Orioles nightmare unfolds as Ranger Suarez slips away at last moment to AL East rival

Throughout the entire offseason, it seemed as though though the Baltimore Orioles were destined to sign one of the top free agent pitchers on the open market. After the Toronto Blue Jays added Dylan Cease to their rotation on a seven-year deal, the O's choices were trimmed to either Framber Valdez or Ranger Suarez, with Baltimore being most often linked to the latter.

But the Boston Red Sox just torpedoed the Orioles offseason plans after reportedly agreeing to terms with Suarez. According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the Red Sox and Suarez agreed on a five-year, $130 million deal.

After losing Alex Bregman to the Chicago Cubs, Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow appears to have thrown caution to the wind in an effort to save face. The Red Sox emerged as contenders for several of the top free agents remaining, with Suarez being named among them, and on Wednesday, finalized a deal with one of the O's top targets.

Orioles nightmare unfolds as Ranger Suarez slips away at last moment to Boston Red Sox

According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic (subscription required), while most assumed Boston will chase a big-time hitter like Bo Bichette to replace Bregman's production in the starting lineup, there was a prevailing thought among some within the organization that the Red Sox will continue to load up on top-tier pitching.

Rosenthal revealed that the Red Sox were one of the teams currently chasing Milwaukee Brewers ace Freddy Peralta, but some of Boston's top executives preferred Suarez. Apparently those within Breslow's inner circle won the argument.

While the Orioles front office has a lot to show for their aggressive nature this offseason, the one thing they've failed to address is the top of the rotation. Adding Pete Alonso , Shane Baz, and Taylor Ward are great, but Baltimore's biggest need once the offseason began was a frontline starter.

To date, that remains a need, and now, after missing out on Suarez, they've got just one free agent target left. Can Mike Elias get a deal in place for Valdez before the New York Mets steal him away? Given how quickly the Red Sox pounced, Elias can no longer slow walk these negotiations.