Will the Orioles look to sign a starting pitcher?
The Baltimore Orioles have already made a number of moves to improve their roster for the 2026 season. The Pete Alonso signing stands out, as he is one of the best first baseman in the sport. The Orioles also traded for outfielder Taylor Ward and starting pitcher Shane Baz. However, will the O's look to add more starting pitching?
Early in the offseason, Framber Valdez was mentioned as a potential free agency target for Baltimore. In recent reports, Ranger Suarez has also been linked to the ball club. One has to imagine Zac Gallen is a possibility as well.
With all three of those star pitchers still available in free agency, the O's have an opportunity to significantly boost their rotation. Orioles president of baseball operations Mike Elias was recently asked if adding another starter is part of the gameplan ahead of spring training, via Jake Rill of MLB.com.
“I am judiciously looking to improve the roster until Spring Training starts, and we are assessing opportunities," Elias said.
Rill also mentioned the Orioles being linked to both Valdez and Suarez. Baltimore's connection to the pitchers has been reported on a fairly consistent basis by multiple sources. It has become rather clear that there is indeed some level of interest there.
Orioles Becoming a Popular Free Agency Destination?
The Orioles are becoming one of the better teams to play for in the big leagues. Sure, maybe the Los Angeles Dodgers and Toronto Blue Jays are currently among the most attractive teams to join, but the O's are the up-and-coming squad. Alonso's decision to leave the New York Mets in free agency and join the Orioles gave Baltimore a boost in that department.
The team's young core of players leaves excitement for the future. There's a realistic chance that the O's could compete not just in 2026, but for years to come. A number of young and rising stars are under team control for the foreseeable future.
Veteran players likely understand the situation and realize that signing with Baltimore may provide them with multiple opportunities to play for a championship over the next few years.
There are no guarantees that the Orioles will sign one of the aforementioned starting pitchers. With that said, the O's are among the favorites to land another starter before spring training gets underway. Perhaps they may even try to bring in multiple arms ahead of the 2026 season.