ORLANDO, Fla. -- Many times, the Orioles’ front-office members and executives come to the Winter Meetings and leave without getting any signings or trades done. Instead, the time is used to lay the groundwork for potential future moves.
Well, that certainly wasn’t the case this year.
Baltimore made one of the biggest splashes of the week in Orlando, but not until Wednesday afternoon. That’s when the news broke that the O’s have agreed to a five-year, $155 million deal with slugging first baseman Pete Alonso (according to a source).
Here’s a rundown of where the O’s now stand, what still needs to be done and more following the eventful final day of the Winter Meetings.
Biggest remaining needs
1. Starting pitching: The Orioles need at least one frontline starter, though they could acquire multiple arms to bolster their rotation depth. They have been linked to top free agents such as Framber Valdez, Ranger Suárez and Michael King in reports, with MLB Network’s Jon Morosi sharing that Baltimore met with Valdez at the General Managers Meetings in Las Vegas last month. There was also buzz connecting the O’s to a pair of potential trade targets -- Miami’s Edward Cabrera and Washington’s MacKenzie Gore.
2. At least one more reliever: The O’s already have signed closer Ryan Helsley to a two-year, $28 million deal and reacquired right-hander Andrew Kittredge in a trade with the Cubs. But Baltimore’s bullpen could still use another high-leverage arm as well as possible depth pieces.
3. Potentially a third catcher: With Adley Rutschman and Samuel Basallo likely to be in the same lineup frequently (one behind the plate and the other at designated hitter), it could be beneficial to carry a third catcher, ensuring the Orioles wouldn’t lose their DH spot if an injury occurred.
He said it
After early conversations with Orioles players, new manager Craig Albernaz is beginning to formulate his plan for his first Spring Training at the helm. The focus? Getting back to basics.
“I think when you get to Spring Training, you really have to focus on the little details,” Albernaz said Monday. “We’re going to attack the small things. We’re going to attack the fundamentals, so we have that strong foundation and baseline heading into the season.”
Draft Lottery
The Orioles received the No. 7 overall selection in the 2026 MLB Draft. Despite having the fourth-best odds at the No. 1 pick (9.24%), Baltimore did not get one of the top six Lottery spots.
It will be the fourth time the O’s have selected at No. 7, and it’ll be their earliest pick since taking Jackson Holliday No. 1 overall in 2022.
Rule 5 Draft
With the 40-man roster full, the Orioles did not participate in the Major League portion of the Rule 5 Draft. It marked the third consecutive year they did not select a player after previously taking at least one every time the event was held from 2006-22. (The 2021 Rule 5 Draft was cancelled due to the MLB lockout.)
Baltimore lost right-hander Carter Baumler (Pirates) in the MLB phase and Justin Armbruester (Mets) in the Triple-A phase.
More from this week
- Although the Orioles couldn’t convince Kyle Schwarber not to return to the Phillies, their reported aggressive offer was a good early sign for their offseason.
- Could the O’s swing another trade with the Marlins for pitching?
GM's bottom line
The Orioles may be coming off a down season, but Elias believes their recent success -- including back-to-back postseason appearances in 2023 and ‘24 -- and core talent makes Baltimore an appealing destination for players this offseason, as evidenced by the Alonso signing. The O’s have heard good things around the industry of how they are being perceived.
“I think there’s a lot of optimism,” Elias said. “We’re coming off of a rough overall win-loss record last year, but everybody sees the talent that we have. The ownership change is an enormous deal, and that’s noticed. And I think people really believe in our operation. So I think our reputation is good.”