Reunion between Trey Mancini and Baltimore Orioles could make sense

The Baltimore Orioles’ decision to trade Trey Mancini did not go over well with the team.

At the time, the Orioles were one of the biggest surprises in the game. They were hovering on the edge of the final Wild Card spot in the American League, and seemed as though they could actually bring pieces in. Trading Mancini, an inspirational figure in the clubhouse, seemed to be the equivalent of waving the white flag on the season, prompting general manager Mike Elias to have a meeting with players he considers key pieces of their core.

Trey Mancini could be piece Baltimore Orioles need

While Elias proclaimed that the rebuild was over, that does not mean that he does not have plenty of work to do. The Orioles need a pair of arms atop the rotation, a shortstop, and pieces on the bench. It is not going to be easy.

Enter Mancini. He could be a solid option for the Orioles once again, someone that can slot in at either corner outfield spot, first base, and designated hitter. While he is far better defensively at first than he is in the outfield, he can still hold his own.

He also provides a solid enough bat. Mancini may not hit 35 homers again as he did in 2019, but he does have a combined .247/.323/.412 batting line with 39 homers and 56 doubles in 1206 plate appearances. Add in his story of how he battled back from Stage 3 colon cancer, locker room presence, and leadership, and he is the type of player that any team would want.

But Mancini may not mean as much to another team as he would to the Orioles. Bringing him back into the locker room would show the young roster that they are ready to contend with a familiar face that had been there through the down times. It would be a chance to get such a respected player a postseason berth with his original team, something Mancini had missed out on before. He would provide that much more motivation for a team looking to prove themselves in 2023.

The Baltimore Orioles could use some veteran depth next season. It would make sense to pick up the phone and bring Trey Mancini back home.