Best Trade Fits for Orioles’ Cedric Mullins at the Deadline

In 2021, Cedric Mullins hit .291 with 30 home runs, 30 stolen bases, an .878 OPS and a 6.0 fWAR, making an All-Star Game appearance, winning a Silver Slugger and getting some down-ballot AL MVP support.

The center fielder looked like he would be a core piece on the next great Baltimore Orioles team.

However, in parts of three seasons since then, Mullins has hit .241 with a .702 OPS and 5.9 fWAR. He’s still provided value with 12 defensive runs saved over that period, but he’s failed to match the offensive output from his breakout campaign.

Of course, the Orioles have become significantly better since 2021 as well. General manager Mike Elias has built an incredible pipeline of young talent, which is primarily made up of position players.

Right fielder Anthony Santander may be in a contract year, but Baltimore has a pair of productive outfielders in their mid-20s in Colton Cowser and Heston Kjerstad. Austin Hays — who hit 54 home runs between 2021 and 2023 — is also under team control through 2025.

The Orioles, without a doubt, have a surplus of outfield and position-playing talent. So while it would be unconventional, it wasn’t shocking to hear ESPN’s Jeff Passan report this week that the Orioles are willing to consider trade offers for Mullins, in addition to first baseman Ryan Mountcastle.

As the Orioles try to chase a World Series in 2024, it’s clear they need at least one more starting pitcher behind Corbin Burnes and Grayson Rodriguez.

When you consider Burnes is a free agent after this season and Kyle Bradish could miss most or all of 2025 recovering from Tommy John surgery, it would make sense for Baltimore to acquire a controllable starter, which typically costs a pretty penny.

Mullins can’t become a free agent until after 2025, so any acquiring team would be landing him for two pennant runs. Whether it’s directly for a starting pitcher, or in a separate trade to help replenish what is given up in another deal, you can at least understand why the Orioles would ponder trading Mullins.

With that in mind, here are four potential landing spots for the 29-year-old outfielder.

Cedric Mullins Best Trade Fits

Los Angeles Dodgers

It will be interesting to see how president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman views his outfield in the days leading up to the trade deadline. The Dodgers have outfield needs both in 2024 and 2025.

Jason Heyward is 34 and has been on the injured list multiple times this season. James Outman has completely flopped after looking like an emerging star a year ago. Both Kiké Hernández and Chris Taylor don’t appear to have much left.

Andy Pages is an exciting young player, but is the 23-year-old ready to come of age this year for a team that’s World Series or bust? Even All-Star Teoscar Hernández is likely only a one-year arrangement in Los Angeles.

Mullins would not only stabilize center field for the Dodgers as they pursue a World Series in 2024, but he would give them a veteran outfielder under contract for 2025.

Kansas City Royals

Center fielder Kyle Isbel is tremendous defensively, as he’s posted 16 defensive runs saved and 18 outs above average since the start of the 2023 season. The Royals probably aren’t inclined to take him out of the lineup, even if he has just a .673 OPS this year.

However, for Isbel to be in center field, the Royals need better offensive production in both left and right field. Again, any acquiring team would have to think that Mullins — who is hitting just .214 this year — is going to turn things around at the plate.

Assuming the Royals believe that, Mullins would be a much better option offensively than either MJ Melendez or Hunter Renfroe.

Given that All-Stars Salvador Perez and Seth Lugo are both 34 years old, the Royals should buy this summer as they try to make the playoffs for the first time since 2015. Mullins would certainly be a big addition for general manager J.J. Picollo.

Philadelphia Phillies

With a lineup that includes Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber, Bryson Stott and Brandon Marsh, the Phillies would prefer to add a right-handed hitting outfielder. Nonetheless, they are worth mentioning as a potential fit for Mullins.

For as impressive as Johan Rojas can be defensively in center field, his bat was a liability last postseason, and the .563 OPS he’s posted this year leads you to believe it will be again this October. Mullins is a much better overall player than Rojas.

The problem is if the Phillies were to trade for Mullins to play center field, they would probably still need to add a right-handed hitting corner outfielder to platoon in left field with Marsh, who has an .842 OPS against right-handed pitchers this year, but a meager .371 OPS against lefties.

The most likely scenario still seems to be that the Phillies will add one outfielder that bats right-handed, rather than a left-handed hitter like Mullins and a second outfielder to platoon with Marsh.

St. Louis Cardinals

Just Baseball managing editor Ryan Finkelstein proposed a trade earlier this summer that would send Mullins to the Cardinals for right-handed pitching prospect Tekoah Roby. You can certainly see why St. Louis would be interested in Mullins.

While the Cardinals once seemed destined to end up with too many good outfielders, the stalled developments of both Dylan Carlson and Jordan Walker have left president of baseball operations John Mozeliak in need of another outfielder. 24-year-old Michael Siani has seven defensive runs saved in center field this season but has also posted an OPS under .600.

Mullins would be a clear upgrade at the plate and is still a very good defender.

What would be interesting to see in a deal like this is whether the Orioles would have interest in taking a flier on Carlson in the trade return. He’s still only 25 and can’t become a free agent until after the 2026 season.