Subtle MLB insider hint suggests Orioles are lining up another major offseason splash

There's no doubt that the Baltimore Orioles have made a ton of noise this offseason. The arrivals of Pete Alonso, Shane Baz, and Ryan Helsley should make it easier for fans to forget the miserable 2025 season. Still, it seems the one move that is keeping Baltimore's offseason from looking like a complete success is looking for a frontline starting pitcher.

Baz gives the Orioles' rotation a controllable pitcher with a high upside. Even the return of Zach Eflin should stabilize the backend of the rotation. But if the Orioles truly want to join the conversation with the Blue Jays at the top of the American League East, they'll need to find another top-of-the-rotation arm before Opening Day.

Massive clue could point to the Orioles' final move of the offseason

The good news is that there remain several options on the free-agent market to address that need. Framber Valdez, Ranger Suarez, and Zac Gallen remain available and figure to be catching the eye of Baltimore.

The catch with all three of those players is that they rejected a qualifying offer from their previous teams. Meaning, if the Orioles were to sign one of them, they would have to be comfortable with losing a draft pick. Something Baltimore hasn't shied away from this offseason, when they included a Competitive Balance pick as part of their trade for Baz.

The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon (subscription required) reveal that the Orioles are ready to lose another pick if need be. If the Orioles sign one of those three pitchers, they would be forced to part with their third-highest selection. With the pick likely being the No. 85 selection in the draft, they are willing to make that sacrifice.

Along those lines, we can probably remove Gallen from the discussion. He's coming off a down year in 2025, and considering the ramifications, the Orioles likely will lean toward one of Valdez or Suarez--given the consistency in their profiles.

Baltimore is approaching the finish line to the offseason, but the stage is set for them to have one more move up their sleeve. Ultimately, it could be the determining factor to how good they will be in 2026.