Orioles fans have made their feelings loud and clear: if the team is going to keep locking up pitchers it already knows, Trevor Rogers should be next.
That was the overwhelming takeaway from this week’s survey, where 91% of fans said Baltimore should pursue a contract extension for Rogers. It’s a staggering number, especially for a player who only recently started building real momentum with the Orioles. After what he did last year and what he’s been doing since the start of June, the fan base seems more than willing to back the idea with David Rubenstein’s money.
The timing, though, makes this a much trickier call for the Orioles’ front office. Rogers is only two months from free agency, which means any extension would need to be substantial enough to convince him to give up the chance to test the market. That’s a very different setup from the Shane Baz and Kyle Bradish deals, both of which came with more team control still left on the clock.
There’s also the trade deadline angle. If Baltimore drops out of the race over its next eight games, Rogers could become more valuable as a trade piece for a contender than as a long-term extension candidate. And if the Orioles decide to ride it out with him through the end of the season, they could still extend a qualifying offer and hope he turns it down, which would bring back a draft pick in 2027.
The challenge with Rogers is that the profile is still hard to pin down. He has not built a track record of durability, and he has not put together back-to-back strong seasons.
His major league innings high is 133, and that came five years ago. Even now, the production is good but not exactly screaming for a massive commitment; Rogers has a 4.17 ERA after last night.
So while Orioles fans are clearly all in on the idea, the real question is whether the organization sees enough certainty to act. A lot depends on whether this hot stretch holds all the way to the finish.
In Other News...
Orioles Cannot Let This Rotation Fix Slip Away At The Deadline
The Orioles are heading into the deadline with a rotation question that could shape the rest of their season, and the next stretch will help determine how aggressively they act. If the club decides it needs help, the market may offer a rare chance to add a controllable starter with years of team control left, which matters for a Baltimore team trying to balance the present with a deeper run ahead.
Los Angeles could be willing to move controllable pitchers as it starts a rebuild, but that kind of opportunity usually comes at a real cost. Baltimore has the farm depth to make a serious offer, yet landing a pitcher with strong underlying indicators despite an ordinary ERA will likely require giving up more than a low-level flier, and the Orioles will have to decide how much future talent they are willing to spend to keep this rotation fix from slipping away. [Read more 🡒]
Orioles Top Prospect Ike Irish Faces A Brutal Injury Setback
The Orioles player development pipeline took a hit this week when Ike Irish landed on High-A Fredericks injured list after a knee injury, a tough turn for the clubs first pick in the 2025 draft and its No. 2 prospect. Irish had been one of the most closely watched young players in the system, so any extended absence immediately changes the conversation around Baltimores next wave of talent.
The setback was part of a rough stretch across the lower levels, with Delmarva infielder Cobb Hightower also undergoing ACL reconstruction and meniscus repair. Baltimore did make a pitching move to help cover the roster, recalling left-hander Josh Walker from Triple-A Norfolk, but the bigger concern for the organization is how much development time it stands to lose with two notable infield prospects suddenly sidelined. [Read more 🡒]
Orioles Ownership Just Weighed In On Mike Elias Before The Deadline
The Orioles used Kyle Bradishs five-year, $90 million extension as more than just a celebration of a homegrown arm. At a press conference announcing the deal, president of baseball operations Mike Elias and control owner David Rubenstein both tried to reinforce the bigger message around the organization: the club believes in where it is headed, and it is willing to keep investing in that direction as it builds around its core.
Rubenstein also made clear that the front office is not treating this as a one-off move, saying the team is open to more long-term deals with players who want to stay. With the Trade Deadline approaching, that matters for a club still trying to keep its season on track, and it puts a little extra weight on the next stretch of games as Baltimore sorts out whether its future is best served by adding, extending, or simply standing pat. [Read more 🡒]