Orioles insider correctly diagnoses offseason priority, but that is half the battle

By now, it's no secret that the Baltimore Orioles have eyes on shaking off a disappointing 2025 season and returning to the land of contenders in 2026. Much of the focus to propel that turnaround will be on improving the starting rotation, but another issue that isn't getting as much attention is just as important, if not more.

If the Orioles truly want to rebound, they'll seriously need to address their bullpen, as insider Jake Rill points out. Should they fail here, all the upgrades in the world to the starting rotation and positive developments from the core of young hitters will be for naught.

Fixing the bullpen should be a top priority for the Orioles if they truly want to contend in 2026

No unit was hit harder by Baltimore's trade deadline sell-off than the bullpen. Gone were Seranthony Dominguez (3.24 ERA with Baltimore), Gregory Soto (3.96 ERA), and Andrew Kittredge (3.45 ERA), among others.

The biggest blow, however, was losing Felix Bautista on July 20. The All-Star closer's brutal injury will keep him out for all of 2026 and threatens a large portion of 2027 as well.

The real truth is that even when the Orioles had a healthy Bautista and hadn't sold off their setup staff, this wasn't a great unit to begin with. From Opening Day up until the trade deadline, Baltimore relievers combined for a 4.68 ERA, which ranked 25th in the league.

The trade deadline exodus did open opportunities for some, who may or may not be pieces for 2026. A prime example is Kade Strowd, who got most of his run after the deadline and posted a 1.71 ERA. However, relievers, especially non-elite ones, are some of the most volatile players in the sport, and Strowd's 12.4% walk rate in 2025 might prove his success was merely a mirage.

The same can be said for Keegan Akin, who posted a 3.41 ERA and racked up eight saves in Bautista's absence. While that seems good on the surface, his walk rate, which climbed north of 12%, plummeting strikeout rate, and 4.94 FIP were all huge red flags.

This isn't a simple operation. Baltimore can't just go out and find a closer and call it a day. Instead, they'll need to find two setup men and possibly another lefty whom they can rely upon in addition to a ninth-inning arm.

The question now is will Mike Elias take this seriously and aggressively pursue upgrades both in free agency and the trade market, or will the club try to mostly roll the dice with what they have? If it's the latter, expect another rough season full of disappointment.