Orioles’ stance on Alex Bregman revealed and it might be a mistake

The Orioles keep insisting they’re not done adding, and their reported interest in Kyle Tucker even after dealing for Taylor Ward proves as much. As detailed by Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon in The Athletic, they’re at least open to another big swing in the outfield. 

But buried in that same reporting was a quieter note. The organization isn’t interested in pursuing Alex Bregman because they feel set with their current infield depth. On paper, that sounds like a vote of confidence in their young core. In reality, it might be a blind spot.

Numbers say the Orioles should rethink their decision to pass on Alex Bregman

Mike Elias was in the Astros’ draft room in 2015 when Houston grabbed Bregman at No. 2 and Kyle Tucker at No. 5. In other words, Elias knows exactly what peak Astros talent looks like because he helped pick it. The idea that he’s chasing one (Tucker) while essentially ruling out another (Bregman) says a lot about how the Orioles view their infield.

Baltimore can talk all they want about being “set” on the dirt, and there’s real truth to it. Gunnar Henderson, Jordan Westburg, and Jackson Holliday all remain centerpieces in long-term plans. Coby Mayo and others are fighting for at-bats. But depth on a spreadsheet isn’t the same as playoff certainty, and that’s where Bregman changes the conversation.

Bregman is exactly the kind of bat you drop into the middle of a contending lineup and stop worrying about. He’s cleared 20 home runs in each of his last three full seasons, hit 18 in 114 games in 2025, and does damage without having to sell out for power. 

Then there’s the postseason track record, which the Orioles can’t just manufacture from within. Bregman has played on the biggest stage, in hostile environments, with everything on the line, and he’s done it as a central figure. Baltimore’s clubhouse is talented and energetic, but there’s a big difference between “we believe we can win” and “we’ve done it before and know what it takes.”

Defensively, the self-assurance the Orioles have in their infield doesn’t exactly line up with the metrics. They finished 24th in Defensive Runs Saved in 2025, which is more “work in progress” than “set it and forget it.” Sneaking in a sure-handed defender on the dirt is one of those under-the-radar upgrades that can quietly raise the team’s ceiling.

Of course, there are reasons to be hesitant. Bregman will be expensive. There’s always the risk of decline on the wrong side of 30. And the front office may simply prefer to allocate big dollars to a Kyle Tucker type in the outfield or another frontline arm instead. But completely closing the door on Bregman because the infield is “crowded” feels like the wrong thought process for a team in this position.

Ignoring a player Elias once helped draft, who fits their biggest needs on offense, in leadership, and in defense, just to preserve a theoretical path to playing time, feels more like a rebuilding mindset than a championship one. Baltimore has earned the benefit of the doubt with how they’ve built this roster. But on Alex Bregman, their stance might be the rare case where betting on the future over the present is actually a mistake.