The 2025 season hasn't gone as planned for the Baltimore Orioles. After two straight playoff appearances, the Orioles have taken a major step back this season, as the team is currently 25-37 and last in the AL Central. The season doesn't look like it has any hope of getting better for the Orioles, as recent injuries have had an impact on how Baltimore will approach the trade deadline.
Ryan Mountcastle's injury
Orioles first baseman Ryan Mountcastle is expected to be out for 8-12 weeks after suffering a Grade 2 strain of his right hamstring. Due to the seriousness of his injury, Mountcastle is expected to be moved to the 60-day IL. This comes after the Orioles placed him on the 10-day injured list and recalled Coby Mayo to the team's 40-man roster.
This is a significant loss for the Orioles, as Mountcastle was one of the players that the Orioles were looking to trade at the deadline. The six-year MLB first baseman has recorded 46 hits, 15 RBI's, and two home runs this season for the Orioles.
With the severity and the length of his injury, the Orioles will most likely not be able to use Mountcastle as a trade candidate for the MLB trade deadline, which is on July 31. While injured players are allowed to be traded, it's hard to imagine that any team would want to take on his injury and his recent struggles.
Mountcastle was originally the starting first baseman for the Orioles until Ryan O'Hearn took over for him. O'Hearn has a team-best batting average of .317 and an OBP of .402. The 31-year-old first baseman also leads the Orioles in hits with 59 on the season.
What's next for the Orioles?
With the injury of Mountcastle and rumors about what the Orioles will do at the trade deadline, many are wondering how Baltimore can salvage its season. It wasn't long ago that the Orioles had one of the worst records in baseball.
Despite back-to-back successful regular seasons that didn't translate to postseason success, many believed that the Orioles were heading in the right direction and had a bright future. With the way this season has gone, however, it may be time for the Orioles to reconsider the current roster they have in place.