Orioles news: John Means on the trade block

Orioles pitcher John Means has reportedly been the subject of trade talks during the early portion of the MLB offseason.

Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher John Means enjoyed one of the best seasons of his MLB career in 2021. Means looked like an ace for the Orioles in the first half before a shoulder injury caused him to miss some time in the second half of the season. Means' value took a hit after the injury but the recent actions of the Orioles prove they still think highly-enough of his ability.

Other teams say the Orioles are dangling left-hander John Means for trade. He's set to make about $3 million in arbitration, coming off a season in which he pitched great in the 1st half (2.28 ERA) struggled in the 2nd half (4.88) and had shoulder issues. https://t.co/rSQSDncyrZ

— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) November 23, 2021

So, John Means is on the trade block. As MLB reporter Buster Olney notes, Means looked like one of the better pitchers in baseball in the first half of the season, posting the best ERA of his career while tossing a no-hitter against the Seattle Mariners in May.

Means could be an impressive acquisition for contending MLB teams if he can rediscover his form from the first half. Per FanGraphs, the southpaw had a strong strikeout rate of 25.9 percent with a miniscule walk rate and an opponent batting average of .173.

Coincidentally, the other four teams in the Orioles division could all use a starting pitcher like John Means, though the rebuilding Orioles likely won't be interested in lending their rivals a helping hand.

There's little point in the Orioles holding onto the 28-year-old Means, who is in the prime of his career. If Baltimore ultimately decides to trade the lefty, it will be interesting to see which MLB teams are first to inquire.