Orioles president of baseball operations Mike Elias had a plan heading into this offseason for getting the Orioles back on a championship track. And so far, he has almost flawlessly executed his plan.
But what’s at stake right now may decide just how much we enjoy the 2026 baseball season. What Elias has done is deliver his team back in the conversation of teams that can sniff the championship zip code.
What the Orioles’ top brass is able to do in the coming days and weeks will determine if the Orioles truly have a roster capable of matching up with the AL’s best teams — Boston, Houston, New York, Seattle and Toronto.
The last and most important piece to the puzzle is to bring in a top-tier starting pitcher who truly is a No. 1 type. I’ll even settle for a real good No. 2.
The Orioles’ offense in 2025 was way below where it needed to be and injuries played a part of that underwhelming performance. But the daily starting pitching matchups told the tale of a team that simply didn’t have the arms to win more than they lost.
No question having Kyle Bradish back on track should be a huge lift. Trevor Rogers’ magical 2025 season has him looking like he’ll be able to eat innings even if he’s only 75 percent as good in ’26. Shane Baz figures to also eat innings and be a more dependable version of Grayson Rodriguez.
Veterans Zach Eflin and Dean Kremer make up the back end of the rotation. Our fingers are crossed that Eflin can ramp up and be ready in late April or early May. He said after signing his one-year deal to return to Baltimore that his back repair has him feeling better than he has in years.
On a lot of nights, those five can win games given the upgrades Elias has made to the lineup, having brought in Pete Alonso and Taylor Ward. The Orioles also hope to get healthier and more productive seasons out of Colton Cowser, Gunnar Henderson, Tyler O’Neill, Adley Rutschman and Jordan Westburg.
The reality of this era of baseball, though, is that you’d better go into the season with eight or nine viable starting options. Tyler Wells, Cade Povich, Albert Suárez and Brandon Young are the club’s starting options beyond the previously mentioned five.
What is still lacking with the calendar about to flip from January to February is a true ace. Not that every option this offseason has been an ace. The point is if it can’t be a No. 1, he better be a damn good No. 2.
All of the planning by Elias this winter pointed to buying one of two starters, Ranger Suárez or Framber Valdez. Well, Elias let Suárez go to AL East rival Boston for five years and $130 million. Suárez getting an average of $26 million per season suggests Valdez will get more than $30 million.
But as we inch closer and closer to the Feb. 11 reporting date for pitchers and catchers in Sarasota, which teams are in the battle for Valdez? It looked as if it was coming down to the Orioles and Mets, and that still could come to pass. After all, Steve Cohen and the Mets had an unpopular offseason among fans, at least until recently.
The Mets traded away popular outfielder Brandon Nimmo, acquiring veteran second baseman Marcus Semien in the process. They allowed both Edwin Díaz and Pete Alonso to leave as free agents. They did pick up Devin Williams to close games.
More recently, the Mets brought infielder Bo Bichette for three years and $126 million and traded for outfielder Luis Robert, who can at times make Tyler O’Neill look like a poster boy for good health.
The offense still looks a little thin to make a real run at the Dodgers in October. The logical pivot sometimes when teams lose offense is to go crazy for pitching. Was the acquisition of right-handed starter Freddy Peralta their one big pitching move? Or will Cohen and president of baseball operations David Stearns go wild and vault the Orioles for Valdez’s services?
While Elias is comfortable spending the well-funded ownership group’s money, owner David Rubenstein is still a very prudent business man. Agent Ulises Cabrera was likely looking for a six- or seven-year deal for Valdez at the beginning of the offseason, while the Orioles are hoping for perhaps four years.
With Valdez being the lone ace out there, this probably will come to a head in the next week. The Orioles are in the hunt and Elias probably always knew it would come down to the Orioles and Mets.
I sure hope Elias has a solid backup plan if Cohen seizes the day.
Photo Credit: Colin Murphy/PressBox