Mike Elias doesn’t have to change anything about the failed ways he employs to operate the Baltimore Orioles.

Let’s start with that.

He has no real incentive to do anything other than what he’s doing – it’s done nothing but get him more money and more power, now across two ownership groups (this one tragically disinclined to spend as well). And so there is no reason for anyone to expect him to do anything except the same suspect, marginal, fringy, uber-conservatives things he always does that just send the franchise deeper into the abyss. Using a new fake "GM" to help propagate the same roster-building fallacies changes nothing for the better.

But that needs to change, and Ketel Marte – the best second-baseman in MLB – on his existing contract, should have massive appeal to the Orioles for basically every reason possible. They would be beyond foolish not to pursue this with vigor and the pros far outweigh the cons (and yeah there are cons), and the industry believes this is a legit trade match.

It absolutely should be – Marte could replace Jackson Holliday immediately at 2B and be as big of an upgrade as is possible anywhere on this roster. And the Diamondbacks have a desperate need for left-handed bats who fare best against righties, and would need a starting second baseman without Marte and these two teams should be having deep conversations and Elias needs to be leading that push. Oh, and Arizona is trying to shed payroll, so youngsters like this would appeal.

Let’s consider it by need, contract and trade fit (offense and defense):

The Trade

I’m pushing them to take Holliday and Colton Cowser – two left handed bats from young and cheap MLB players with upside who were elite prospects not that long ago and need to go now. And I am throwing in a top prospect or two. The odds of Elias developing any of them are beyond faint, anyway.

Given the fallout with Marte there and him going AWOL on the team last year and having some concerns about his attitude and with him being older (he just turned 33), I don’t know how hard they can squeeze. And getting Marte to the American League – given this guy has MVP potential – would be ideal for them.

The O’s would have to convince Marte to come here as a 10/5 guy, but man he would love this ballpark and Pete Alonso can protect him in the lineup and if Elias does keep Gunnar Henderson (he should trade Gunnar for a starting centerfielder), then this lineup has some real potential at the top in ways it hasn’t ever previously under Elias.

The Player

Marte is an above average defender who understands the game and was thought of as someone who wouldn’t be stuck just at second base earlier in his career. He will be great on double plays and has positive defensive metrics across the board, though range isn’t special anymore. He slugs more than enough to warrant DH duty when need be and as a switch hitter he brings exceptional value and balance to a lineup that is too overloaded with right-handed bats in the infield.

Here’s where he ranks among all MLB second basemen from 2024-2026:

WAR: 15.6 (1st)                        wRC+: 133 (1st)                        BB-Rate: 10.2% (5th)

HR: 86 (2nd)                             RBI: 243 (1st)                           K-Rate: 15.6% (9th)

AVG: .274 (7th)                         OBP: .353 (2nd)                         SLG: .500 (1st)

The walk and strikeout profile is exactly what is so desperately needed around here.

Sold.

The Contract

This will have the private equity guys who run the team as excited as anything. How about a ridiculous $9M this season with $3M deferred? Heck, maybe they could even re-hire Mr. Splash and The Oriole Bird if they pull this off. Everything must be viewed through this portal because this is always going to be run by David Rubenstein like a long-term investment.

How about this: $20M in 2028, $22M 2029, $22M 2030. Player option worth $11.5M in 2031.

This is about trying to win something of nominal significance – maybe win a single playoff game with Elias in charge? – before Alonso’s bat starts slipping. And 2026 was already most likely going to be as good as it gets with The Polar Bear.

Conclusion

It’s hard to know what Holliday and Cowser could really bring back. But you know what, if the Diamondbacks prefer Jordan Westburg – he’s never signing an extension here, either, and is another Scott Boras guy – they can have him with Cowser, too. Westburg staying healthy with Elias’s medical team might be a bridge too far, anyway.

The O’s have a sufficient surplus of starting pitching lottery tickets in the minors that they could move one here, and if the Diamondbacks are all hot for Ike Irish or Vance Honeycutt, after watching them in the Ariona Fall League right under their noses, that’s cool too.

There is enough going on at the MLB level and AA or above in this system to be able to get Marte without it leaving a major void.