BALTIMORE -- MLB’s Trade Deadline isn’t until Aug. 3. A lot can change between now and then, and perhaps there will be more clarity in the American League by that time, as nearly every team in the Junior Circuit entered Saturday either in postseason position or within striking distance of a playoff spot.
But if the Trade Deadline had been today, the Orioles (39-44) would have been buyers.
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“I know our record is backwards, but apparently, this is infecting a whole bunch of other teams, too. I can’t explain it,” president of baseball operations Mike Elias said prior to Saturday’s game vs. the Nationals at Camden Yards. “I wish we were arriving at that in a much different way, and the context around that is unusual. But we’re right there.
“So, we’re going for it. I’ll let you know if that changes.”
The first half of Baltimore’s season has been inconsistent. The team hasn’t put together too many long runs of success -- it has won three games in a row six times, but has yet to win four straight -- and there’s been quite a bit of up-and-down play.
Yet, Elias was right when he pointed to the parity in the AL this year, particularly in the Wild Card race. The Orioles could approach the Trade Deadline still close to a postseason spot (or maybe even sitting in one), and if that’s the case, their front office is ready to be aggressive.
“I really hope so. We’re planning that way in case it’s the case,” Elias said. “But I’m going to have to look at the circumstances and what happens, and I will be doing the right thing for the franchise regardless of everything else. So we’re going to have to see what the standings are and what our team is looking like at that time.
“But we’re certainly making those preparations, and everybody in this building is in the mindset of going for it in 2026.”
This is the second straight year the O’s have a losing record in late June after they made back-to-back postseason appearances in 2023 and ‘24. Following their disappointing 75-87 performance in ‘25, Baltimore reloaded for ‘26, bringing in new players such as Pete Alonso, Taylor Ward, Shane Baz and more.
The Orioles also have a first-year manager in Craig Albernaz, who was hired last October. (Tony Mansolino served as the interim skipper for much of 2025, after previous manager Brandon Hyde was dismissed in mid-May last season.)
Elias has been in charge of the O’s baseball operations department since November 2018. They underwent a lengthy rebuild, came through on the other side and now are in a bit of a weird period -- one in which they should be contending, but are instead underperforming.
As Elias prepares to navigate the leadup to the Trade Deadline, is he at all concerned about his own job security?
“I always feel a lot of pressure in this position. I’ve been in baseball -- I think this is my 20th season -- and every single year, I’ve felt pressure and you worry about your job in this business, so absolutely,” Elias said. “But I think we have a really good chance to do what we want to do. We’re all working very hard, and we’re very optimistic about it.”
Will that affect any moves Elias may make, though?
“I feel like if you’re doing your job well as general manager, it’s sort of incumbent upon you in a position like this, and you’re getting paid to do the right thing for the baseball operation and the franchise across a very long time horizon as best as you can,” Elias said. “So that definitely would not be any type of factor on recommendations or behaviors that we’ll be doing.
“But I am very optimistic we’re going to be looking to put this team in a good position for a playoff run.”
That was a sentiment expressed by Elias multiple times on Saturday. His belief that the 2026 Orioles are a postseason-caliber team has not wavered.
Elias also thinks the ‘26 O’s still have the potential to make some noise in October as well.
“I think if we get into the playoffs, and have a good playoff run, we’ll feel very good about this season,” Elias said. “I think this is a team that, if we get in, it means we had a strong second half, and I think if we can be relatively healthy going in, it’s going to be a pretty strong team in the playoffs with the players that we have.”