Ahead of the MLB offseason, the Baltimore Orioles are a team that appear to be likely to be very active. Right off the bat, they will have to figure out the status of two of their own key players.
Both Corbin Burnes and Anthony Santander are set to hit the open MLB free agency market. There have been many predictions that have both players leaving the Orioles.
Losing Burnes would leave a massive hole in Baltimore's rotation. Without him, they would badly need to bring in at least one arm and likely two. Even if they were to re-sign Burnes, they would likely prefer to add another quality arm.
While there are quite a few good starters available in free agency, there are also many that could be available for the right price in the trade market.
One of those potential trade targets that the Orioles should pursue is Chicago Cubs veteran pitcher Jameson Taillon.
Ahead of the MLB trade deadline, there were a ton of rumors surrounding the Cubs with Taillon being at the center of many of them. He was widely viewed as available for the right price.
Taillon, a 32-year-old right-hander, put together a solid all-around season in Chicago in 2024. He would certainly be an impact addition for Baltimore if they were able to pull off a trade for him.
Speaking of the 2024 season, Taillon ended up making 28 starts for the Cubs. He compiled a 12-8 record to go along with a 3.27 ERA, a 1.13 WHIP, a 3.8 K/BB ratio, and 165.1 innings pitched. Those numbers clearly show the kind of sizable impact that he can make on a team.
In addition to his production from 2024, Taillon still has two years left on his contract. Not only would the Orioles be making the move for the 2025 season, but he could also be a part of the rotation for 2026 as well.
Making a trade for Taillon would also end up being cheaper in the long run than trying to sign an ace like Blake Snell or even Burnes. Ideally, Baltimore would bring Burnes back and acquire Taillon, but the Chicago veteran would be a quality addition either way.
All of that being said, there is no guarantee that the Cubs will be looking to move Taillon. There is also no guarantee that the Orioles would have any interest in trading for him if he was available.
However, it's an intriguing option and one that Baltimore should at least think about heading into the offseason.
