A year ago, it was the Baltimore Orioles who made a huge splash in free agency and bagged one of the biggest names in free agency: Pete Alonso. The optimism was on high. Orioles' owner, David Rubenstein, increased the payroll to nearly $180 million, a record amount in the history of the franchise.
The disappointment is that the money spent didn't translate to wins, yet, Alonso was the star of the team and a legitimate MVP candidate. To finish in fourth place in the AL East with a frustrating 79-82 campaign, the Orioles had to sell-off at the trade deadline and parted ways with the previous face of the franchise, Adley Rutschman. With some credit to President of Baseball Operations Mike Elias, he crushed it on that trade with the Red Sox. Short term pain for long term gain. That is good news for the future as those prospects Elias acquired will become key pieces for the future.
The issue is that the team might have to take a step back in 2027 unless they buy their way back into contention. The roster looks noticeably weaker and Alonso turns 32 in a month. You have to be nervous about age regression when bat speed begins to slow. As they say, Father Time is undefeated.
The newly hired General Manager, Jared Banner, enters in his "honeymoon phase" and we will see what direction and insight he can add to strengthen the front office. Banner wants to bring change and be a new voice, not a "yes man."
“I think if you talk to people around the game, they’ll tell you that I’m always willing to challenge others, and I’m always willing to get uncomfortable,” Banner said. “Me and Mike are going to have to have some uncomfortable conversations at times, and there’s going to be tension.”
That is music to my ears. You need new voices in the room and leave the baseball decisions up to the baseball people. Rubenstein needs to provide the budget and then step away and write another book -- hopefully next time on winning.
On Wednesday, reports broke that the front office has notably made it known that they are willing to listen to trade offers on almost the entire roster with the exception of Alonso.
The following key blueprints outline how the Orioles can retool their roster into a true AL East contender for the 2027 season:
1. Overhaul a Volatile, Thin Starting Rotation
The Orioles' rotation finished 17th in MLB with a 4.24 ERA in 2026 and is now plagued by departures and injuries. Zach Eflin and Chris Bassitt have hit free agency, while top left-hander Trevor Rogers rejected his qualifying offer to test the open market.
- The Blueprint: While Kyle Bradish, Shane Baz, and breakout rookie Brandon Young give the Orioles a solid right-handed foundation, they desperately need high-end southpaw stability.
- Actionable Steps: The Orioles need to target high-leverage trades for controllable lefties like Reid Detmers or pursue elite frontline pitching on short-term, high-AAV deals. Relying purely on internal youth or hoping for Cade Povich to take a massive leap after elbow surgery isn't enough.
2. Inject Outfield Production and Defensive Stability
Baltimore’s outfield was a disaster in 2026, ranking 29th in baseball with a dismal .354 slugging percentage. Colton Cowser (.226 AVG) and Dylan Beavers (.228 AVG) suffered notable contact issues and sophomoric slumps. The team declined Luis Robert Jr.'s option, leaving massive roster holes.
- The Blueprint: They must acquire an elite leadoff hitter or high-OBP table-setter to provide protection for Pete Alonso.
- Actionable Steps: Use crowded infield depth (players like Coby Mayo or Christian Encarnacion-Strand) to swing a blockbuster trade for premier outfielders or just spend in free agency like Randy Arozarena. Defensively, targeting a gold-glove caliber centerfielder like Daulton Varsho would fix an outfield unit that ranked near the bottom of the league in Outs Above Average.
3. Stabilize the Post-Adley Catching Situation
While top prospect Samuel Basallo is the future, his defense and ability to handle a full big-league workload behind the plate remain highly questionable.
- The Blueprint: Secure a reliable stopgap and durable defensive anchor to platoon with or insulate Basallo.
- Actionable Steps: Pursue a targeted free-agent signing like Carson Kelly or a veteran clubhouse leader reunion with James McCann until surging minor-league catcher Ethan Anderson is fully big-league ready by late 2027.
4. Maximize the Infield Productivity
The Orioles possess a massive bottleneck of young infielders with upside potential. Can they find the best of shortstop Gunnar Henderson, and second baseman Jackson Holliday? Jordan Westburg (returning from Tommy John surgery), Mayo, Blaze Alexander, and Encarnacion-Strand cannot all occupy the same dirt.
- The Blueprint: Stop waiting for every prospect to independently develop. The front office must act as aggressive buyers rather than passive talent collectors.
- Actionable Steps: Package one or more of these premium, high-ceiling young bats to teams seeking infield help. By treating highly-rated prospects as liquid trade currency, Elias can explicitly fill the glaring voids in the rotation and outfield.
5. Build Late-Inning Relief Bulwarks
On paper, a back-end combo of Félix Bautista (returning from injury) and Ryan Helsley (who exercised his $14M player option for 2027) gives Baltimore a terrifying 1-2 closing punch if they can pitch like back-end bullpen stars. However, Helsley spent massive stretches of 2026 on the IL with elbow problems, and Bautista was rocked in his brief return appearances late in the year.
- The Blueprint: Construct heavy late-inning depth to safeguard against injury volatility.
- Actionable Steps: Actively hunt for reliable high-leverage left-handed setup relief. Targeted market acquisitions like Alex Vesia or Sean Newcomb would instantly lengthen the bullpen and bridge the gap to the 8th and 9th innings safely.
The list is long on what has to get done. Only the inner workings of the Orioles know what direction they want to go in. Is this a retool year to take a step back to move ahead when the farm system is producing more star players internally? We will see what they do as the offseason is now.