Baltimore Orioles Winter Meetings Hot Stove shopping list

Dan Duquette will also have to field questions from other GMs’ shopping lists.

Most of those questions will involve Zach Britton and Manny Machado. There might even be some interest in other players like Mychal Givens, Adam Jones, and Jonathan Schoop.

Has Stanton affected the O’s goals?

In the few hours since Stanton was signed, experts and pundits have discussed the ripple effect that could move through the American League. Just a few days ago, Duquette commented on how the O’s were not in a rebuild and how they were going to count on their core. Jon Meoli with The Baltimore Sun summarized Duquette’s words: “[I]t’s the top priority this offseason as the Orioles enter a make-or-break 2018 season in which they’ll try to build one last playoff team, not tear things down in favor of a rebuild for the future.”

It is crazy to consider that one man could change the way that a team tackles the off-season for 2018. But there is a real chance that the O’s front office spent time discussing the Stanton trade and what it means to the off-season plan. Hopefully, Duquette will stick to the plan and go for it for one more year. But, if he trades a big piece, like Machado, then it will be crystal clear that the goal has shifted.

Next: Gausman makes a classy move to honor Halladay

Stay tuned to Birds Watcher for Winter Meetings coverage.