Orioles offseason could finally deliver the free agent fans dreamed of

The hope is that a season where they were dubbed one of baseball's most disappointing teams while firing their manager along the way would point the Baltimore Orioles in a position where they will be aggressive this offseason. Aggressive in their search for a new manager, but most importantly, aggressive in addressing the biggest need: starting pitching.

It's easier said than done for the Orioles. This is the same team that was largely dormant last offseason and failed to replace Corbin Burnes at the top of their rotation. That was an offseason where the Orioles had the impression of being ready to be among the powerhouses of the American League. If they lacked urgency last winter, some fans may be skeptical that they will change their approach this winter.

The good news for the Orioles is that there will be no shortage of options available to them. Freddy Peralta, Hunter Greene, Mitch Keller, and Joe Ryan are among the starting pitchers who could be available on the trade market. And, in free agency, Framber Valdez, Dylan Cease, and Ranger Suarez are all available, with the caveat being that the Orioles are ready to spend money.

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FanSided's own Robert Murray expects there to be a healthy market for Valdez this winter, but at the forefront of Murray's best fits for the 31-year-old are the Baltimore Orioles. In nearly 200 innings pitched with the Astros last season, Valdez posted an ERA of 3.66 while striking out 23.3% of the hitters he faced.

In terms of a pitcher, Valdez embodies everything the Orioles need: Not only an arm that provides much-needed stability to a rotation depleted by injuries in 2025, but the pedigree to finally replace what the Orioles lost when Burnes signed with the Arizona Diamondbacks last offseason.

The red flag for Valdez, and one that needs to be considered for a team with a new manager, is that he may be a bad guy to have in the clubhouse. An incident with his own catcher, Cesar Salazar, this season may have exposed the fact that Valdez may not have been liked by his teammates in Houston. Not to mention, for an Orioles team that lacked leadership, Valdez's willingness to throw his coaching staff under the bus also could be an issue.

Not that the Orioles are ever looking for a reason to not spend money, but Valdez's checkered history in the clubhouse could ultimately be why Baltimore looks in a different direction to address their stated priority before Opening Day.