The Baltimore Orioles will be buyers in free agency this winter, as President of Baseball Operations Mike Elias said days after the 2025 season ended. Coming off a 75-87 season, only one year after a Wild Card berth, they need a spark.
Baltimore got to work quickly, first striking a deal with the Los Angeles Angels in a one-for-one trade. The team traded young starting pitcher Grayson Rodriguez for outfielder Taylor Ward to shore up a huge hole in their roster.
The Orioles have acquired OF Taylor Ward from the Angels for RHP Grayson Rodriguez. pic.twitter.com/hFsRlhI2W5
— MLB (@MLB) November 19, 2025
Later in November, the Orioles signed veteran closer Ryan Helsley to a two-year, $28 million deal as a replacement for the injured Félix Bautista. Judging by the sounds of it, the team is far from done.
The Orioles Have a Lot of Payroll Room To Play With
The Orioles’ projected payroll is expected to be around $137.8 million (including tax) as of Dec. 6. That puts their payroll well in the lower half of the league, and with over $160 million in tax space. Last year, the team spent $175 million on its payroll, including the $16.5 million contract to Tyler O’Neill.
The Orioles should absolutely be big players in this year’s free agency market, especially in their pitching department. The market is being shaped by Dylan Cease‘s massive seven-year, $210 million contract with the Toronto Blue Jays. It should not deter the team from seeking a big-name starter or two.
Left-handed pitchers Framber Valdez and Ranger Suárez are still on the market, both names the Orioles are familiar with. Japanese right-handed pitcher Tatsuya Imai and workhorse Zac Gallen are also available as MLB heads into the Winter Meetings. Outside of Valdez, none of the above pitchers is expected to have an annual market value over $27 million.
Framber Valdez has ties to the Mets and Orioles front offices, who are both reportedly seen as favorites to land the left-hander. pic.twitter.com/MWV3zPC7lC
— MLB (@MLB) December 5, 2025
The Orioles held the fifth-worst ERA across the majors, alongside a .259 opposing batting average. The team had a silver lining in Trevor Rogers, but failed to get any return on Tomoyuki Sugano and Zach Eflin.
Who Can the Orioles Target at the Winter Meetings?
ESPN MLB Insider Jeff Passan recently wrote that the Orioles could be the team to watch at the Winter Meetings this week. He specifically points to the team’s depleted rotation as a priority, though they could get a hitter as well.
One name that’s recently popped up in the latest rumor mill is left-handed power hitter Kyle Schwarber. The 32-year-old is coming off a career year where he slugged 56 home runs and finished second in National League MVP voting. In fact, around 30% of all his hits were home runs, though his strikeout rate is more than 25%.
Schwarber’s bat would immediately jumpstart what has been a lackluster lineup in terms of home runs. He would triple the number of home runs Gunnar Henderson had for the Orioles, the team’s leader. He’d also lead the team in OPS, walks, RBI, and even be second in doubles.
They can also target Cody Bellinger and Kyle Tucker in free agency. In an ideal world for their team, they have the cap space to afford both and still be under $200 million. There could also be an earthquake in the free agency market if the Orioles target first baseman Pete Alonso to replace Ryan Mountcastle.
Baltimore’s low payroll at this time opens the door for an array of possibilities to return to postseason contention. If they play their cards right, they could be dark-horse candidates to make a World Series run. The ball is in their court, and they have the space to do it. The Orioles absolutely should target $200 million in payroll to make magic in October.
Main Photo Credit: Scott Taetsch/Getty Images
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