{"id":141646,"date":"2026-01-18T17:10:56","date_gmt":"2026-01-18T17:10:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=141646"},"modified":"2026-01-18T17:10:56","modified_gmt":"2026-01-18T17:10:56","slug":"update-help-for-the-orioles-bullpen-hasnt-disappeared-yet-free-agency-still-provides-options-that-could-stabilize-high-leverage-situations-the-question-is-which-one-fits-baltimore","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=141646","title":{"rendered":"UPDATE: Help for the Orioles\u2019 bullpen hasn\u2019t disappeared yet. Free agency still provides options that could stabilize high-leverage situations. The question is which one fits Baltimore best."},"content":{"rendered":"
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Which Veteran Free-Agent Relievers Could Still Help the Orioles?<\/h2>\n

\"Which<\/p>\n

Old friends Danny Coulombe and Seranthony Dom\u00ednguez headline a thinning but intriguing bullpen market.<\/em><\/p>\n

With pitchers and catchers set to report in roughly a month, the Baltimore Orioles remain a work in progress rather than a finished product. Much of the focus this offseason has centered on the team\u2019s search for another high-end starting pitcher, but as those options continue to dry up, attention is increasingly shifting to the bullpen. Even after several notable moves, the Orioles could still benefit from adding at least one reliable veteran reliever before spring training begins.<\/p>\n

Baltimore addressed the back end of the bullpen by trading for All-Star closer Ryan Helsley and reuniting with setup man Andrew Kittredge, giving the late innings a much-needed boost. However, beyond veteran left-hander Keegan Akin, the rest of the projected relief corps is filled with question marks. Arms such as Dietrich Enns, Rico Garcia, and Kade Strowd offer upside, but none can be considered proven major-league commodities.<\/p>\n

The free-agent relief market has largely been stripped of its elite options, yet several experienced arms remain unsigned. While none project as game-changing acquisitions on their own, the right fit could provide meaningful depth, stabilize middle innings, and reduce pressure on an already taxed bullpen. Here are four veteran relievers still available who could make sense for the Orioles.<\/p>\n

LHP Taylor Rogers<\/h3>\n

At first glance, Taylor Rogers might not seem like an obvious Orioles target, but there is a distant connection. Baltimore originally drafted Rogers out of high school in 2009, though he chose to attend the University of Kentucky instead. Sixteen years later, Rogers is still pitching in the majors and looking for his next opportunity.<\/p>\n

Now 35, Rogers has carved out a solid 10-year MLB career across five organizations, including multiple stints in high-leverage roles. He has also closed games at the major-league level and famously shared a bullpen with his twin brother, Tyler Rogers, during their time with the San Francisco Giants. While Tyler landed a lucrative three-year, $37 million deal with the Toronto Blue Jays this offseason, Taylor remains on the market.<\/p>\n

Unlike his brother, Rogers does not rely on an elite sinker-slider combination, but he does possess an effective sweeper. In 2025, opposing hitters managed just a .168 batting average against that pitch. Still, there are warning signs. Rogers became more hittable last season, with his hard-hit rate spiking to 44.4 percent\u2014more than 12 points higher than the year before. Several other peripheral metrics also trended in the wrong direction.<\/p>\n

Context matters, however. Rogers pitched well early in the season before being traded to the New York Mets at the deadline, where his performance cratered. That trajectory mirrors what Ryan Helsley experienced after his own move to Queens, suggesting environment and usage may have played a role. If the Orioles believe Rogers can rebound in a more stable setting, he could provide left-handed depth and matchup flexibility.<\/p>\n

RHP Michael Kopech<\/h3>\n

Advocating for Michael Kopech requires a leap of faith. The hard-throwing right-hander appeared in just 14 games last season and spent three separate stints on the injured list. When he was on the mound, he struggled badly, walking 13 batters in only 11 innings while failing to find a consistent rhythm.<\/p>\n

On the surface, Kopech does not align with an Orioles team that has openly emphasized improved pitcher health. But if Baltimore is willing to largely dismiss Kopech\u2019s 2025 campaign as an injury-driven anomaly, the upside remains tantalizing.<\/p>\n

In 2024, his first season as a full-time reliever, Kopech ranked in the 98th percentile in fastball velocity and the 99th percentile in fastball spin rate. Few relievers in baseball can match his raw stuff. Command has always been the flaw\u2014his walk rates have consistently hovered on the high side\u2014but elite velocity allows him to escape trouble when he\u2019s right.<\/p>\n

The lack of offseason buzz surrounding the 29-year-old suggests teams remain wary of his durability. That skepticism is understandable. For the Orioles, Kopech would represent a high-risk, high-reward signing, one that likely only makes sense on a short-term, incentive-laden deal.<\/p>\n

RHP Seranthony Dom\u00ednguez<\/h3>\n

Among unsigned relievers, Seranthony Dom\u00ednguez stands out as the most accomplished option still available. MLB Trade Rumors currently ranks him as the 43rd-best free agent this winter and the highest-rated reliever yet to sign.<\/p>\n

Dom\u00ednguez is also a familiar name in Baltimore. Acquired at the 2024 trade deadline and dealt away just three days before the 2025 deadline, he spent slightly more than one calendar year with the Orioles. In 68 appearances with the club, Dom\u00ednguez posted a 3.50 ERA\u2014identical to his career mark across seven major-league seasons.<\/p>\n

Orioles fans experienced the full Dom\u00ednguez profile: swing-and-miss stuff capable of overpowering hitters, paired with inconsistent command and a tendency to surrender the long ball. He strikes out more than a batter per inning for his career but also owns a 4.0 BB\/9 rate that caps his ceiling.<\/p>\n

Still, Dom\u00ednguez brings value beyond the stat line. Former interim manager Tony Mansolino praised him as a leader and a respected presence in the clubhouse, noting his intelligence and ability to connect with teammates across cultures. For a bullpen with several young arms, that influence could matter.<\/p>\n

MLB Trade Rumors projects Dom\u00ednguez to land a two-year, $18 million deal, but with the calendar advancing, he may have to accept a lesser contract. A reunion with Baltimore as a middle-relief stabilizer is not out of the question.<\/p>\n

LHP Danny Coulombe<\/h3>\n

Few names inspire more frustration among Orioles fans than Danny Coulombe. From 2023 to 2024, Coulombe was one of the most effective relievers in Baltimore\u2019s bullpen, posting a 2.56 ERA across two seasons. Despite that success, the Orioles declined his modest $4 million club option for 2025, sending him into free agency.<\/p>\n

The decision quickly backfired. Coulombe signed with the Minnesota Twins and opened the season with 21 consecutive scoreless appearances, finishing with a 1.16 ERA. Meanwhile, Cionel P\u00e9rez\u2014the left-hander Baltimore retained instead\u2014struggled so badly that he was designated for assignment by May.<\/p>\n

Coulombe\u2019s season was not flawless. He had two stints on the injured list and faltered after a deadline trade to the Texas Rangers. Even so, he produced 1.4 WAR, far exceeding the value of the contract the Orioles chose not to exercise.<\/p>\n

The most plausible explanation for Baltimore\u2019s original decision was concern over Coulombe\u2019s medicals. If that remains the case, a reunion seems unlikely. But from a performance standpoint, Coulombe has consistently shown he can thrive in high-leverage situations, making the initial choice\u2014and its aftermath\u2014especially painful.<\/p>\n

Final Thoughts<\/h3>\n

\"Which<\/p>\n

None of these relievers alone will determine whether the Orioles win the AL pennant or miss the postseason. But bullpen reliability often separates contenders from pretenders over the course of a long season. Adding one more steady veteran arm\u2014whether via free agency or the trade market\u2014could ease workloads, protect young pitchers, and provide crucial depth when injuries inevitably strike.<\/p>\n

For a team with legitimate playoff aspirations, even marginal improvements in the bullpen could pay dividends. The Orioles may not be done yet.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Which Veteran Free-Agent Relievers Could Still Help the Orioles? Old friends Danny Coulombe and Seranthony Dom\u00ednguez headline a thinning but intriguing bullpen market. With pitchers and catchers… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":141647,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-141646","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-mlb"],"yoast_head":"\nUPDATE: Help for the Orioles\u2019 bullpen hasn\u2019t disappeared yet. Free agency still provides options that could stabilize high-leverage situations. 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