With Opening Day less than a month away, one might believe the Baltimore Orioles and St. Louis Cardinals are finished making significant moves. Not exactly, at least for the Cardinals. All-Star third baseman Nolan Arenado is still linked to the New York Yankees and Houston Astros. Veteran starting pitchers Sonny Gray, Miles Mikolas, and Steven Matz could all join new organizations in the coming months.
The Orioles should contact Gray about his services right now, especially if the Cardinals want to speed up their rebuilding process. Gray was 13-9 with a 3.84 ERA in 28 starts last season, the first year of a three-year, $75 million contract signed after 2023. The three-time All-Star’s contract includes a team option for 2027. Here is a potential transaction that both parties should evaluate.
Baltimore Orioles obtain Sonny Gray, P. St. Louis Cardinals obtain Dylan Beavers, OF; Brandon Young, P; Max Wagner, 3B; and Peter Van Loon, P. If this appears to be a significant return for the Cardinals, keep in mind that they are about to rebuild. In contrast, the Orioles aspire to win the World Series in a division that includes the New York Yankees.
The FanDuel Sportsbook has the Orioles as +600 favorites to win the American League, trailing only the Yankees (+300).
Beavers are the crown jewel of this commerce, and for good reason. Last season, the No. 33 choice in 2022 batted.242, with 15 home runs, 54 RBI, and an amazing 31 stolen bases in 34 attempts. The Beavers finished the year playing all three outfield positions at Triple-A. He’s on the verge of making his major league debut, and the Cardinals might profit right away.
Young is another Triple-A talent who has the potential to make an impact in the MLB this season. He had a 3.44 ERA in 20 games (18 starts) for Norfolk last season. We are not claiming that Young will replace Gray immediately and begin in April. However, the 26-year-old can surely compete for a spot in the rotation eventually. Wagner, a 2022 second-round draft pick, was considered a possible bounceback candidate. In 19 Double-A games, the South Carolina native batted just.109.
Van Loon’s first complete season as a starter was last year, and he earned a 2.66 ERA in 12 games (11 starts) with the Double-A Chesapeake Baysox. The 26-year-old is presently attending Orioles camp as a non-roster invitee. To be sure, the Orioles are paying a high price for a 35-year-old starting pitcher. However, it’s a gamble worth taking if the Orioles hope to win their first World Series in almost four decades.
