It’s starting to become clear that most of the Baltimore Orioles’ trade targets in 2024 will be starting pitchers. With the likes of Kyle Bradish and John Means hurt, there is a concern with depth despite how well Corbin Burnes and Grayson Rodriguez have pitched or the emergence of Albert Suarez.

Plus, the Orioles know that starting pitching will be key if they’re going to win the AL East again and avoid another early postseason exit.

Baltimore’s Top Starting Pitching Targets at the Deadline

Obviously, the Orioles’ trade deadline won’t be exclusive to starting pitchers. But that will be the way Baltimore makes the biggest splash. The question is who will be the available starting pitchers before the 2024 MLB trade deadline?

The other question is whether the Orioles can swing a deal for one of those pitchers. Time will tell with the second question, but for now, we can take a closer look at the Orioles’ trade targets in 2024, focusing on the starting pitchers Baltimore might be interested in acquiring

Erick Fedde

Unlike last year when Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander were both traded, nobody in contention to be one of the greatest starting pitchers ever is likely to be traded this summer. That being said, Erick Fedde looks to be the best pitcher who is a virtual lock to be traded. Through 18 starts with the lowly White Sox, he’s 6-3 with a 3.13 ERA. Those numbers are far better than his career numbers and are likely to make him an all-star this year. While this year doesn’t align with his track record, the 31-year-old is a former first-round pick, so the talent has always been there.

The caveat with Fedde is that he isn’t a rental player. He signed a two-year, $15 million deal with the White Sox this past offseason, so he’s under contract for next season at an incredibly cheap price considering his performance this year.

That will make Fedde a wanted commodity on the trade market, as well as an expensive one.

While the price in terms of prospects will be high, the Orioles won’t add much to their payroll and will have another piece of their 2025 rotation in place if they pull off a trade for Fedde.

Garrett Crochet

Fedde’s teammate Garrett Crochet also finds himself in the rumor mill ahead of the deadline. The 25-year-old has been a breakout star in 2024, pitching to an ERA just above 3.00 while also being among the league leaders in strikeouts. Needless to say, that’s going to make him a popular option for teams like the Orioles hoping to add a starter. 

The kicker is that Crochet has two more years of arbitration before becoming a free agent. With a mere $800,000 salary this year, he’s likely to be relatively affordable for the next two seasons. As a result, his value on the trade market is going to be sky-high because the White Sox aren’t under any pressure to trade him.

If they don’t get an offer that knocks their socks off, they can wait to trade him this winter or next summer. That means the Orioles will likely have to part with multiple high-level prospects if they expect to trade for Crochet. 

Yusei Kikuchi

If the Orioles opt for a traditional rental player at the deadline, they can look inside the AL East at Toronto’s Yusei Kikuchi.

Like Crochet, he would give them a second lefty to pair with Cole Irvin, providing balance with Burnes and Rodriguez. He’s not necessarily a frontline starter, although Kikuchi would add reliable depth to Baltimore’s rotation without costing the Orioles an arm and a leg in prospect capital.

The thing to watch is how Kikuchi bounces back from a 6.26 ERA in June. The Orioles will also want to see how Dean Kremer performs in his return from the IL to gauge their need for another starter. If Baltimore doesn’t want to shoot for the stars but wants a veteran to add depth and stability to the starting rotation, Kikuchi could be the right fit.