The Baltimore Orioles know exactly what they’re after this offseason - and so does the rest of the AL East. After pulling off a splashy move to land Pete Alonso, the expectation was that the pitching market might loosen up.
Instead, it’s done the opposite. Prices have surged, and the Orioles’ search for a true frontline starter is turning into a high-wire act with no net below.
This is what happens when scarcity meets urgency.
Once Dylan Cease came off the board at a premium, the tone of the market changed. Suddenly, every top-tier arm was either more expensive or more complicated than expected. And for a team like Baltimore - one that’s built a contender with a mix of homegrown talent and smart acquisitions - the next step now comes with real tension.
Let’s talk options.
Framber Valdez is one of the more durable and proven names still available. He’s got the innings, the postseason experience, and the kind of stuff that plays in October.
But there are clubhouse concerns, and his camp is reportedly eyeing a long-term deal that would test Baltimore’s appetite for risk. The Orioles have been careful with their spending and even more cautious with their culture.
Valdez would be a bet on talent - and on their ability to make it all fit.
Ranger Suárez is another name on the board. He’s not flashy, but he’s been steady, and his playoff resume gives him a little extra shine.
Like Valdez, though, he’s looking for years, not just a one-year prove-it deal. That’s a big ask in a market that’s already asking for a lot.
Then there’s Zac Gallen - arguably the most intriguing arm still in play. At his best, Gallen has ace-level stuff.
But 2025 was uneven for him, and teams are trying to figure out whether he’s the guy from his peak or the one who struggled to find consistency this past season. The upside is there.
The question is whether Baltimore’s in a position to take that kind of swing.
Michael King presents a different kind of dilemma. His ceiling is high, and when he’s on, he looks like a frontline starter.
But his injury history makes him a tough call for a team looking for a true rotation anchor. That’s not to say he can’t be that guy - just that the risk is harder to ignore when you’re trying to win now.
And then there’s Tatsuya Imai. The Japanese right-hander has electric stuff and a posting timeline that could force Baltimore’s hand.
With other contenders circling, the Orioles may not have the luxury of waiting around. Imai’s upside is real, but so is the pressure to make the right call quickly.
What’s made this even trickier is what’s happening below the top tier. Mid-rotation arms - guys who used to sign for solid, but not eye-popping deals - are getting paid like borderline aces.
That’s shrunk the gap between the price of elite talent and the cost of just filling innings. And for a team like Baltimore, which needs impact at the top of the rotation, not just depth, that inflation makes the margin for error even thinner.
The trade market hasn’t offered much relief either. Asking prices for controllable starters are sky-high, and most teams aren’t eager to move pitching this early in the offseason. Baltimore’s front office has been deliberate about protecting its prospect core, and that makes a blockbuster trade less likely unless the return is undeniable.
That leaves free agency - expensive, unpredictable, and, right now, the most direct path to the kind of arm Baltimore needs.
To be clear, the Orioles aren’t in crisis mode. This is still a team built to compete, with a roster that can hang in a brutal division.
But the AL East doesn’t wait around. The Yankees can pivot fast.
The Blue Jays have already opened their wallet. And in a division where hesitation gets punished, patience can turn into missed opportunity.
Baltimore’s pursuit of an ace was always going to be a challenge. In this market, and in this moment, it’s become a high-stakes balancing act - weighing cost, chemistry, and conviction in a race that’s only getting tighter.