GM Mike Elias explains Orioles’ quiet deadline on starting pitching

The O's general manager shared his perspective on the basically still starting pitching market before the trade deadline.

Nov 7, 2023; Scottsdale, AZ, USA; Baltimore Orioles general manager Mike Elias speaks to the media during the MLB General Manager's Meetings at Omni Scottsdale Resort & Spa. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Heading into the 2025 trade deadline, the Baltimore Orioles had multiple assets, both pitchers and positions players, available to sell.

While several hitters including Cedric Mullins, Ramón Laureano, and Ryan O'Hearn, were dealt, most of the starting rotation remained intact. The lone exception was Charlie Morton, who was acquired by the Detroit Tigers.

Tomoyuki Sugano and Zach Eflin, both rumored to be moved, ultimately stayed. Eflin's stint on the injured list with lower back discomfort likely cooled interest, while Sugano struggled in July ahead of the deadline, posting a 5.75 ERA over four starts.

Read More: Orioles’ starter set to return from IL on Monday

In addition to retaining those two starters, Baltimore acquired a number of starting pitching prospects in their various deals. However, none are guaranteed a major league roster spot in 2026. In Friday's post-deadline video conference, GM Mike Elias noted that the Orioles were aiming for major-league ready arms in return, but acknowledged that being sellers posed challenges.

The Orioles’ return for O’Hearn and Laureano:
P Boston Bateman (SD #4)
IF Cobb Hightower (SD #6)
P Tyson Neighbors (SD #12)
1B/OF Victor Figueroa (SD #29)
IF Brandon Butterworth (NR)
P Tanner Smith (NR)

— Freddie (@FreddieTheOsFan) July 31, 2025

“Yeah, we definitely tried for that,” Elias said. “It’s a rental reliever, a rental player, and I say, ‘Hey, give me your major-league-ready starting pitcher that’s under control for six years,’ it’s just not a real likely trade to happen in that context."

The market for starting pitching was tighter than expected. Merrill Kelly and Shane Bieber were the only big-name starters dealt, landing with the Texas Rangers and Toronto Blue Jays, respectively. Other marquee names like Joe Ryan, Sandy Alcántara, and Dylan Cease remained with their clubs.

As many executives and insiders across baseball have stated, acquiring starting pitching is expensive and scarce. Elias echoed the league-wide sentiment Friday. “Obviously, we would have loved to do that," he said, "but you’ve got to be realistic and there’s just not a lot of major-league-ready starting pitchers being traded by teams that are right there in contention, especially for rental-type returns.”

The Orioles' pitching depth has been tested all season, with Grayson Rodriguez, Tyler Wells, and Kyle Bradish all missing the entire year. As absences have mounted, the team finds itself at a crossroads: trying to remain competitive despite dwindling postseason hopes, which sit at just 0.5% according to FanGraphs.

Read More: Orioles considering elbow surgery for starting pitcher Grayson Rodriguez

Notable pitchers in the Orioles' organization who have either missed multiple months due to injury or underwent Tommy John surgery this season:

Grayson Rodriguez, Kyle Bradish, Zach Eflin, Trevor Rogers, Tyler Wells, Andrew Kittredge, Albert Suarez, Chayce McDermott, Patrick…

— Matt Weyrich (@ByMattWeyrich) July 30, 2025

Ultimately, the Orioles held onto most of their starters with 2026 in mind, when Elias is optimistic the team will be competitive. That being said, with what starters that will hope to be done with remains complicated at best.