The Baltimore Orioles made one of the most aggressive moves in baseball last offseason by trading for Cy Young Award winner Corbin Burnes. A year later and just months removed from a postseason trip, the majority of MLB rumors this winter have seemingly centered on Orioles’ opponents.
MLB free agency is loaded with impact talents who could make a significant difference for Baltimore in 2025 and beyond. Burnes is one of the top free-agent starters available, but the involvement of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Boston Red Sox for the perennial All-Star pitcher is raising doubts about a return to Baltimore.
- Baltimore Orioles payroll 2025 (FanGraphs): $99 million
Fortunately for the Orioles, there are plenty of options available beyond Burnes. Max Fried and Roki Sasaki offer cheaper and more cost-effective alternatives for the Orioles rotation and there are several high-end starting pitchers available on the trade market. Fortunately for the fan base, it appears the front office will take a different approach than it did at the MLB trade deadline.
Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported that the Orioles are being “much more aggressive” this winter both in talks with agents representing top MLB free agents and in trade talks with other clubs. It’s a major change from when Baltimore was criticized for taking a passive approach at the MLB trade deadline.
Despite being viewed as World Series contenders in July, the Orioles didn’t make any big moves during the summer. The team acquired starting pitchers Zach Eflin and Trevor Rodgers, but both moves yielded underwhelming results. Rogers was demoted to Triple-A after posting a 7.11 ERA and 1.84 WHIP across 19 innings with Baltimore. Eflin pitched very well (2.60 ERA), but he also spent time on the injured list.
Now, after reaching the postseason for the second consecutive year, Baltimore seems prepared to significantly increase its payroll and make bigger moves to improve the current roster under new ownership. While this winter still might end with Burnes signing with another World Series contender, the belief around the league is multiple moves will be made to make the Orioles roster better than it’s been in years.
