Jackson Holliday's return is one of 4 moves to turn the Orioles season around

Jackson Holliday made his season debut on Tuesday in the Baltimore Orioles' 4-1 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays. He went 0-for-2 before Jeremiah Jackson replaced him to pinch hit.

The O's are slow-playing Holliday's return after he suffered a fractured hamate bone in spring workouts. That is smart, as the former No. 1 pick is far too important to Baltimore's future to rush him back recklessly. That said, Baltimore is now 21-29, dead last in the AL East. The clock is ticking on this season — and on this iteration of the team.

In addition to working Holliday back into the lineup and (hopefully) getting him up to speed for a long-awaited breakout, here are a few moves Mike Elias and the O's front office need to strongly consider.

Trade or demote 3B Coby Mayo

Coby Mayo was once among the most explosive power bats in the Minors and a top prospect in Baltimore's highly touted farm system. He was billed as a potential cleanup bat with utility at either corner infield spot.

Unfortunately, Mayo is 24 years old now, in his third MLB season, and it still has not clicked. It's probably too soon to fully give up, but he is actively harming Baltimore with his poor swing decisions. Mayo has a .590 OPS and 67 wRC+, tied with veteran Tyler O'Neill for the team's worst fWAR (-0.3) among position players.

Given Baltimore's depth of quality positional talent, there's no reason to keep Mayo on the MLB roster, much less in the every-day lineup. Whether Baltimore punts him back to Triple-A or endeavors to give Mayo a fresh start via trade, it's time to change things up.

Trade for RHP Seth Lugo

The Orioles showed a real feistiness in free agency this past winter, but it's still unreasonable to expect Baltimore to fork over major assets for a high-priced rental like Tarik Skubal or Freddy Peralta, neither of whom would be likely to re-sign this winter. Instead, we could see the O's target a mid-tier starter renowned for his durability in Seth Lugo, who's also under contract through next season.

Lugo is 36 and he pitches to contact, which can yield volatile results on occasion. That said, he has nine different pitches he can alternate between, using speeds, locations and deliveries to keep hitters off-balance. Lugo has a 3.68 ERA and an impressive 2.89 FIP, with 51 strikeouts in 58.2 innings through eight starts. Since becoming a full-time starter in 2023, Lugo has racked up at least 145 innings in every season.

Baltimore could use the workhorse qualities Lugo brings to a staff. He might not fit their long-term vision, but he can help turn this season around and help the Orioles stabilize for a couple years as the front office searches for more permanent solutions.

Trade for RHP Pete Fairbanks

Baltimore needs help in the rotation above all else, but the bullpen is another area worth addressing. Félix Bautista and Ryan Helsley, billed as the Orioles' top relievers coming into the year, are both on the IL. Rico García deserves credit for the job he has done in the closer role. Still, it can't hurt to reinforce the bullpen.

Pete Fairbanks would be a rental, and he has dealt with his own injury problems over the years (and this season, limited to 10.0 innings pitched so far in Miami). If the O's are committed to turning this season around, however, an elite bullpen will help. Helsley should return soon enough, but there is uncertainty around Bautista's return. Fairbanks is a major talent influx in a potential high-leverage role.

The surface numbers don't paint the prettiest picture — Fairbanks has allowed 10 earned runs for a 9.00 ERA — but he has a 32.6 percent strikeout rate, up there with the best in MLB, and a promising 3.17 xERA. He's due for better luck once he settles into a rhythm. Unlike high-profile starters, Fairbanks is a rental that Baltimore can actually afford in free agency, if all goes well.

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