I don't think too fine a point needs to be put on it: moving Bednar would be a certain kind of admitting defeat, as would Keller. There are paths to getting talent back that goes directly in the team, and then supplementing it with more talent (which obviously needs to happen either way), but that's putting the cart before the horse.
At the very least, I think it means casting doubt on the 2024 team, with 2025 being far enough off that you don't want to plan around a currently dominant closer. Given the way BC commented on the early success this year, I don't think this is too far off from their internal projection -- try and "improve" (he loves this rhetoric without committing to anything like, I dunno, MLB free agents such as Andrew Chafin who could address some of the major weak points), and be good enough to flirt on the edge of the WC and division races, see what happens, and be geared up for 2025.
In other words, one year behind the Orioles.
We'll see. I will reiterate my lack of confidence in Cherington, and also in Baker and the much-lauded developmental changes that were made (the only thing of significance that supposedly changed, as the amateur scouts are all identical to those under Huntington). The kind of guys you could be talking about, like Pfaadt, Thomas from ARI, Duran, White from TEX, or Cowser, Westburg, Kjerstad from BAL, just to pick some names -- all of these guys would basically immediately step in, other than maybe White or Kjerstad, who are basically right on the cusp of debuting. However, it's always easy to get ahead of yourself when the trade market heats up. The fact remains that Cherington has had multiple years of trade chips and never managed to sniff any of these kinds of players in a return. Bednar is maybe a little bit different (though Hader being available could throw a wrench into the scarcity question), but I am not holding my breath.
