There has been trade speculation surrounding Baltimore Orioles first baseman Ryan Mountcastle for much of 2025. While trade chatter about Baltimore potentially dealing their longtime first baseman died down after the trade deadline passed and Mountcastle was still on the roster, it has been picked back up again this offseason.
The Orioles trading Grayson Rodriguez in exchange for slugger Taylor Ward showed that Mike Elias and the rest of the front office are willing to trade players. And if there’s one position where the Orioles have a surplus of capable players, it’s at first base.
Read more: Orioles could trade Ryan Mountcastle for rival ace
This, combined with the fact that Mountcastle has one season of team control left before becoming a free agent, makes him a seemingly ideal trade candidate. The problem is that the Orioles might not get the return they desire for him, given that Mountcastle is coming off the worst (and most injury-riddled) season of his MLB career to this point.
That being said, the 28-year-old still has a lot left to offer, appears poised for a bounce-back 2026 season, and would be a welcome presence in many teams’ lineups.
Sep 21, 2025; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Orioles designated hitter Ryan Mountcastle (6) stands in the dugout before the game against the New York Yankees at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images | Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images
Orioles’ Pete Alonso Signing Means Baltimore Must Trade Ryan Mountcastle
Just because Baltimore has several appealing first base options doesn’t mean they’re not keen to improve the position in free agency this offseason. In fact, multiple reports have indicated that the Orioles are in on former New York Mets slugger Pete Alonso, who produced a .272 average, an .871 OPS, 38 home runs, and 126 RBIs last season.
While Alonso has indicated that he’d be open to playing DH with the right team, he clearly still wants to play first base. And if the Orioles were to sign him, this would essentially cement Mountcastle’s fate.
New York Post MLB insider Jon Heyman alluded to this in a December 4 article by saying that Mountcastle, “might need to go” if the Orioles do sign Alonso. That being said, he listed Mountcastle’s chances of getting traded at 10%, which suggests he’s giving the Orioles a similar shot at signing Alonso at this point.
PETE ALONSO TIES THE GAME 😱😱
THE METS FIND A WAY BACK AGAINST THE ORIOLES 😳😳😳 pic.twitter.com/BBc7JUcgxP
— SleeperMets (@SleeperMets) July 9, 2025
Mountcastle has been a fixture on Baltimore’s roster since the 2020 season, and many fans would be sad to see him wearing another team’s jersey in 2026. But there’s a case to be made that a change of scenery would be in his best interest at this point.
What’s for sure is that the Orioles’ lineup would look more formidable if Pete Alonso was in its middle.
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