At this point in the season, the Baltimore Orioles hold a 55-32 record and are currently in first place in the American League East division race.

Behind a dynamic offense and great pitching, the Orioles are truly a World Series contender. All of their patience is paying off after years of drafting and developing young talent.

With the MLB trade deadline coming up, Baltimore is a team to keep a close eye on. The team has been linked to quite a few players, with starting pitching being an obvious need as the Orioles look to pursue a championship.

One reporter, Anthony Castrovince of MLB.com, has made a bold suggestion for Baltimore about the deadline.

“There’s only so much the bats can do when that is what the pitching staff is yielding. They had really a great run of health on the pitching front last year until the [Félix] Bautista injury, and then this year it’s just one hit after another. It goes without saying that they’re a team that’s going to have to be uber aggressive at this trade deadline.”

The Orioles are a team who have been hit with the injury bug. Losing Kyle Bradish for the season was a really big hit for the starting rotation.

Corbin Burnes in the clear-cut ace for Baltimore this season. However, they could use another shutdown starting pitcher to beef up their rotation.

It has been reporetd that the Orioles have recently discussed a trade for Chicago White Sox star starter Garrett Crochet. He would be a massive pickup and would be a long-term option for the franchise as well with future contract control.

While there is no question that Baltimore is a legitimate World Series contender, they will have a tough task of beating out other teams in the American League.

Both the New York Yankees and Cleveland Guardians are really good baseball teams. Being aggressive to acquire talent is likley a necessity to truly compete at their best with those two teams.

Looking past the American League, winning the World Series over a team like the Philadelphia Phillies or Los Angeles Dodgers will be no easy task.

Acquiring a high-level starter doesn't guarantee the Orioles anything. But, if they truly want to win a championship, they should pursue pitching ahead of the deadline. That would give them their best chance.