The Baltimore Orioles are clearly not sitting still after a frustrating 2025 season. Coming off a year that fell well short of expectations, the front office is making bold moves to recalibrate - and fast.
The splashiest of them so far? A five-year, $155 million deal for slugger Pete Alonso, a move that sends a clear message: Baltimore is going for it.
But while Alonso brings serious power to the middle of the lineup, the real question mark last year was the starting rotation. Simply put, the Orioles didn’t have enough arms they could count on. That’s why the front office is staying aggressive on the pitching front, and according to reports, they’re not done yet.
Veteran right-hander Justin Verlander has emerged as a name to watch. While nothing is imminent, Baltimore is reportedly one of several teams kicking the tires on the three-time Cy Young winner.
Verlander, who turns 43 next month, may not be in his prime anymore, but he’s still showing he can get outs at the big-league level. Last season with the Giants, he logged 152 innings over 29 starts, finishing with a 3.85 ERA and 137 strikeouts.
That’s not ace-level dominance, but it’s dependable production from a guy who knows how to pitch.
What makes the Orioles’ interest in Verlander particularly intriguing is the connection between the veteran pitcher and Baltimore’s president of baseball operations, Mike Elias. The two overlapped in Houston during the Astros’ 2017 and 2018 seasons - a stretch that saw Verlander anchor one of the most dominant rotations in recent memory. That familiarity could be a factor if talks progress.
Still, Verlander isn’t the Orioles’ top target. That distinction reportedly belongs to left-hander Framber Valdez, another former Astro and one of the most consistent starters in the game over the past five years.
At 32, Valdez is younger, a lefty, and coming off a strong run that includes a 68-41 record, a 3.20 ERA, and a 1.173 WHIP over 902.1 innings since 2019. He’s also accumulated 17.3 bWAR during that span - a clear sign of his value on the mound.
Baltimore’s pursuit of Valdez makes sense. He fits the mold of a frontline starter and would immediately elevate a rotation that lacked both depth and a true No. 1 last season. After taking a swing on 41-year-old Charlie Morton last year - a move that didn’t pan out - the Orioles appear to be aiming higher this time around, both in terms of age and upside.
The market for Valdez is competitive, with teams like the Giants and Mets also reportedly in the mix. But the Orioles have both the motivation and the resources to make a serious push. They’ve already shown they’re willing to spend, and with a young core that’s starting to come into its own, adding a top-tier arm could be the missing piece.
Whether it’s Verlander, Valdez, or another name entirely, one thing is clear: the Orioles aren’t content with standing pat. After a season that left fans and the organization wanting more, Baltimore is swinging big - and they’re not done yet.