![\"Rosenthal:](\"https:\/\/static01.nyt.com\/athletic\/uploads\/wp\/2025\/01\/04195721\/GettyImages-2166249006-scaled.jpg\")
<\/p>\nLate last week, the Orioles added veteran right-hander Charlie Morton to their rotation mix on a one-year deal.<\/p>\n
On paper, the addition (alongside the club\u2019s one-year deal with Tomoyuki Sugano earlier last month) would appear to fill their rotation. Things may not be that simple, however, as Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported this morning that Baltimore remains in the market for upgrades even after adding Morton to their rotation mix.<\/p>\n
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As noted by Rosenthal, the Orioles already have a fairly deep rotation mix as things stand. Morton and Sugano are joined by Zach Eflin and Grayson Rodriguez as locks for the club\u2019s rotation next year, with Dean Kremer poised to round out the starting five.<\/p>\n
Rosenthal suggests that veteran journeyman Albert Su\u00e1rez could pitch in as the club\u2019s sixth starter if the Orioles opt for a six-man rotation this year, but even if they stick with just five starters Su\u00e1rez figures to slot into the bullpen as a swing-man who can move back into the rotation as needed. Cade Povich, Trevor Rogers, and Chayce McDermott are all available as depth options behind that group, as well.<\/p>\n
If Baltimore were to add another starter, it seems likely that Kremer would be the odd man out. The right-hander made 24 starts for the Orioles last year and pitched to decent results, with a 4.10 ERA (92 ERA+) and a 4.32 FIP in 129 2\/3 innings of work.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s perfectly solid production for a fifth starter, but those numbers also shouldn\u2019t prevent the Orioles from upgrading their rotation mix and squeezing Kremer out of the picture. After all, the right-hander has been at least slightly below average by measure of ERA+ in every season of his career except 2022, when he pitched to an impressive 3.23 ERA in 125 1\/3 innings of work in a career year.<\/p>\n
Kremer, who is arbitration eligible for the first time in his career this winter, has a minor league option remaining that could offer the Orioles some flexibility if the club decides to add further to its rotation. Speculatively speaking, however, it\u2019s also possible that the club could consider offering the right-hander as part of the return to land a starter on the trade market.<\/p>\n
Kremer has three seasons of team control remaining, so offering him up in order to land a rental pitcher like Dylan Cease would be a risky move given the fact that Morton, Sugano, and Eflin are all already ticketed for free agency next winter.<\/p>\n
That said, it seems feasible that Kremer could make sense as part of the return for a controllable arm such as Luis Castillo or Pablo L\u00f3pez.<\/p>\n
Rosenthal previously reported that the Mariners have some pause about dealing Castillo given their lackluster rotation depth behind the current starting five, which could make the Orioles a particularly good trade partner if they\u2019re willing to make Kremer or even one of their younger arms like Povich available.<\/p>\n
Rosenthal reports that the Mariners are requiring major league talent in return for Castillo\u2019s services this winter, while noting that Baltimore seems reluctant to deal from its cache of young position players.<\/p>\n
Perhaps a package focused on Kremer and first baseman Ryan Mountcastle could make some sense for both sides, then, offering Seattle a pair of arbitration-level players with multiple years of control while landing the Orioles the controllable, front-line starter they\u2019ve been seeking.<\/p>\n
Of course, the trade market isn\u2019t the only way that Baltimore could upgrade their rotation.<\/p>\n
Former Oriole Jack Flaherty is still available on the free agent market, and the club was frequently connected to him prior to the club\u2019s deal with Morton. If the Orioles remain in the market for rotation upgrades even after adding Morton to the fold, it stands to reason that Flaherty remains at least a potential fit for the club\u2019s needs despite some recent reporting that has suggested the club could balk at the righty\u2019s asking price.<\/p>\n
Flaherty seems certain to land a multi-year deal this winter, with reports indicating he\u2019s angling for a five-year pact. Such an addition would offer Baltimore a bit more certainty in its rotation for 2026 and beyond by allowing them to project a starting five that includes Flaherty, Rodriguez, and Kremer for next season alongside Kyle Bradish, who could return from elbow surgery at some point in the second half this year.<\/p>\n
Moving beyond the possibility of further rotation upgrades, Rosenthal adds that the Orioles hope to supplement its bullpen mix this winter.<\/p>\n
The biggest addition to Baltimore\u2019s relief corps is sure to be the return for closer F\u00e9lix Bautista from Tommy John surgery, but it stands to reason that the club could use at least one veteran arm to join Seranthony Dom\u00ednguez, Yennier Cano, Keegan Akin, and Gregory Soto among the club\u2019s potential late-inning options ahead of Bautista.<\/p>\n
While Baltimore has not been directly connected to any specific relievers in this year\u2019s free agent market, they figure to benefit from the fact that there\u2019s been minimal movement on the relief market to this point in the winter if the club decides to hold off on adding bullpen help until later in the winter.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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