LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- Will the Orioles add to their rotation this week?
That's the biggest question surrounding Baltimore's offseason, one that is high on the agenda heading into this week's Winter Meetings. The Meetings run through Thursday's Rule 5 Draft, with all 30 teams' front offices, agents and an occasional player or two in one location.
It's generally at these Meetings that the ante is up, with buzz spreading around the lobbies, trades breaking in the middle of the night and even blockbuster moves that often thrust the rest of the market wide open.
Orioles executive vice president of baseball operations Dan Duquette's chief goal is to upgrade that rotation with several pieces, though the O's will also be looking for bullpen help, some better left-handed-hitting options and perhaps a defensive-minded player or two.
Baltimore started strong last season, but it slid in the final month to the basement of the American League East. This is the final season under the current contract for Duquette, manager Buck Showalter, third baseman Manny Machado, outfielder Adam Jones and relievers Zach Britton and Brad Brach.
Showalter will meet with the media on Tuesday at 3:30 p.m. ET to address the lineup, how he feels about young catcher Chance Sisco getting his chance behind the plate and whether the club will be able to do enough to contend in 2018.
The coverage of that, along with Duquette's highlights from his daily media sessions, will appear on Orioles.com. Be sure to follow along and use the comment section at the end of each story to sound off with your own opinions on what the club needs to do.
Last year, the Orioles were relatively quiet except for the Rule 5 Draft. Under Duquette, they have traditionally hung back and waited until later in the offseason, though that can change given that they need more than one starting pitcher.
At the Winter Meetings, anything can happen.