Before the season began, there were plenty of people who believed the Baltimore Orioles would build off their 2022 success (83-79) and take the next step in 2023. Though, the thing that held skeptics back from buying the O's as a legitimate contender was their willingness to spend money on pitching. They did not exactly loosen the purse strings like fans would have hoped.

A one-year, $10 million Kyle Gibson signing stands out as the most notable addition. A low-market front office coming off a winning season is more likely to sit with their legs in the pool rather than dive all the way in. So, it was an unsurprising but nonetheless disappointing offseason. Or so we all thought.

Baltimore overcame its frugal tendencies and currently boasts the third-best record in baseball. The historic season, via Birdland Insider, has the team breathing down the Tampa Bay Rays' neck, a game-and-a-half out of first place in the American League East. Forget clinching their first postseason berth since 2016. The Orioles could be playing themselves into an opening-round bye.

Competition will remain tight, though. Manager Brandon Hyde and his club have done an exemplary job staying ahead of more proven and hyped teams like the Houston Astros, Toronto Blue Jays, New York Yankees and even the Seattle Mariners. But all of this substantial regular season success has led them right to a crossroads, one Baltimore and others of its ilk wrestle with.

Do you keep riding the path blazed by homegrown talent like Adley Rustchman, Austin Hays and Gunnar Henderson? Or do you take the more daring and exciting path and go all in at the MLB trade deadline? That second path may as well be a haunted forest in the middle of the night to belt-tighteners like the the O's.

Well, get your flashlights and bear repellent out. It's time to make that trek and put the finishing touches on a World Series contender. Let's have at it and search for two sneaky trade candidates the Orioles should consider ahead of the Aug. 1 deadline.

Jordan Montgomery- Cardinals SP

Alright, so we're not exactly trudging up Mount Everest here. If I told you were just going to take a nice evening hike and catch a nice view, you probably would have bailed. Stay with me, though, and remember who we're dealing with here. It is asking a lot for Baltimore to become adventure-seekers over night. Let the organization ease itself into the superstar sweepstakes by first grabbing a reliable player who fits a big need.

Orioles general manager Mike Elias is going to still be focused on building around his young talent, as he should. So that means reasonably affordable acquisitions that still position the franchise for a strong postseason push will be the top priority in the next couple of weeks. Jordan Montgomery checks those boxes. And he actually has been better than more flashy names like Max Scherzer and Dylan Cease who might also be available.

The St. Louis Cardinals southpaw is again quietly getting the job done, posting a 3.23 ERA and 96 strikeouts in just over a 100 innings pitched. He has been a beaming ray of light on an otherwise gloomy starting staff. His advanced metrics are down a bit from last year, but fans should feel good about seeing Montgomery take the hill every fifth day.

Although the 30-year-old is not an ideal postseason ace, he has shown the right amount of nerve in the past. Heck, Montgomery is one the few Yankees starting pitchers in recent memory to not get eaten alive in the Bronx and actually hold steady. With consistent production and an expiring contract, this lefty is a practical candidate to pair alongside Tyler Wells (3.18 ERA) and Kyle Bradish (3.32) in the Orioles rotation.

Lance Lynn- White Sox SP

Don't turn back now, we've made it this far. Chicago White Sox GM Rick Hahn's phone should be perennially busy leading up to Aug. 1, as a second consecutive regular season flop has probably forced them into seller mode. Nearly their entire starting pitching rotation will generate differing degrees of interest. But if we're keeping in tune with the O's philosophy of acquiring savvy, low-cost assets, then veteran Lance Lynn feels like Elias' guy.

Yes, the remaining amount of the 36-year-old's $18.5 million 2023 salary might be a bit out of their price range, especially with a ghastly 6.03 ERA, but he should be easily obtainable. Baltimore does not have to trade one of its coveted prospects- like it probably would for Lucas Giolito or Dylan Cease- and it can decline his 2024 club option. Furthermore, Lynn's reputation portends that he has a solid chance of figuring things out.

In fact, he is coming out of the All-Star break after tossing seven innings of one-hit ball and 11 Ks against the Blue Jays. He takes the mound next on Saturday versus the Atlanta Braves. If he can hold his own against that daunting lineup, fans should at least be willing to entertain the possibility of Lance Lynn donning orange.

The two-time All-Star has finished in the top 10 for AL Cy Young voting in three of the last five years and has been a viable starter on multiple teams and in both leagues. His 5.28 career postseason ERA will understandably turn some people off, but he gives the Orioles needed experience.

Orioles need to show they're serious

Mike Elias and the front office need to come away with one or two players, preferably a pitcher, who brings them closer to a title. In theory, they are not that far away right now. A top-level catcher in Adley Rutschman, a high batting average guy in Austin Hays, some pop in the form of Gunnar Henderson and Ryan Mountcastle and an elite bullpen combo in Felix Bautista and Yennier Cano sounds pretty good.

Those type of players can help a franchise win a championship. Tyler Wells and Kyle Bradish are enjoying career years and have led an unexpectedly viable starting pitching staff. Adding one or both of these players above will shore up some depth issues and show fans that the Orioles are ready to make moves.

We have seen enough through the first-half of the season to know that the birds are buyers ahead of the 2023 MLB trade deadline. They must now acknowledge that fact and act the part.