Orioles changing philosophy makes one big pitching move feel inevitable

Baltimore Orioles fans have applauded Mike Elias' performance this offseason, but Elias now has the chance to emerge from behind the curtain for a final encore. With Baltimore still missing another frontline starter, and with Framber Valdez and Ranger Suárez available, the stage is set.

Baltimore would have to surrender a draft pick in signing either Valdez or Suárez, but Elias is more than okay with that these days, as pointed out by Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon of The Athletic in a new report.

"Back in November ... Elias signaled a shift in direction, saying he was “fully prepared” to forfeit draft pick(s) to sign free agents who rejected qualifying offers," Rosenthal and Sammon wrote. Baltimore recently gave up their Competitive Balance Round A pick in the Shane Baz deal, and Rosenthal and Sammon suggest that Elias is willing to surrender another pick in the name of winning now: "The Orioles ... are willing to lose another pick, knowing that will be part of the calculus if they sign Valdez or Suárez."

The Orioles have shifted fully into a win-now mindset, and Ranger Suárez should be their next move

Suárez is two years younger than Valdez and doesn't come with any potential clubhouse issues. These factors make him a more attractive option for the young Orioles, despite his injury concerns. Foul Territory's Erik Kratz was the most recent pundit to describe why Suárez and Baltimore are a good match for one another.

Elias had the chance to make a statement at the Winter Meetings by signing Suárez then and walking away from one of the most epic weeks in MLB offseason history. With Ranger fortuitously still available and anyone else of his caliber off the board (save Valdez), Elias shouldn't keep delaying this excellent opportunity.

There are still trades for Elias to explore the possibility of (Sandy Alcántara? Freddy Peralta?), but adding Suárez without losing anything feels like a better move. It would cap off a stunning winter for the Orioles and leave fans with nothing but a standing ovation for Baltimore's front office.

The American League East is going to be the most competitive division in baseball, so if Elias is thinking that he's already done enough, he should reconsider. But let's give Elias the benefit of the doubt here. Everything he's done since the end of the World Series suggests he's obsessed with making the postseason in 2026 and being a threat once there. It would actually be surprising at this point if Baltimore doesn't make one more splash.