The Baltimore Orioles have struggled mightily this season, tumbling down the standings after making the playoffs last year. Now, the team might need to make a trade or two in the 2025 MLB offseason. Starting pitching was a major flaw for the Orioles and one of the reasons for their struggles. The struggles could make for an Orioles roster shakeup. Moreover, there will be some trade candidates in the offseason.
Baltimore's chances to make the playoffs are off the board, according to FanDuel. Although they have not been mathematically eliminated, things don't look so good. Of course, Adley Rutschman has dealt with numerous injuries, and he is one of many players who have faced similar challenges. The O's have dealt with a plethora of ailments, including injuries to Tyler O'Neill, Zach Eflin, Grayson Rodriguez, and Jordan Westburg.
Despite the rumors about the Orioles trading Rutschman after the season, he is not the disappointing player to trade. Instead, the Orioles are more likely to trade a player who has not been able to capitalize on any extra playing time. This is the one player the Orioles must trade.
Injuries befell the Orioles in 2025
As noted, injuries have taken down the O's. Rutschman has dealt with the most injuries out of everyone. Because of this, the Orioles called up top prospect Samuel Basallo, who has been catching in place of Rutschman. It puts Rutschman's future with the team in doubt. Still, there is more of a chance that the O's could keep him.
The starting rotation suffered numerous injuries. Ultimately, there could be an Orioles roster shakeup that includes adding more depth to this rotation. This rotation is currently 24th in team ERA, while the bullpen is 25th. Overall, it's been an awful season for the pitching staff. While any one of these pitchers could be a potential Orioles trade candidate, there is one more who fits the mold.
The slow progress of Heston Kjerstad
The Orioles drafted Heston Kjerstad in the 2020 first round with the second overall pick. By now, he should have been a starting outfielder for the O's. It has not worked out that way. In fact, he has struggled with the limited opportunities he has received.
Looking back on his career, he has faced a lot of bad luck. Kjerstad missed a lot of time during the 2020 season due to myocarditis, not getting the time to develop. Since then, things have not improved much. Kjerstad has struggled to advance through development, receiving minimal time in the majors during parts of the 2023 and 2024 seasons. Additionally, he also suffered a head injury after Clay Holmes hit him in the head last July.
The team did not express the greatest confidence in him last offseason as they signed O'Neill and Ramon Laureano. Alarmingly, it looked like his future with the team was in great jeopardy. Kjerstad has appeared in just 54 games this season, batting only .192 with four home runs and 19 RBIs. Also, he hit just .159 in May while slugging just .327.
His defense has not been much better. The stat line has shown that Kjerstad's defense has been atrocious, and he isn't making a strong case for himself to be part of this team's future. He currently has -7 runs saved, illustrating the poor state of his defensive metrics. At this point, Kjerstad has not proven that he can be a reliable option for this team.
Why the O's could trade him
The Orioles already have outfielders who can hit and play on defense. As noted before, O'Neill is going to be around. Colton Cowser may not be the best hitter, but he brings more value than Kjerstad does. Meanwhile, Jeremiah Jackson has made the most of his opportunities over 22 games, batting .324 with one home run, nine RBIs, and eight runs. Like Cowser, Dylan Carlson has better value, at least on defense, than Kjerstad does.
The O's might want to fix their pitching. Therefore, they could look to see what is available on the market. The Orioles could package Kjerstad to a team with another prospect for a starting pitcher or a bullpen arm. If the team has truly given up on him being a part of their future, then there is a higher chance they might attempt to find a way to utilize any value he has left.
The Orioles' roster shakeup could result in Kjerstad being on the way out. Unless he can find a way to improve at the plate and on the field, he will be the biggest of the Orioles trade candidates in the MLB offseason. Even though he has not played much, he has clearly disappointed with the opportunities he has had, and the O's might be running out of patience.
