Tomoyuki Sugano had eyes on a return to Baltimore this offseason, but the Orioles had other plans. With Shane Baz brought in to bolster the rotation and Zach Eflin re-signed to provide some stability, the O’s made it clear they were aiming higher.
The front office is still in the market for a top-tier arm before Opening Day, and Sugano just didn’t fit into that picture. Instead, the veteran right-hander is headed west, signing a one-year deal with the Colorado Rockies.
Sugano reportedly turned down a chance to return to Japan, opting to stay in the majors. That bet on himself paid off-at least in terms of securing a roster spot-but it comes with a steep challenge: pitching at Coors Field. The Rockies, who finished at the bottom of the standings last season, are giving Sugano a shot to prove he still belongs in a big-league rotation.
His 2025 campaign with Baltimore didn’t exactly inspire confidence. While he managed to stay healthy and make 30 starts, the results were middling at best.
He posted a 4.64 ERA, and the advanced metrics told an even grimmer story. His strikeout rate dipped below 16%, which is a tough number to overcome in today’s game, especially without elite command or ground-ball rates to balance it out.
Now, moving to Colorado-where the thin air has humbled many pitchers before him-Sugano faces an uphill climb to turn things around. Still, credit where it’s due: he found a major league deal at a time when many veteran starters were still waiting for the phone to ring.
For the Orioles, the Sugano chapter is closed, and the focus shifts to bigger fish. With Eflin back in the mix, there was little reason to revisit that relationship. Baltimore’s front office has made it clear they’re still hunting for a true rotation upgrade, and if Sugano had been the answer to missing out on someone like Framber Valdez, the backlash would’ve been swift.
Sugano’s signing is part of a broader movement on the free-agent market. The logjam of veteran starters is finally starting to break up as spring training nears. Justin Verlander, Nick Martinez, Chris Paddack, Erick Fedde, and Aaron Civale all found homes this week, signaling that teams are solidifying their rotations as camp approaches.
That leaves a shrinking list of available arms, and assuming Zac Gallen returns to Arizona, Lucas Giolito stands out as the most intriguing option still on the board for Baltimore. He may not be the frontline ace fans envisioned when the team hinted at a splashy addition, but compared to what Sugano offered last season, Giolito would be a meaningful upgrade.
The clock is ticking. If the Orioles are serious about contending in 2026, they’ll need to act fast to shore up the top of their rotation. The market is moving-and Baltimore can’t afford to be left behind.