggles in the second half of 2024 carried right over into 2025.

Finding a spark to get him back on track is imperative, especially with a decision having to be made in the near future about his long-term standing with the franchise.

If he cannot figure things out again, the Orioles can at least rest a little easier knowing their top prospect, Samuel Basallo, is waiting in the wings to take over behind the plate or at first base.