LAS VEGAS - Scott Boras believes the Orioles are still in position to chase the top names on the free-agent market.
The powerful agent, whose client list in Baltimore includes Gunnar Henderson, Jackson Holliday and Jordan Westburg, said Wednesday at the General Managers Meetings that he expects the Orioles to keep pushing for impact additions. Boras also represented Pete Alonso, who landed in Baltimore last December on a five-year, $155 million deal - the largest contract negotiated under president of baseball operations Mike Elias.
Elias has pointed to the ownership group led by David Rubenstein as the reason the club can be more aggressive, and Boras said he thinks that approach will continue.
“Well, again they have the ability to do it,” Boras said. “I think fans should know you have the ability, then you have to look at the intellectual plan, what they plan to do, but everything we’ve heard from the Orioles every offseason is they’re trying to add. They’re trying to advance, and I think that’s been a flavor that we hope continues.”
Outfield remains a clear area of need for Baltimore, and one of the biggest names available is Randy Arozarena, the 31-year-old who spent five seasons with Tampa Bay before going to Seattle at the 2024 trade deadline. The Orioles know him well from all those matchups in the division.
Boras made the case for Arozarena as one of the steadiest bats on the market.
“He’s a model of consistency,” Boras said. “And he’s done it in a market where right-handed hitters go to die.
I mean he’s 20-20 every year, multiple All-Star teams. I think you’d say he was Seattle’s best hitter this season.
“Essentially, this rose has no thorns. All the teams, frankly, they’re feeling really Randy.”
Against the Orioles, Arozarena has been a problem. In 67 games, he’s hit .309 with a .915 OPS, 17 home runs and 50 RBIs, which are his highest totals against any club. At Oriole Park, he’s been even more comfortable, batting .310 with a .895 OPS, eight homers and 28 RBIs in 37 games.
The Orioles also lost a longtime figure from their front office family on Wednesday. Joe Foss, who served as vice chairman and chief operating officer from 1993 to 2007, died, the team announced. He was 77.
“A banker by trade, Joe helped with the acquisition of the club by Peter Angelos,” the Orioles wrote on X. “He also helped negotiate the deal with MLB that established the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network.”
Hall of Famer Jim Palmer also paid tribute to Foss on X, calling him “a positive figure to so many other charitable organizations in the Baltimore region” and remembering him as someone who “always had a smile on his face and shepherded the Angelos family into the baseball business with the building of Camden Yards.”
In Other News...
Orioles Just Got A Telling Sign About Their Pitching Priorities
Emilio Pagns decision to leave Cincinnati for a one-year, $11 million deal with the Detroit Tigers is the latest reminder that the bullpen market is moving quickly, and clubs looking for experienced relief help have to be ready to act. For the Orioles, that matters because their offseason priorities have already been shaped by how they want to support a pitching staff that has to keep getting deeper and more reliable.
Baltimore also brought back Mike Shildt as upper-level coordinator of instruction, likely on a year-to-year basis, a move that underscores how much the organization still values continuity in its pitching development pipeline. It is the kind of behind-the-scenes decision that can say as much about a teams immediate plans as any free-agent signing, even if the full picture of how the Orioles will attack the market is still coming into focus. [Read more 🡒]
Pete Alonso Gave The Orioles Exactly What They Needed Except This
Pete Alonsos first season in Baltimore gave the Orioles plenty to feel good about, and the recognition has followed. He was named to the 2026 All-MLB First Team for the second time, a nod that fits with the kind of year he put together at the plate. Alonso also led the American League in home runs and RBIs, and he was a finalist for the leagues Silver Slugger Award, a reminder that his impact went well beyond the usual power-hitting reputation.
For the Orioles, there was even more to like because Alonsos production translated into immediate value in a lineup that needed it. He ended up winning Baltimores Most Valuable Oriole Award after his first season with the club, which says plenty about how quickly he became central to the teams identity. The only lingering question now is how much of that success can carry over as the Orioles look to build on it from here. [Read more 🡒]
Orioles Offseason Plan Is Starting To Create A Real Roster Debate
At the GM Meetings in Las Vegas, Mike Elias and Jared Banner gave Orioles fans a clearer picture of how the offseason is shaping up, and it starts with continuity. Mike Shildt is set to return as upper-level coordinator of instruction, while the major league coaching staff is expected to stay together unless someone else comes calling. Elias also said the club may use spring training to give some infielders looks in the outfield, a sign the roster could still be flexible even if the front office is leaning toward keeping its core intact.
The bigger takeaway is that Baltimore does not sound eager to move any of its key pieces, even as Elias acknowledged the bullpen remains a concern. He also addressed the recovery timelines for Jordan Westburg and Jackson Holliday, two names that matter to the Orioles infield picture and the clubs broader planning. With the staff largely settled and the trade market sounding quiet, the real debate now is how much room there is for internal shuffling before spring training answers some of the questions. [Read more 🡒]