The Orioles don’t need to turn this offseason into a fireworks show. They do need to make it look like they know exactly where they’re going.
With Jared Banner now running the front office, Baltimore is trying to reset after another frustrating year and convince fans that the next step is forward, not sideways. Banner has already gone on the Ryan Ripken Show and made his pitch plain, saying, “We’ve heard you loud and clear.
We understand you’re unhappy with the team's performance the last couple of years…. I did not come here to lose.
I promise you that.”
That message lands against a backdrop of skepticism. The Orioles had a strong stretch from 2022 through 2024, with three winning seasons, 101 wins in 2023, and two playoff appearances. But that run hasn’t carried over, and with the expected lockout and offseason freeze arriving on December 1, this front office has a short window to show it can act with purpose.
The clearest path starts with the rotation, and specifically with Trevor Rogers. Baltimore’s top priority over the next couple of weeks should be getting a deal done with the left-hander.
Rogers put together a 4.0 fWAR season, made 30 starts, and logged a 4.03 ERA with a 3.45 FIP across 169 innings. His rise over the last two-plus years in Baltimore has been a real success story, especially after the criticism that followed the club’s decision to send Kyle Stowers and Connor Norby to Miami for him.
There’s interest on both sides in keeping the relationship going. Rogers has said he wants a deal, while also showing excitement about testing free agency and seeing what’s out there.
Still, Baltimore may have the edge. He has already found a better footing with the Orioles after multiple down years in Miami, and that matters when a player is deciding where to land next.
The market could also work in Baltimore’s favor. Tarik Skubal is expected to draw the biggest bidding, Michael King is in free agency after declining his player option with the San Diego Padres, and Adrian Morejon could also get looks as a possible starter. Rogers’ one-year, $23.15 million qualifying offer may be enough to cool interest from some clubs that started the winter eyeing him.
If the Orioles can lock in Rogers alongside Kyle Bradish, Shane Baz, and Brandon Young, that would ease a lot of the pressure heading into the lockout. It would also give the team a clearer picture while the trade market remains uncertain.
The outfield is the other obvious problem, and this one needs a real answer. Colton Cowser has become a strong defender in center field, but the bat still leaves plenty to be desired. The current options around him include Tyler O’Neill, Blaze Alexander, Dylan Beavers, Christian Franklin, and recently re-signed Rece Hinds.
That’s where Baltimore can make a statement. Two names sit at the top of the free-agent outfield class and both fit the Orioles well: Seiya Suzuki and Randy Arozarena. They’re expected to command similar deals and attract many of the same suitors, but Arozarena’s age and defensive issues might give Baltimore a chance to get creative and strike first.
Arozarena would not solve the defensive concerns in the outfield, but his bat would change the conversation. In 154 games, he hit .281 with a .381 on-base percentage, launched 26 home runs, and stole 26 bases.
That gave him six straight seasons with at least 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases. For an Orioles lineup that needs more punch, that kind of production would matter right away.
If the front office wants to go beyond the basics, it has other avenues too. Baltimore has corner-infield depth in Coby Mayo, Jordan Westburg, and Christian Encarnacion-Strand, and if trade talks heat up before the freeze, that depth could be used to help fill other holes. The Orioles don’t need to force a blockbuster just to make noise, but they should be willing to use some of what they have to address obvious needs.
There’s also a case for adding another bullpen arm, especially a left-handed one such as Alex Vesia or José Alvarado. That shouldn’t come before the rotation or the outfield, but it would send a clear message, particularly with questions around the health of Ryan Helsley and Felix Bautista.
Baltimore doesn’t have to finish the offseason with a perfect roster. It does need to prove there’s a plan. Bringing back Trevor Rogers, landing a real offensive threat for the outfield, and using the roster’s depth to patch the remaining holes would go a long way toward convincing fans this new era is built on more than talk.
In Other News...
Orioles First Rounder Is Finally Showing Why Fans Should Pay Attention
Vance Honeycutt spent much of his first full pro season trying to find his footing, and for a while the results matched the growing pains. The Orioles 2024 first-round pick, taken 22nd overall, had a rough run in Single-A and High-A, where the bat lagged and the strikeouts piled up, but the organization kept pushing him forward because the tools that made him such an intriguing pick were still there.
Since moving up to Double-A, Honeycutt has started to look more like the player Baltimore hoped it was getting, and that progress carried into the Arizona Fall League. He has been working with a hitting coach to tweak his swing, while also putting emphasis on the rest of his game, including baserunning and defense, which is the kind of all-around development the Orioles want to see as he tries to turn early struggles into real momentum. [Read more 🡒]
Trevor Rogers May Have Played His Way Beyond Baltimore
Trevor Rogers has given the Orioles enough to make him more than a short-term stopgap, and that is part of what makes his market so interesting now. After a solid recent run in Baltimore, the left-hander is drawing attention as free agency opens, with clubs looking at him as a young starter who can still fit into a long-term plan rather than just patch an immediate hole.
St. Louis is one of the teams being linked to Rogers, and the fit is easy to see from the Cardinals side. They need bullpen help, a veteran starter and possibly a third baseman, but they also have the payroll flexibility to chase a pitcher like Rogers if they decide he is worth the investment, which leaves Baltimore facing the familiar question of whether a rebound arm can be kept after he has reestablished his value. [Read more 🡒]
Orioles Face A Fast Moving Offseason Puzzle Before Time Runs Out
With a little more than three weeks before a potential lockout could freeze the market on December 1, the Orioles are staring at an offseason that suddenly feels compressed and complicated. Baltimore has been active over the past year, reshaping the roster with notable trades and locking up Shane Baz and Kyle Bradish on extensions, but the next wave of work looks less straightforward and far more urgent.
The list of needs is clear enough: starting pitching, a left-handed reliever, a backup catcher and right-handed hitting help in the outfield. The problem is that the free-agent pool does not look especially deep, which pushes the Orioles toward the trade market if they want to keep moving the roster forward before the calendar closes on them. [Read more 🡒]