If Trevor Rogers prices himself out of Baltimore, the Orioles are going to have a problem they can’t ignore. Rogers didn’t just settle in after his brutal start to 2026; he became one of the club’s best pitchers and the only left-hander in the rotation.
That combination makes his looming free agency more than a roster decision. It leaves the Orioles staring at a real hole, especially against lineups loaded with left-handed bats.
Baltimore is likely to extend Rogers the qualifying offer, which is now worth a little over $23 million. That gives him a straightforward choice: take the money and stay put, or test free agency after a huge bounce-back season.
A multi-year deal could be out there for him, but it would also come with some risk for whichever team is willing to pay. If he leaves, the Orioles will need help from the left side, and they’ll probably have to find it in free agency.
Tarik Skubal sits at the top of the left-handed market once the season ends, but that kind of contract likely takes him out of Baltimore’s range. That still leaves the Orioles with a few names worth exploring, even if the ideal answer isn’t sitting right there in plain sight.
Between injury questions, age, and price tags, the club may need to pick its spot carefully. Three lefties stand out.
Kris Bubic is the kind of arm that could make sense if Baltimore is looking for upside without committing long term. Before a left rotator cuff strain ended his 2025 season in July, Bubic was putting together the best stretch of his career.
He posted a 2.89 FIP in 116.1 innings, and when he’s been healthy, he has shown he can hold down a middle-of-the-rotation role. The issue is availability.
He has never pitched in more than 29 games in a season across seven years, and his career high for innings came back in 2021, when he threw 130 for the Kansas City Royals. That kind of profile points to a one-year prove-it deal, which could be exactly the sort of bet the Orioles are willing to make.
Jordan Montgomery brings a different appeal. He’s not an ace, and he’s never been one, but he’s spent parts of his nine-year career as a steady, dependable starter.
From 2021 to 2023, that reputation was well earned. Then came the one-year, $25 million deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks, a move that was supposed to set him up for another strong run.
Instead, the last three seasons have been defined by injuries and a struggle to get back on track. By the time the 2027 season starts, Montgomery will be 34, which means the clock is ticking.
Still, as a cheaper reclamation project, he could be a useful fit in Baltimore. His time with the New York Yankees also means he already knows the AL East, which only adds to the appeal.
Shota Imanaga is the highest-ceiling option of the group, but he comes with some real tension built into the fit. In three big league seasons, he’s hovered near ace territory without fully crossing over.
He made the National League All-Star team in his first year with the Chicago Cubs in 2024 and looked like he might keep climbing from there. The problem has been the home run ball.
Imanaga has given up 93 homers in 86 career starts, and that’s not a number any team can shrug off. Even so, there’s plenty here to like.
He owns a career 1.038 WHIP, does a good job of keeping runners off base, and his splitter gives hitters fits. The downside is obvious enough: a pitcher who gives up a lot of homers at Camden Yards is a dangerous proposition.
Whether the Orioles think the upside outweighs that risk will tell you plenty about how aggressively they plan to replace Rogers if he departs.
In Other News...
Shane Baz Gave The Orioles More Than His Record Suggests
Shane Bazs first season in Baltimore didnt show up kindly in the win-loss column, but the Orioles had plenty of reasons to view it differently. After acquiring him from the Rays before the 2026 season in a trade that cost multiple prospects and then locking him in with a five-year extension, the club asked for stability at the front of the rotation. Baz delivered volume, taking the ball 31 times and piling up 180 innings while continuing to build back toward his pre-surgery form.
The record, of course, was rough at 6-15, and the 4.11 ERA will never tell the whole story on its own. Baltimore gave him poor run support in too many of those starts, and the stronger FIP suggested the right-hander was better than the raw results implied. More important for the Orioles, Baz looked like a pitcher who had moved further along in his recovery from Tommy John surgery, leaving him positioned as a significant part of what they want the rotation to become next. [Read more 🡒]
Orioles Rotation Questions Just Got Bigger With Cade Povich
Cade Povichs bid to factor into the Orioles 2027 rotation took another hit this week, though the club still expects the left-hander to be back in time for Spring Training. Povich underwent surgery to remove loose bodies in his elbow after a 2026 season that already included a stint on the injured list for elbow inflammation, a reminder of how quickly a promising arm can run into trouble when a young pitcher is trying to carve out a bigger role.
For Baltimore, the timing matters because the rotation picture could look very different by next season, especially if some arms reach free agency. Povich had been on the radar as a candidate for a starting job, but his late-season struggles and this latest setback only add more uncertainty to a group that could use stability, health and a few clear answers heading into 2027. [Read more 🡒]
Orioles Face A Big Question About A Bold Left Field Fix
The Orioles search for a cleaner answer in left field has already started to shape the conversation around their offseason, and Seiya Suzuki sits near the center of it. A right-handed hitter with a polished bat and enough defensive ability to handle the outfield, Suzuki checks a lot of the boxes Baltimore has been weighing as it looks for a more dependable fit in a part of the roster that has invited debate.
Still, any pursuit would have to account for more than just what Suzuki brings on the field. The Orioles have to consider how their ballpark can influence a players value, while the front office also has to weigh the broader market and what a move like this could mean beyond Baltimore. Suzukis appeal in Japan only adds another layer to a decision that is as much about strategy and fit as it is about adding another bat. [Read more 🡒]