2 offseason moves so far that Orioles fans are wishing Baltimore had pulled off

The Baltimore Orioles have been one of the most active teams this winter, but not all activity is good activity. While the club deserves its fair share of kudos for bringing Pete Alonso into the fold, some other moves the team has made look questionable when compared to similar options who landed elsewhere.

With that in mind, there are some clear examples where the fans certainly wish Baltimore had done what another club did instead of the path they ultimately took.

Two moves the Orioles should have made instead

Sign Michael King, in addition to, or instead of trading for Shane Baz

If there's one thing we know about Mike Elias, it's that he gets skittish when it comes to handing out long-term contracts to free-agent starting pitchers. With that said, the team desperately needs a frontline starter, and in Michael King, a rumored target for Baltimore, they could have had one without going out of their comfort zone.

King signed a three-year, $75 million deal to return to the Padres, getting essentially what many thought he would receive. Three years isn't a terribly long commitment, but the way the deal is structured could make it an even shorter one, which would have prevented the Orioles from getting burned.

The deal comes with opt-outs after 2026 and 2027, making it either a one-year, $22 million deal, a two-year, $45 million pact, or seeing it go for the full three years at $75 million.

In signing King, Baltimore wouldn't have had to trade significant prospect capital to a division rival to acquire Shane Baz, a pitcher with a 4.87 ERA last season. King also wouldn't have prevented the Orioles from going and getting Baz as well if the club was truly enamored with him, further bolstering the rotation.

If Baz ends up being the only addition to this group of starters, Baltimore could find itself in trouble, and if they do add someone from the free-agent pool like a Ranger Suarez or Framber Valdez, they'll end up paying more in dollars and years than what King received. Anyway you slice it, this looks like a big miss.

Signing Ryan Helsley instead of Kenley Jansen or Robert Suarez feels bad

In signing Ryan Helsley, the Orioles are betting big that he can put the pitch-tipping issues that plagued him with the New York Mets behind him. However, even before he was traded to New York, Helsley seemed to have his dominance slipping away, posting a 3.00 ERA with the Cardinals in 2025, which was nearly a full run higher than his 2.04 mark in 2024.

It would be one thing if the flame-throwing righty came at a sizeable discount; however, at two-years, $28 million, the Orioles are paying him a pretty penny.

The deal looks even more questionable in light of what some other closer-types signed for afterwards. The Atlanta Braves got Robert Suarez, the consensus second-best option behind Edwin Diaz, for three years and $45 million, meaning he got just one additional year and the paltry sum of $1 million per year more than Helsley. At this point, Suarez has more upside.

Or, you could consider the deal that Kenley Jansen signed, one year for $9 million with a $12 million club option for 2027 that comes with a $2 million buyout as a safer play. At this point in his career, the 38-year-old might not have the same upside that Helsley does, but he also has a higher floor.

Not only that, Jansen brings playoff experience and veteran leadership to what is still a very young team, and at a significantly cheaper price tag, would allow Baltimore to throw money around elsewhere.

For a team that needs certainty, the Orioles are leaning into the boom-or-bust moves, both with the Baz trade and the Helsley signing, and if they don't work out, it could blow up in their faces big time.