Orioles president of baseball operations Mike Elias spoke to the media today, just after the club wrapped up a disappointing 2025 season. Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com was among those to report on what was discussed, with various details at these links.
The rotation was a natural point of focus, with Elias saying the club wants to add a starter to the front half of its rotation, which could be either a #1, a #2 or a #3. Such distinctions are fairly subjective but the point would be to have another guy capable of slotting in next to Kyle Bradish and Trevor Rogers somewhere in the front half of the rotation. Baltimore starters ranked 24th in the majors with a 4.65 earned run average this year, so bolstering the rotation is a straightforward target.
What will be interesting to monitor is if the club changes its level of aggressiveness. Throughout Elias’s tenure, the club has never given a free agent pitcher a multi-year deal, as shown in MLBTR’s Contract Tracker. The only time they’ve gone beyond one year for any free agent was Tyler O’Neill’s three-year pact, which had an opt-out after the first season.
Many Baltimore fans were hoping for change last winter, which was the first offseason under new owner David Rubenstein. In November of last year, Elias raised those hopes by saying that the O’s were considering “the whole spectrum” of available players, which included “high-end free agent deals over many years.” But in the end, their rotation adds were fairly modest. They gave a one-year deal to 41-year-old to Charlie Morton and another one-year deal to 35-year-old Tomoyuki Sugano, who was coming over from Japan and had no major league experience.
As mentioned, the club’s rotation went on to be a big part of their rough 2025 season. The coming weeks and months will eventually shed some light on if they plan to alter the way they go about bolstering the group for 2026.
While Bradish and Rogers are locked into two spots and Elias hopes to bring in another, that still leaves a couple of spots open at the back end. And of course, a modern baseball team never gets through a full 162-game season using just five starters, so various arms of the roster should play important roles. With that in mind, Elias noted that Grayson Rodriguez is expected to be ready for spring training. He also said that Tyler Wells is good with being a starter or a reliever but the club plans on him being a starter.
Rodriguez has shown tremendous promise but is a huge question mark right now. He logged 122 innings in his 2023 rookie season. Ideally, he would have increased his workload in 2024 but shoulder injuries limited him to 116 2/3 frames. In 2025, both elbow and shoulder injuries wiped out his entire season. He started the campaign on the IL due to elbow inflammation. While on the IL for that, a lat strain set him back. In July, the shoulder was apparently fine but the elbow still a problem. He underwent a debridement surgery in August.
While it’s encouraging that he is on track to be ready by spring training, the O’s probably can’t rely on him at this point. Even if he proceeds without setbacks through to the start of next season, the O’s will have to think about his workload after this lost year.
As for Wells, he just came back from a UCL surgery he underwent in 2024. He got back to the majors in time to make four starts with a 2.91 ERA. He now has a solid 3.98 ERA in his career, as well as a 22.8% strikeout rate and 6.2% walk rate. Those numbers make him a decent rotation candidate next year but he may also have workload limits. Between his rehab work and his big league starts to finish the season, he only logged 47 innings in 2025.
Elias also addressed the club’s catcher situation, saying that Adley Rutschman will be the club’s primary backstop. Rutschman once seemed well establish in that role but his performance has dipped in recent years. He had a .268/.369/.439 batting line through 2023 and was continuing in that fashion through the first half of 2024. However, he appeared to injure his hand when it was struck by a foul ball, which led to a .207/.282/.303 line in the second half of last year.
Ideally, he would have been fully healthy and back on track in 2025 but that didn’t happen. He strained both his right and left oblique at separate times this season and only got into 90 games with a .220/.307/.366 line.
As Rutschman has been struggling, Samuel Basallo has continued to raise his stock. He reached the majors late this season and then the O’s signed him to an eight-year extension. That’s obviously a tremendous vote of confidence but he’s still just 21 years old, has questions about his defense and a .165/.229/.330 line thus far in the big leagues.
Though Basallo has a bright future, it’s understandable that he Rutschman is still ahead of him on the depth chart. Basallo can also play some first base, so perhaps that allows him and Rutschman to co-exist in the lineup, though that could also impact other players like Coby Mayo or Ryan Mountcastle.
Elias also provided a vague update on outfielder Heston Kjerstad, who is seeing doctors due to some unspecified medical condition. Kjerstad didn’t play after the month of July this year with reports of fatigue. His current medical examinations could be related to that fatigue, though that’s mere surmise.
Photo courtesy of Tim Heitman, Imagn Images
O’Neill played in only 54 games, had just a .684 OPS and a -0.6 WAR.
The O’s wanted The O’Neill Experience ….. well, they got it!
I can’t wait to see how long the Orioles can stretch out the managerial decision.
What would sonny gray, 20 mil, Pedro pages, and jojo remero get the cards back in a deep Orioles farm system?
Why would Baltimore want a catcher when they have Adley, Basallo and Jackson, plus they drafted two more catching prospects this year (granted one is likely not going to stick at C) plus the other minor league catchers in their system? They had a string of bad luck injuries with catchers this season but catching isn’t a priority.
I can see a use for a starter and a reliever, but even paying down the Gray contract by 20 million, wouldn’t net a ground breaking return.
The Orioles should have their sights set much higher at the onset of the offseason and circle back to options like this if/when primary targets become unavailable
O’s farm system isn’t deep
It’s deep enough to not want a 27 year old catcher who would exist well down the depth chart when there are currently multiple other positions of concern/priority.
It’s deep enough to trade a busted 1/1 pick
It’s very deep when you factor in the 2025 draft and the 15 prospects picked up at the deadline. Before that, it was very shallow.
Basically an entirely new farm system.
All young, multiple years from the show. Not deep.
Clearly you didn’t really look at the deadline trade packages. Foster is 26 and R5 eligible this year. Nunez is 25 and minor league draft eligible. Watts Brown is 24 and 1 year from R5. Butterworth is 23 and a couple of years. Neighbors may make the BP in spring training.
A bunch of fairly high picks in the 2024 draft. Tolle was a 2nd rounder jn that draft. 10 others are already in the majors.
Elias targeted guys that would be potential help in 2025. He mixed that with some longer term prospects. Half of the guys he traded for will either be in the majors by 2026 or will be gone. If they’re “multiple years away” it won’t be with the Os and Elias simply won’t have hit with his targets. But that can always happen and has nothing to do with the plan.
Ranked 15th in August system rankings. Meh. Not deep.
Actual quote from MLB.com, which rated them 15 (before Beavers turned in OPS+ of 120 and 1.1 War and remained a prospect–“it’s a deeper system than it has been in a while.”
Middle of the pack.
Not deep.
Wish they would’ve made a legitimate move while the prospects were hot tickets. Summer of 2024 I was all in on trading Mayo and Kjerstad for Crochet. Sign Snell this past offseason. (not realistic but should be) Rotation is set for this window. Crochet, Snell, Bradish, Rogers, Kremer, Wells. Anything from Grayson is a bonus. That’s a championship worthy rotation.
Theres a good chance they aren’t going to sign Holliday, Westburg, or Henderson, so go all in on this window now. Mayo and Kjerstad didn’t help in 2023-2025. Give me Mountcastle, Mullins, Hays, and Crochet over Mayo, Kjerstad, and Sugano. So what it costs you 30 mil to keep all 3. They didn’t spend a dime practically from 2018-2023. I’ll take 3-5 years of a legit chance at a World Series and be total butt cheeks for the next 10 years as opposed to having Kjerstad and Mayo or other prospects that didn’t turn out and be an 80 win team in 2030.
I just feel like there is no urgency in this front office and it’s very confusing as to why no aggressive move was made under new ownership. This isn’t even a dig at this year because injuries piled up, but there was so much that could’ve been done that wasn’t and now you’re stuck with prospects that could’ve gotten you super stars with nothing to show.
That said, Basallo and Beavers were a needed boost for my confidence in this lineup. Gunnar, Holliday, and Westburg are guys I trust to have better years next year. Hopefully Adley can as well. Still a lot to look forward too, but I just can’t get over the lack of moves or urgency.
The new owner isn’t trying to spend, either. He’s looking at this as a business, like they all do. There’s no urgency anywhere because the business is the business. You’ll keep giving them your money.
They aren’t getting my money. Unless watching on MASN is getting my money. The Frederick Keys should get some of my money though. Looking forward to having them back.
Last I checked MASN costs like $20 on the cable bill. Yeah, they’re getting your money.
Not mine. I cut the cord and haven’t looked back!
Then why are you on here? Find another team.
Boy I’m sure a ton of people would love to sell you something. You can be a fan and not funnel money into the team’s pockets regardless of what they do. Especially when you like the team and are disappointed with how they choose to build the product and then ask for your dollars.
If they trade for Joe Ryan sign Merrill Kelly to a 2-3 year deal or Ranger Suarez is a replacement for one of the two, they fire Mike Elias, hire a solid manager, maybe they get me out to the ballpark.
Camden Yards used to be a nicer experience for me. Now a nice seat will cost 50 to 100, parking 25 to 35 and a single Michelob Ultra poured from the can that cost them 70 cents will cost you 18 dollars. If that works for you, go for it. You can actually be a fan of a team without going to the games or buying multiple jerseys.
It’s still stunning to me that the they couldn’t find a way to trade for Crockett. The team had more than enough prospects to put together a superior trade package to what the Red Sox shipped out. It was a complete failure on the part of Elias and one that I don’t think he’s gets enough heat for.
Seems like Keller fits and the pirates need OF and a 3rd baseman
The bullpen is the biggest need on this roster with Bradish and Rogers looking like a good 1-2. Grayson would be a great #3 but relying on that is a big gamble. Another top of the rotation arm would be really nice.
The only guy who should have a guaranteed bullpen slot is Keegan Akin. I think 3 relievers have to be added this offseason. One of those needs to be a legitimate closer. We can’t go into the season with Strowd, Selby, and Rico Garcia as the bridge to the 9th in the ML pen.
Once again, the lack of attention to the horrendous offense is galling. This was the worst YoY drop-off in team offense in their history. They can’t hit. No one got to 20 homers. The RISP numbers were abysmal. They hit .215 as a team down the stretch. Just pathetic. At least nine shutouts, no-no’d into the seventh on at least four occasions if not more… bad ABs, stupid chase rates, uncompetitive hitters.
Fix the pitching all you want, but it’s not the main issue.
Agreed, in fact the starting pitching was pretty good the last month or more with Bradish and Wells back. O’s fans are hopeful the atrocious hitting was due to nearly everyone getting hurt at some point in the season, but it seems deeper than that for certain players anyway.
They went from one vindictive cheap owner to one who doesn’t care to compete. I feel bad for Oriole fans.
This isn’t even remotely based on fact. Additionally, the new owner hasn’t even had full control of the team for a full two seasons yet.
Some of us have seen this story before. Rubinstein just needs to keep you believing a few more years to make the entire purchase price back.
I’ve been an Orioles fan my entire life and although I was technically alive when they won a WS, I was less than 2 years old so obviously don’t remember it. I can’t speak to the teams and decades prior to that but from my point of recollection forward, the organization has never been in such a healthy and competitive shape as they are now. They have arguably drafted better than they ever have over the past 7 years, they are involved with the international market as legitimate players now, they have a Dominican facility, a very talented nucleus of homegrown players than ever before, an improving minor league system after graduating multiple top prospects in back to back to back to back seasons and they just extended one of their younger international prospects. Not one of those things suggests that they aren’t serious about contending, aren’t investing financially in the organization or have any design to run the organization in the way it was in the past.
Instead of having competitive contending teams every 10+ seasons (in the late 90s, then in the mid-2000s, etc), they have set the groundwork to contend much more consistently and frequently.
I might be an optimist but I’m happy with where this team sits than I ever have been as an Orioles fan. This season was a major disappointment but it’s been the only losing season out of the last 4 seasons and it was clearly a situation where anything that could go wrong did go wrong.
Even just coming back as a healthy team next season will be a marked improvement, without adding a single player in FA/via trade. They will obviously be adding pieces this offseason so it’s not difficult to see them making a deep postseason run next season with the right acquisitions.
Rubenstein appreciates your ignorance and your dollars. Muh memories, muh legacy. He’s literally got a spreadsheet that went +.01 from your journal entry.
Not even two full years into his ownership and you somehow know exactly what his ownership tenure will be, without having a single reference point because he is a new owner. I’d say that is the ignorance in this thread.
Go follow the Yankees.
My primary reference points are his previous business ventures. I thought baseball fans were supposed to be learned.
So, he has to own the team for a minimum amount of time before money can be spent. 😂
He’s spent plenty already and even signed a young player to an extension, something not seen in quite some time in Baltimore. So the narrative that he hasn’t spent money is false. They offered Burnes more money per season than Arizona.
The point was that the guy has had exactly one offseason under his ownership and judgment cannot be made off such a timeframe.
As an Orioles fan, I’d say stick your sympathy you know where. Owners that run the franchise as a business and GMs that build for the long term have served the franchise well over time. The egomaniacs that bring in expensive FAs with doubtful work ethics and speculative win now excitement do not. One down year is nothing. The 2026-28:Orioles will be fine.
Article says: “Such distinctions are fairly subjective but the point would be to have another guy capable of slotting in next to Kyle Bradish and Tyler Rogers somewhere in the front half of the rotation.”
Should list and link to Trevor Rogers.
Heston had some heart arythmia issues in the minors, hope hes not dealing with signs of that again
something def. is ailing him. I hope for his sake it is something they can help him with. forget the diamond, he has had a tough road since being drafted. I wish all the best for the young man.
Wells has gone over 100 IP twice in his career, with serious injuries following both of those seasons. He’ll be 31. Why not get a few seasons of him as potentially a great reliever instead of wasting the rest of his career trying to turn him into a starter?
Its a mistake if they bet on Rodriguez to help the rotation.
That means 2 high level starting pitchers. Just like last winter and the winter before. A true #1 and a #3 or two who could be #1/#2, along with Bradish, Rogers, and Kremer.
There are also 2 manager vacancies elsewhere that are newly opened which is only the beginning. Don’t hem and haw over that decision while other teams get the top candidates or you’ll end up with a second rate guy. That manager needs a new approach and reverse the degradation in Rutschman (as noted), Henderson (who was on a 40 HR/.300 pace for more than half a season)., and Cowser along with build on what Westburg, Holliday, Beavers, and Basallo brought.
Its still a good young team that can dominate, but needs to be led to do so, rather than wander around starting 16-34 and being out of it by Memorial Day
Any consideration of Wells or Grayson to closer? Little easier on their arms for simply one year? Opinions?
Sure. I think with Grayson you embrace anything that can be contributed at all. Setup closer both, whatever. Just get any valuable innings out of him and count it as a win. I think the mistake would be counting on him for any significant role. That is where relief could work. If as a starter, maybe a guy competing for the 5th slot where there are options if he cant play well or stay on the field.
Wells I have more confidence in from an availability and ability to produce angle. I would try to use him in the rotation because he has done well there often, and most recently which is important. But remember him getting high on the innings in 2023 I think, getting arm fatigue and after the break thought he was great in relief. Think he closed in a clinching game and very much looked like he could be that guy.
Given Wells’ lack of durability I would have him be the multi-inning reliever and spot starter. Maybe he can pitch 100-120 healthy innings instead of breaking him halfway through the season. Say “Bad Kremer” gives up 5 runs in 3 IP, Wells comes in to rescue a bad start and goes 2-4 strong innings, offense gets them back in the game.
6 man rotation seems like a possible solution to keep innings down on GRod, Bradish, and Wells next year.
Nice to see that letting Brandon Hyde go turned the team around.
They had a winning record after Hyde was let go, seriously
When a site of this caliber ignores that the O’s *outbid* AZ for Corbin Burnes, we get the false narrative that Elias won’t spend on SP.
Of course he dodged a bullet on that one. But the actual problem with this team, as others have noted, is all the underperforming bats.
Hopefully Elias invests in lifting the player development program up to anywhere near the level of the scouting and analytics departments.
We’ve been down this road. Burnes was adamant he wanted to return somewhere near his home. He wasn’t concerned about the money. It was a “wink-wink” deal where Burnes comes out looking not greedy and a good guy for taking less money to AZ, while Orioles offered a huge sum they knew he wasn’t going to accept, to look like they are willing to spend.
Nonsense, Thornton.
Not just me saying this Wade…this was discussed in several places last winter when it happened.
No, that was not what was discussed nor what happened. The O’s made multiple offers, as did other teams, before AZ ultimately came in high enough for Burnes to feel comfortable leaving money on the table. Your scenario assumes a standing offer from the Diamondbacks that didn’t exist. Never mind that there was actual back and forth between the O’s FO and the agent, regardless of whether the former understood they were at a disadvantage (as is the case with many players).
It’s too early to go that route. A competitive team would add arms and force him to the BP. This team will pencil him in as an apparent #3 and wow just wow about injuries when they finish below .500 again
If they win next couple years. You will apparently be the most disappointed one on here and don’t start rooting for them at that point.
“Though Basallo has a bright future, it’s understandable that he Rutschman is still ahead of him on the depth chart.”
Exactly what you’d say if you plan to trade Adley and want to maintain his trade chip value.
Read that line slowly.
Zach Gallen fits the Os needs perfectly. I doubt that the Dbacks QO him and he eats innings with a solid ERA. Basically a better Dean Kremer. Boras client, but that’s not an Elias sore spot. Sign him for 3/$80, pick up some BP arms and find a solid RH hitting OF and call it done.
QO or no, I think it would come to $.
is he going to be considered on his 2024-25 body of work more along the lines of mid rotation level of performance or will teams look at him more as the Cy contender of 2022-23 which would certainly price him out of what they’d pay. if he QO’s it may make them less likely (Orioles overvalue it)
I’d have him on the list to consider. Obviously they’d want to shoot higher for their primary acquisition but they need 2 starters.
They have over $50m tied up in those very injured or ineffective starters. Gallen QO would take that to around $80m. The rest of their payroll is the four core players (Moreno, Marte, Carroll and Perdomo) and 5 line up questions. Do you use the $22M on Gallen or on position player FAs and the BP. Could go either way.
A Gallen QO might help the Os. Modest draft penalties for them, big for other teams.
Mariners & Rangers will be slimming their budgets after their RSN losses, and a trade of Castillo-for-Mountcastle makes some sense; so does an Eovaldi-Burger-for-Mountcastle-plus a prospect…
Its occurring to me that the Os situation is a little unsettling cause who knows what we got. Watching the young guys spit water after nice hits in 2023 while they were winning a lot of games, it felt more clear. These young guys will grow and develop and the Os will be competing for championships for a long time.
But now you have 3 guys tied for the team lead in homers with 17, only one SP with enough innings to be included in the ERA rankings and its Dean with a 4.19 ERA which is kind of okay but not special, Gunnar saying he wants to play for a team with a winning culture while hitting HRs in the teens, elite closer injured and maybe not playing next year, Heston dealing with undisclosed issues, possibly mental health, Milkman looking like more of a low .200s hitter with a nice glove, Adley settling in as a regular .220ish hitter, Basallo having a great first week then nosediving. Maybe its impressive they were one game over .500 after Mansolino took over.
It used to feel more clear what we were dealing with. Like then it felt like it would have been nice to extend a lot of guys. Now who do you want to extend? Maybe take pause on most. I dont know if I want to admit it but the guys who can potentially help the Os be a playoff team again may not have been on their roster this year.
Stats on starting pitching are a bit deceptive. Morton’s atrocious start badly skewed the numbers as did a number of bad starts by rookies and emergency fill ins.
After Roger’s arrival and especially when Wells and Bradish returned the starters were much better. If you get a healthy Rodriquez – huge IF – along w Kremer it’s a decent start.
I think they should bring Eflin back and then add one more number 2 or 3 level starter.
think we assume Suarez is out next year.
If Grayson does come back his innings will be limited and Wells should go to the pen – so they’ll need 7 guys to rotate in over the year. Maybe Povich will figure some things out but can’t assume he’s in the mix.
They also need a right handed bat that can play some CF. Like Laureano….
All that said the number 1 need – by far is a closer and at least one more first tier reliever.
Enns, Strowd and Garcia were nice pickups to add bullpen depth but with Felix gone – probably forever – they need to spend on a closer.
I’m not a believer in huge LT contracts for pitchers – rate of failure is too high and a team like the Os can’t afford to lose in that way, so Mike will have to thread the needle.