The Orioles lost two notable starters in free agency earlier this month, plus opted not to pick up Luis Robert Jr.’s option for 2027. So, it’s a good idea to go over potential needs for Baltimore by starting with those losses.

Biggest needs for Orioles

Realistically, the biggest needs are outfield help and an extra rotation arm.

Now, the latter is an interesting one. Trevor Rogers, one of the best starting pitchers available this winter, was fantastic over the second half and pitched more than he did in 2025. However, Baltimore made their decision on who to commit to long-term, inking Shane Baz and Kyle Bradish to extensions over the last 12 months.

The Orioles didn’t do that with Rogers, who’s now a free agent. Chris Bassitt also went to market, meaning that two pitchers who made a combined 48 starts in 2026 are gone.

Baltimore can likely look internally to help fill those roles. Trey Gibson saw some time in the Majors this season, while natural starter Luis De Leon also made his big-league debut as a reliever late in the year. Cade Povich is an experienced hand. Still, someone to slot in behind Bradish, Baz, Brandon Young, and the youngsters would make sense.

As for the offense, some support for the likes of Pete Alonso, Gunnar Henderson, and Samuel Basallo would help. Particularly, an outfielder, as the O’s infield is well-set, especially once Jordan Westburg is fully healthy.

The Orioles’ outfield is a bit of a tricky one, simply because the club added several via the first round of the MLB Draft — and not many have worked out to this point.

Heston Kjerstad never hit at the big-league level, while the O’s have to decide whether to protect Enrique Bradfield Jr. in the Rule 5 Draft this month. It was also another down year offensively for Colton Cowser, who posted another sub-.700 OPS in 2026.

Tentatively, that outfield has Tyler O’Neill, Cowser, and Dylan Beavers. Beavers hit six home runs over the final six weeks of 2026, a positive sign despite the .200 average in that span. O’Neill has been injured for much of the last two years; he only played 85 games in 2026.

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