Breaking: Orioles to replace Ryan Mountcastle after recently disappointing playoffs

The Baltimore Orioles have had their share of playoff frustrations in recent years, but now they might not even make it that far.

Currently sitting at the bottom of the American League East with a 13-23 record following another tough loss to the Minnesota Twins on Thursday, the Orioles are falling short of expectations. This comes despite boasting one of the league’s most talented groups of position players.

The team has struggled on the mound since Corbin Burnes departed for the Arizona Diamondbacks during the offseason, which many saw coming. More surprisingly, the offense has underperformed as well—Baltimore ranks near the bottom of MLB in batting average, on-base percentage, and total hits.

These ongoing struggles could prompt roster changes, particularly since the team has several top prospects waiting for an opportunity. FanSided’s Zach Pressnell recently suggested that Baltimore may promote Samuel Basallo to take over at first base from the slumping Ryan Mountcastle by the end of May.

“Basallo could regularly play first base and serve as Adley Rutschman’s backup behind the plate,” Pressnell noted. “His ceiling is among the highest in baseball, especially given his age.”

Though Basallo is just 20 and has hit .210/.286/.419 in 62 Triple-A at-bats this season—stats that might suggest he’s not quite ready—he’s still regarded as a top-10 overall prospect and may be the Orioles’ most promising option right now.

Mountcastle, after a strong 2024, is now batting just .209/.244/.322—a weak showing at a power position. If his struggles persist and Baltimore’s playoff hopes continue to fade, the team may decide to take a chance on Basallo.