Projecting a stacked 2026 Orioles rotation if Justin Verlander rumors are real

Justin Verlander might not be an addition that Baltimore Orioles fans had an eye on entering the offseason, but a union might work nonetheless. Despite his age (he’ll turn 43 on Feb. 20), Verlander’s 2.60 ERA over his last 13 outings of 2025 suggests that he’s not quite finished impacting winning. 

Verlander also has ties to Orioles president of baseball operations Mike Elias, who was with Verlander in Houston in 2017 and 2018. The Orioles also still have reason to pursue younger, more potent arms like Framber Valdez, but they could also do worse than falling back on Verlander. When you look at Baltimore’s projected rotation with Verlander theoretically included, it’s pretty darn solid.

Orioles’ rotation with Justin Verlander would be full of quality

Trevor Rogers and Kyle Bradish would be headlining Baltimore’s 2026 rotation, with four arms in the mix behind them: Shane Baz, Dean Kremer, Zach Eflin, and Verlander. If Verlander were able to give the O’s even 15 or 20 quality starts next season, he’d be a worthy asset. The value he’d bring to a young clubhouse such as Baltimore’s is also something to consider. 

Verlander-Baltimore buzz has picked up in recent days, especially with the New York Mets and others continuing to pursue Valdez, per The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal. According to Rosenthal, Verlander is also attracting his fair share of suitors, so Baltimore might want to keep an ear close to the ground.

The Elias connection should give the Orioles a slight edge in any Verlander sweepstakes, not to mention Verlander being from Virginia. Rosenthal asserted that a deal between Baltimore and Verlander is “not close,” presumably because Elias still has a hand in the ongoing Valdez situation.

One benefit of rolling with Verlander instead of Valdez or another free agent, Zac Gallen, is that Baltimore wouldn’t have to surrender any draft capital in doing so. Remember, the Orioles already surrendered a competitive balance pick (and four prospects!) in the deal for Baz.

In a post to X that holds little logical weight but simply can't be ignored, Yahoo's Kendall Baker pointed out that Verlander has only played for MLB teams in his career that feature the color orange. Orioles fans in support of a Verlander addition are sure to take that observation and run with it! In another perspective, some fans are pushing for Baltimore to add Verlander on top of Valdez in free agency. With Valdez' price expected to be hefty, this isn't a likely outcome.

It's obvious that Elias' sparkling offseason has changed the goal posts for this franchise's fans, perhaps even to an unrealistic degree. Spirts and expectations are high, and that's only a good thing.