The Orioles have a clear offseason roadmap to avoid a letdown before the lockout

Coming off yet another disappointing season, the Baltimore Orioles enter the offseason with a brand new general manager in place and expectations to bring winning baseball back to the Charm City. 

New GM Jared Banner has spent his first few weeks on the job assuring fans that he hears them, recently appearing on the Ryan Ripken Show and telling fans, “We’ve heard you loud and clear. We understand you’re unhappy with the team's performance the last couple of years….I did not come here to lose. I promise you that.”

Orioles fans have heard plenty of empty front office speak as the organization has failed to build on its 2022-2024 run that produced three winning seasons, including 101 wins in 2023, and two playoff appearances, but perhaps a new voice with a fresh perspective brings about a more aggressive offseason for the Orioles. With clear holes on the roster, fans are hungry to see the new-look front office put its stamp on the team before the expected lockout and offseason freeze takes place on December 1. 

Baltimore Orioles have a clear roadmap to avoid a letdown as the lockout approaches

To avoid a letdown before the lockout, the Orioles should address two specific roster needs immediately: the starting rotation and the outfield. 

The Orioles’ top priority over the next couple of weeks should be getting a deal done with LHP Trevor Rogers. 

Coming off a 4.0 fWAR season that saw him make 30 starts with a 4.03 ERA (3.45 FIP) across 169 innings, the development of Rogers over the last two-plus years in Baltimore has been impressive, especially after many criticized the organization for moving outfielder Kyle Stowers and second base prospect Connor Norby to Miami to acquire the lefty. 

Both Rogers and the Orioles have expressed a desire to get a deal done, but Rogers also expressed excitement about the opportunity to enter free agency and see what options become available. But given the fact that Rogers has enjoyed his time in Baltimore, the organization that helped him rebound from multiple down years in Miami after a promising 2021 rookie campaign, perhaps the Orioles have a legitimate advantage as Rogers weighs his options. 

Could Rogers also fly under the radar a bit during the expected craziness of the first few weeks of free agency? Outside of the expected bidding for Tarik Skubal, Michael King entered free agency after declining his player option with the San Diego Padres, while many teams may be looking at lefty Adrian Morejon as a potential starter this offseason. The one-year, $23.15 million qualifying offer attached to Rogers may deter a couple of teams that began the offseason with interest in the 28-year-old. 

Locking in Rogers to go with Kyle Bradish, Shane Baz, and Brandon Young would take a lot of pressure off entering the lockout, especially if things are quieter across the league on the trade front until a new collective bargaining agreement is reached. 

The Orioles also enter the offseason with plenty of questions about the outfield. Colton Cowser emerged as a strong defender in center field, but continues to leave much to be desired with the bat. Current options to start on either side of Cowser include the oft-injured Tyler O’Neill, Blaze Alexander, Dylan Beavers, Christian Franklin, and recently re-signed Rece Hinds. 

This is where the Orioles can make an immediate statement. The top of the free agent outfield class features two options that would both be perfect fits for the Orioles: Seiya Suzuki and Randy Arozarena. Both project for similar deals this offseason and should have a lot of the same suitors this offseason, but given Arozarena’s age and defensive concerns, perhaps the Orioles could swoop in with a creative offer.

Arozarena wouldn’t give the Orioles the defensive upgrade in the outfield that they are in need of, but that can be addressed at a later time if they are able to land the former Seattle Mariner coming off a career year at the plate. Over 154 games, Arozarena hit a career-high .281 with a .381 on-base percentage, hit 26 home runs, and stole 26 bases, giving him six straight seasons with at least 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases. This is the kind of juice the Orioles lineup desperately needs entering 2027. 

At minimum, bringing back Trevor Rogers to bolster a starting rotation that needs at least two additions and making a big splash in the outfield free agent market to address what is arguably the top need for the team would give fans some sort of confidence about the direction of the organization as the impending lockout arrives. 

If teams are active on the trade front before the lockout, using the roster’s current depth of corner infielders (Coby Mayo, Jordan Westburg, and Christian Encarnacion-Strand) to help bolster the roster elsewhere would provide additional clarity. The Orioles don’t necessarily need to make a blockbuster trade simply for the sake of making one, but they should be willing to use some of their current major league depth and growing prospect depth to address other obvious holes. 

And if the front office really wants to send a message to the fanbase, addressing the bullpen with a quality lefty option such as Alex Vesia or José Alvarado would certainly do so. The bullpen shouldn’t take priority over the rotation or the outfield, but adding another reliable high-leverage option, with questions surrounding the health of Ryan Helsley and Felix Bautista, would give the Orioles another way to improve the roster before the league-wide freeze. 

At the end of the day, the Orioles don’t need to have a perfect roster assembled before the lockout. They do, however, need to show that the front office has a clear plan for fixing the problems that have held this team back. 

If free agents are going to be willing and eager to sign quickly before the lockout, the Orioles can’t afford to wait around to strengthen the roster. Bringing back Trevor Rogers, adding a legitimate offensive threat to the outfield, and using the team’s depth to address remaining holes would be a meaningful first step. 

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