3 Orioles offseason rumors we wish came true, but didn't

The Baltimore Orioles came into this offseason with a lot of needs. With many positions to fill, especially in the rotation, they were connected to almost every single free agent pitcher and every single pitcher on the trade market. The Orioles reportedly were involved in some big trade discussions that fell through and made some big offers that were turned down.

In the end, the Orioles did bring in a handful of starters, a couple of relievers, and some big bats, and the team is better for it, but there were a couple of moves left on the table that, if the Orioles had been able to pull off, would have set them up for even more success.

If the Orioles had made some different moves, their 2026 season outlook would be much more positive

Framber Valdez

Up until the day that Framber Valdez signed with the Tigers, there were rumors that he was going to end up an Oriole. The Orioles were one of the few teams that met with him at the GM meetings, where Valdez went to make his case that he isn't such a bad guy. In the end, it appears the Orioles were more interested in Ranger Suarez as they made him an offer worth $125 million while allowing Valdez to go to Detroit for $115 million (over fewer years, but if anything, the Orioles have shown they prefer shorter high AAV contracts over longer ones).

Valdez would have been an excellent addition to the Orioles' rotation. What the Orioles need more than anything is someone who can be depended on to pitch a full starter's workload at a high level to take some of the pressure off of Kyle Bradish and Trevor Rogers, who are talented but have had durability issues. Valdez would have been exactly that. Over the past four seasons, he's averaged 30 starts per season with an ERA of 3.21 and a FIP of 3.29. Remarkable consistency at a very high level.

Jojo Romero

Under new GM Chaim Bloom, the Cardinals were one of the few all-out sellers of the offseason, unloading the majority of their expensive veteran players. The Orioles were rumored to be interested in lefty reliever Jojo Romero, but in the end, the Cardinals decided to hold onto him, perhaps hoping to deal him at the deadline when teams get truly desperate or just wanting to maintain some level of competence in their bullpen.

Romero would have filled the hole the Orioles have in the bullpen; they lack a lefty specialist. It appears they are going to try to use Grant Wolfram in that role. Wolfram has had a nice spring training, but he has a career ERA over five. Over the past two seasons, Romero has had a 2.70 ERA across 130 appearances. He's a much more proven arm than anything the Orioles have from the left-handed side. Unfortunately, they just weren't able to pry him away from the Cardinals.

Tatsuya Imai

Imai was the subject of much intrigue this offseason. The hype around him seemed to swell as the offseason went on. Many of the various outlets that project contracts had him signing a nine-figure long-term contract. In the end, it appears that teams weren't as high on him as the fans and media, and he settled for a short-term deal with the Astros that has an opt-out after one season.

Imai is still a mystery; he could pitch like a Cy Young candidate and make that Astros contract seem like a bargain, or he could be a bust and the Astros would be on the hook for the rest of his contract over the next three seasons. The Orioles reportedly "checked in" on Imai, but weren't interested in the contract structure that he was seeking and eventually got from the Astros.