The Baltimore Orioles were linked to several front-line starting pitchers this MLB offseason, with left-hander Framber Valdez among the most notable. The former Houston Astros ace ended up signing with the Detroit Tigers, leaving the Orioles with questions to answer.
While it remains to be seen how the entirety of Baltimore’s rotation will fare in 2026, one reason to be extremely optimistic is 26-year-old right-hander Shane Baz. Acquired by Baltimore from the Tampa Bay Rays this offseason, Baz showed during Spring Training why so many are high on this acquisition. In three starts, he surrendered just five hits and three earned runs in 10.1 innings pitched, punching out 14 hitters and walking just four. His WHIP was 0.87 and his ERA was 2.61.
Ahead of his first start with the Orioles, Baz has already inked a long-term extension. It was reported on Friday by ESPN’s Jeff Passan that the right-hander has earned himself a five-year, $68 million contract extension.
As Passan noted, Baz is coming off his first fully healthy year. He appeared in 31 games (all starts) for Tampa Bay last season, logging 166.1 innings pitched, striking out 176 batters and pitching to the tune of a 4.87 ERA.
While that is not an overly impressive mark, he did have a 3.06 ERA in 2024 when injuries limited him to just 14 starts. If he can get back to that effectiveness while matching his durability from last season, Baltimore will have a very talented front-of-the-line arm. And considering his age, Baz may be just now entering his prime and gets locked up on what could prove to be a more team-friendly deal for the Orioles if he reaches his full potential.
While they may not have landed that superstar ace this offseason, Baltimore did well with the acquisition of Baz, Chris Bassitt and other depth arms to improve their pitching situation. Also landing Pete Alonso and Taylor Ward to bolster the lineup, this is clearly an Orioles team that is looking to be serious players in the American League East division this season.
That division is widely considered the most difficult in baseball, of course led by the reigning American League champion Toronto Blue Jays and the ever-potent New York Yankees, but Baltimore’s 26-man roster is looking as solid as any in the AL. Locking up Baz for the foreseeable future only bolsters this, as the young right-hander earned this payday ahead of his first season with the Orioles.