Mike Trout to the Orioles?

[vab]

MLB rumors: 5 teams that should free Mike Trout with Angels ownership in flux

 

Mike Trout trade destination: Baltimore Orioles

The rumors have been that the Orioles will target a shortstop in the offseason as a huge crop of players hits free agency — but what if they didn't? Their GM, Mike Elia,s has spoken a ton about how the Orioles will spend a lot of money this offseason and what better player could you get than Mike Trout?

This move would be akin to the Mariners signing Robbie Ray or the Twins signing Carlos Correa, only even bigger given the superstar status of Trout. It's a move that tells the MLB world that they are ready to win now and compete.

The Orioles have plenty of prospects to get Trout. With so many cheap contracts on their roster, there's no doubt they have plenty of money for his contract. Imagine Trout playing left field in one of the most beautiful parks in baseball.

Baltimore would become one of the most exciting, electrifying, and best teams in MLB with a lineup built around Trout, Cedric Mullins, Adley Rutschman, Gunnar Henderson, Ryan Mountcastle, and Austin Hays — that's a scary lineup. It would be good for baseball, MLB, and the Orioles while also bringing Trout a lot closer to home.

[ScGO's]

Trout and some money for Mullins, hays, DL hall, Westburg, mayo, rom, and pinto

[Aristotelian]

I saw a list of top five teams for Ohtani and was surprised we weren't on the list. Of course the Yankees were at the top but we have way better prospect packages we could offer. 

[Hank Scorpio]

Have we learned nothing about contracts that pay enormous chunks of money into someone's 40's? 

Edit: someone who already has back issues!!!!!

Edited August 25, 2022 by Hank Scorpio

[wildcard]

Seems unlikely that the O's would pay $35m per year for 8 years of Trout for his 31-38 ages.    He is a great player when he plays but is already spending time on the IL.

Edited August 25, 2022 by wildcard

[OsFanSinceThe80s]

6 minutes ago, Hank Scorpio said:

Have we learned nothing about contracts that pay enormous chunks of money into someone's 40's? 

Edit: someone who already has back issues!!!!!

I don't care how good a player Trout has been, he's now in his 30's and developing chronic back problems. Since the 2016 season the most games Trout has played in any single season is 140 games during 2018. 

[Hank Scorpio]

I'd love to have his bat for the next 4-5 years if he was healthy.

 

[Sports Guy]

His health is an issue..it’s also why (along with that contract) that he probably would cost less in a trade than he should. 
 

Ultimately, I would be surprised if the Angels found a trading partner for Trout that will meet their cost.

However, if you can get him for 70 cents on the dollar, I’m doing it in a heartbeat.

[Can_of_corn]

20 minutes ago, ScGO's said:

Trout and some money for Mullins, hays, DL hall, Westburg, mayo, rom, and pinto

That's a OH classic trade proposal there.

 

[Gurgi]

Honestly Trout probably breaks down in a couple of years and leaves whoever has his contract holding poison.   

[Frobby]

I love Trout and would be really happy if he stayed healthy for the next 8-9 years and proved himself one of the 5-10 greatest players of all time.  But I think it ends up he’s in the club with Griffey and Mantle, i.e., players who put up amazing numbers in their 20’s but were too oft-injured in their 30’s to reach the very top pinnacle.  I do not think the O’s should gamble on him.  

[Pickles]

8 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

That's a OH classic trade proposal there.

 

Usually the OH trade proposals are dramatically in the Orioles' favor.

I think that trade is the exact opposite: That is ridiculously tilted in favor of the Angels.

I wouldn't give up half of that for Trout.  We would almost certainly be a worse team immediately and going forward after such a trade.

[RVAOsFan]

This doesn't smell like a move Elias makes.  He speaks too much about building a sustainable, strong from top to bottom organization.  When he makes a big trade and I am almost certain he will (too much minor league depth) it will be for a young controllable player and most likely a pitcher.

[Can_of_corn]

2 minutes ago, Pickles said:

Usually the OH trade proposals are dramatically in the Orioles' favor.

I think that trade is the exact opposite: That is ridiculously tilted in favor of the Angels.

I wouldn't give up half of that for Trout.  We would almost certainly be a worse team immediately and going forward after such a trade.

Right, you can trade for Trout without giving up any of your top 4 prospects.

[Hallas]

16 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

That's a OH classic trade proposal there.

 

I don't know how much trade value Trout has right now.  He's missed large parts of 2 seasons and his current back/rib issue sounds like it's going to be an ongoing issue.  Fangraphs knocked him pretty far down on their trade value list - he barely made the top 50 this year.

 

If I were a betting man I'd say he's likely to keep his MVP level performance up for the next 3 or so years but he's going to miss more time, and after that he'll probably be an all star but not an MVP for another 2-3 years, while still missing some time.  He's probably going to earn his contract, but it's going to be close, and trading 3 50ish FV prospects and 2 45ish FV prospects for him, plus 2 major-league pieces, seems like a lot of equity to give up for someone that's providing performance but not value.

 

I'd trade the entire farm for Ohtani, on the other hand.

Edited August 25, 2022 by Hallas