Coming into the season, there was an argument to be made for Cedric Mullins as one MLB’s top center fielders. He had three straight seasons of above-average offense (137 OPS+ in 2021, 107 OPS+ in ‘22, and 101 OPS+ in ‘23), and although he did not have a Gold Glove was still widely regarded as a player with elite range on defense. At the very least, Mullins was a well-rounded player that could hold his own in all facets of the game and was an asset on the Orioles’ roster.
That remained true through this season’s first month.