5 Orioles players who won’t be back next season after disappointing 2025 campaign

The Baltimore Orioles' disappointing 2025 season has finally come to an end. With the offseason ahead of them, some key decisions now face Mike Elias and company. The first decision is finding a general manager to serve under Elias, and from there, the two will seemingly decide on the next manager of the team.

Once the structure of the Orioles' front office and coaching staff is completed, the focus will shift toward roster construction. As the Orioles turn the page from their disastrous season, several players have played their last game with Baltimore.

Here are the Orioles players that almost definitely won't be back in 2026

Adley Rutschman, C

The messaging coming from the Orioles at the end of the season is that they plan on addressing the needs in their starting rotation and bullpen. For a team that has been hesitant to spend money in recent offseasons, expecting the Orioles to use free agency primarily to upgrade their roster would be misguided. The guess here is that after signing Samuel Basallo to an 8-year extension, the Orioles will trade Rutschman as a way to address their need for a top-of-the-rotation starting pitcher.

Zach Eflin, SP

As the Orioles look to have a new-look rotation in 2026, Zach Eflin almost certainly won't be a part of it. The 2025 season was a disaster for Eflin, posting an ERA of 5.93 in 14 starts while dealing with a back injury that has kept him sidelined for most of the year. Eflin is a free agent this offseason, and it seems like the time is right for each side to go in their separate direction.

Tomoyuki Sugano, SP

Tomoyuki Sugano recently expressed a desire to be back with the Orioles in 2026, but his struggles in 2025 were part of the problem for Baltimore's pitching staff. Unless Sugano is willing to return to the Orioles on a discounted rate, the Orioles likely will be looking for more impactful additions as they aim to upgrade their pitching staff.

Gary Sanchez, C

A knee injury ended Gary Sánchez's 2025 season in July, and it's hard to map out a scenario where he is back in the fold with the Orioles in 2026. Basallo will enter next season as the Orioles' primary backstop, and it would seem that the team would turn to a cheaper alternative than Sánchez as the secondary catcher in the event that Rutschman is traded.

Jorge Mateo, utility IF/OF

Jorge Mateo was once a valued member on the Orioles' bench, serving as the utility player for a team on the ascent toward being at the top of the American League. Now, with the Orioles resetting, and Mateo's 2025 season being derailed by injury and ineffectiveness, it seems clear that Baltimore won't be picking up his $5.5MM option.