The Baltimore Orioles announced to the baseball world this offseason that they intend on being big fish in the AL for years to come with the acquisition of star first baseman Pete Alonso as well as supporting pieces like outfielder Taylor Ward. However, they're not done yet.

They're interested in future Hall of Fame pitcher Justin Verlander, per The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal.

"Verlander, who turns 43 next month, is from Virginia. He knows Orioles president of baseball operations Mike Elias from their time together with the Houston Astros in 2017 and ’18," he wrote. "And the Orioles are still trying to add another starting pitcher, preferably one at or near the top of the rotation, in free agency or trade."

"A deal between Verlander and the Orioles is not close," he continued. "For now, the Orioles almost certainly are aiming higher."

Verlander could help Baltimore's starting rotation, as he had a 3.85 ERA over 29 starts for the San Francisco Giants in 2025. However, the aging right-hander is past his prime and isn't a long-term option.

At the same time, younger hurlers like Framber Valdez and Zac Gallen are more costly and harder to land. Rosenthal identified the New York Mets as one of the several teams that could compete with the Orioles for Valdez, and they'd have to give up several prospects to trade for pitchers like the Detroit Tigers' Tarik Skubal, the Milwaukee Brewers' Freddy Peralta, and the Washington Nationals' MacKenzie Gore. That would be risky after sending four prospects and a competitive balance draft pick to the Tampa Bay Rays for Shane Baz this winter.

Should Baltimore throw caution to the wind or get a fallback option like Verlander to round out the rotation?

Getting Verlander to add to a starting pitching mix including southpaw Trevor Rogers (1.81 ERA across 18 starts in 2025), right-hander Zach Eflin (4.27 career ERA), right-hander Kyle Bradish (3.47 career ERA), and Baz (4.25 career ERA) would be a cost-effective move for Baltimore. The three-time AL Cy Young Award-winner has a market value of $7.8 million for one year, per Spotrac.

On the other hand, Valdez is worth a six-year, $199.9 million deal, while Gallen is worth a four-year, $74.8 million contract. The trade candidates would be even more expensive given that the Orioles would have to give up prospects on top of signing them to an extension to guarantee a long-term partnership. 

If Baltimore is serious about winning a championship next season, then the latter options make more sense. If the organization would rather take a step forward without mortgaging its future, then Verlander is the way to go.