"After making a massive splash on offense, the Orioles figure to turn their attention to the rotation. That could also come via the open market, as the MLB Network's Jon Morosi relays that Baltimore remains in the mix for the top free agent starters. Andy Kostka of The Baltimore Banner similarly suggests that the O's have ongoing interest in Ranger Suárez."
"Baltimore committed $31MM annually on a surprising five-year deal to add Pete Alonso. It's easily the biggest free agent move of Mike Elias' tenure leading baseball operations. That also means the long-term books are still fairly open. Alonso joins Ryan Helsley, Tyler O'Neill and Samuel Basallo as the only players signed beyond next season. Helsley and O'Neill come off the books after 2027, while Basallo won't make more than $4MM in a season until 2030."
"A significant arbitration class clutters the short-term picture a little more. RosterResource projects their 2026 payroll obligations around $148MM. (That's using a $31MM estimated salary for Alonso, but the annual breakdown on his deal hasn't been reported.) Baltimore had a little more than $159MM committed to their Opening Day payroll in 2025. They'd need to push that higher to make a second notable free agent move, but that appears to be in play headed into the second full season of David Rubenstein's ownership tenure."
Baltimore plans to prioritize adding a front-line starter to complement Trevor Rogers and Kyle Bradish, targeting top free agent arms and trade options. The club has shown interest in Ranger Suárez and has been linked to Framber Valdez, Michael King and Tatsuya Imai. The Orioles committed $31MM annually to a five-year deal for Pete Alonso, leaving some long-term payroll flexibility but facing a significant arbitration class and projected 2026 obligations near $148MM. The team is willing to surrender draft compensation for qualifying-offer rejectors and is balancing free-agent pursuits against trade possibilities.
Read at MLB Trade Rumors
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