The free-agent market is starting to move, and the early deals are already telling a story.
Emilio Pagán landed with the Tigers on Tuesday. Evan Phillips followed with a three-year contract from the Braves on Thursday.
Then on Friday, World Series champion Jake Bauers agreed to a four-year deal with the Red Sox. For a class that’s been described as thin, the first wave of signings is at least giving teams something to chew on.
Bauers was one of the better bats available, and his 2026 season is the kind that jumps off the page. As a 30-year-old, he hit .266/.389/.484 with 26 home runs.
Baseball Reference credited him with 3.3 bWAR in that season alone, which pushed his career total from below zero to 2.0. Boston is clearly betting that the breakout was real and that he can keep producing at something close to that level.
The contract came in a little differently than projections suggested. FanGraphs had Bauers at three years and $51 million, or $17 million a year.
Instead, he gets four years and $58 million from the Red Sox, good for a $14.5 million average annual value. Bauers also had a qualifying offer attached, which makes the extra year notable.
Phillips’ deal was a different kind of win. FanGraphs projected one year and $6.8 million, but Atlanta gave him three years and $35 million, which works out to $11.67 million annually.
The former Oriole, who was born in Salisbury, barely pitched from the end of 2024 until this past July because of rotator cuff trouble and then Tommy John surgery. Even so, he finished the season strong and now looks like a piece for high-leverage innings in Atlanta.
The broader takeaway is hard to miss. Teams are still spending, and the idea that everyone is sitting on their hands because of uncertainty around a possible salary cap doesn’t seem to be holding up, at least not for 2027.
MLB Trade Rumors notes that the Red Sox went over the 2026 CBT threshold and are on track to do it again in 2027 if the system remains in place. The Phillips signing also pushes the Braves closer to that line.
For the Orioles, that matters. If they were hoping Trevor Rogers would come cheaper because the market might be squeezed, that idea may not hold up. There is money out there, and clubs are willing to use it.
Gunnar Henderson and Jordan Westburg have been mentioned as possible trade candidates for the Mariners, who are looking for infield help. Baltimore and Seattle have long looked like natural partners, with the Orioles carrying extra infielders and the Mariners having pitching to offer, but nothing has happened yet. That could still change this winter.
There’s also the bullpen situation to keep an eye on. Roch Kubatko noted that Ryan Helsley and Félix Bautista are both likely to factor into the closing picture, though injuries remain a concern.
Yennier Cano has some closing experience, but he has never really looked like a clean fit for the ninth inning. Baltimore needs a real backup plan, even if it’s unclear how much the club is willing to pay for one.
And while the next labor fight hangs over the sport, clubs are still talking like it’s business as usual. The reality is messier than that, but rosters still need to be built, and teams can’t wait forever.
Some moves will happen now. Others may get delayed for weeks or months.
Either way, the offseason has started to stir.
Freddy Galvis turns 37 today. He spent part of the 2021 season as the Orioles’ everyday shortstop before being dealt to the Phillies for a minor leaguer.
Curt Schilling is 60. His 20-season MLB career began in Baltimore, where he spent parts of three seasons from 1988 through ’90. The Orioles’ trade of Schilling, Steve Finley and Pete Harnisch to the Astros for Glenn Davis is widely viewed as the worst in franchise history.
On this date in Orioles history, Jim Palmer won the 1973 AL Cy Young after going 22-9 with a 2.40 ERA. In 2005, the Orioles announced that Sammy Sosa and Rafael Palmeiro would not be back the following season. And in 2023, Brandon Hyde was named American League Manager of the Year.
In Other News...
Orioles Free Agency Plan Looks Clearer Than Fans May Want
With Pete Alonso now in the fold, the Orioles offseason picture is getting a little sharper, and maybe a little less ambitious than some fans would prefer. The next priorities still point to the outfield and the starting rotation, but the way Baltimore has operated under this front office suggests the club is more likely to shop for value than chase the biggest names on the market. That makes the free-agent board easier to read, even if it does not make it more exciting.
Among the pitchers being discussed as realistic fits are David Peterson, Nick Martinez and Patrick Sandoval, all of whom bring different kinds of appeal without pushing the Orioles into a bidding war. The outfield market looks similar, with two targets standing out as plausible additions if Baltimore sticks to its usual budget-minded approach. It is the kind of plan that can fill needs, but it also leaves open the question of whether the Orioles will do enough to match the expectations that come with a roster built to contend. [Read more 🡒]
Orioles Keep Getting Linked To The Kind Of Move Fans Dread
The Orioles are still shopping for starting pitching, and the names surfacing fit a familiar winter pattern for fans who would rather see a younger, higher-upside arm in the mix. Baltimore has shown interest in free agents Nick Martinez and Matthew Boyd, two veteran left- and right-handed options in their mid-30s who could help either in the rotation or as flexible bullpen pieces.
Martinez and Boyd each bring a different kind of appeal, from recent performance to the ability to cover multiple roles, but both also come with the sort of age and injury questions that make this market feel less than ideal. For a club trying to bolster its staff without overcommitting, the Orioles seem to be circling the kind of move that can stabilize a team in the short term while leaving plenty of debate about whether it is the right long-term answer. [Read more 🡒]
Orioles Fans Have A New Reason To Watch Vance Honeycutt Closely
The Arizona Fall League handed out its annual awards this week, and for Orioles fans, Vance Honeycutt came away with a notable honor after being named Defensive Player of the Year. The recognition adds another layer of intrigue around one of Baltimores more closely watched young players, especially at a time when the organization is always looking for prospects who can impact the game in more than one way.
The AFLs award list also spotlighted a handful of other standouts from the season, with Welbyn Francisca taking MVP, Tai Peete earning Offensive Player of the Year and Jack ODowd being named Breakout Player of the Year. Kenya Huggins was selected as Reliever of the Year, Teo Banks received the Dernell Stenson Sportsmanship Award and Maddox Long won the leagues new Community Champion Award, but Honeycutts defensive recognition is the one that will keep Baltimore followers paying attention. [Read more 🡒]