Above anything and everything else, the Orioles need a bigboy centerfielder in 2027.

They need a real, proven, everyday player there who can defend the position and handle the bat. They need to have a real spine to their baseball team, something failed baseball exec Mike Elias just doesn’t seem to care about. They need catchers who can catch and throw and a legit double-play combination and the centerfielder who commands the outfield and serves as a field general.

It’s nothing short of mandatory. The Elias Way has to change. Adjustments to roster construction must be made; foundational ones. If this isn’t a priority, and rather than do the right thing and shop the heck out of Colton Cowser, they run it back with a bunch of dudes like Cowser and Christian Franklin pretending they can do it, nothing is going to change for the better.

It’s been a wasteland, it cannot continue, and the answers are not within. Some O's rumors are starting to percolate and there are rumblings about trades happening sooner rather than later. we are keeping out fingers crossed they attack the most pressing need:

As Bad As It Gets

Here’s where the O’s centerfielders ranked in 2025:

HR: 12 (T-25th)             Runs: 59 (29th)             RBI: 60 (T-20th)            WAR: 1.6 (20th)

AVG: .225 (26th)          OBP: .316 (13th)           SLG: .347 (25th)           wRC+: 91 (17th)

That’s not going to cut it, especially when this team, as presently constructed, doesn’t have anything close to a regular rightfielder or leftfielder, either. And it’s nothing new. Over the last three years, the Orioles ranks 16th in wRC+ in CF (95) and 22nd in overall WAR.

The goal has to be to identify one individual who has the chops to hold this down. Shuffling guys around in all three outfielder positions has proven to be an Elias calling card; and it’s no small part of why he’s been such a colossal disaster – good at keeping his job and really nothing else.

What Should They Do?

There are limited options in free agency, to be sure, and overspending om someone like Trent Grisham would be silly. Among the free-agent options, we prefer a one-year pact with Daulton Varsho, hoping the power that tends to wane will show up and trusting the rest of his profile for the most part.

We would be in major favor of a trade for Cleveland’s Steven Kwan, and though he would be truly special in left field we also prefer him in center to every option on the current roster. And our favorite mode of approach at center has always been and remains trading for the Twins Byron Buxton, and yeah we would move Gunnar Henderson to do it.

Buxton next to Pete Alonso in this lineup would be transformational. It would bring a different swagger and intensity to this roster and, yes, there are injury risks but Elias has to make some gambles after being too scared and cautious for far too long. Buxton's profile is special.

You can find a glove-first shortstop to replace Henderson but they need to get real about having a real centerfielder.

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