The Orioles took the anticipated avenues with many of their decisions yesterday as various deadlines approached. But they also demonstrated their tendency to occasionally veer in an unexpected direction.

They declined the $7.5 million option on first baseman Ryan Mountcastle’s contract and the $3.5 million option belonging to left-hander Dietrich Enns. Both decisions were predictable.

Trevor Rogers received the $23.15 million qualifying offer, also as expected. They cut ties with switch-hitting outfielder Leody Taveras, though they didn’t wait to non-tender him. He cleared waivers and elected free agency.

The only surprise was how he left the premises.

Catcher Yohel Pozo and pitcher Yosver Zulueta always seemed vulnerable and they came off the 40-man roster. They’re minor league free agents.

Teams were obligated to reinstate players from the 60-day injured list, which for the Orioles meant starter Kyle Bradish, reliever Ryan Helsley, outfielder Tyler O’Neill and infielder Jordan Westburg. Nothing to see here.

And then, we have the blow-back-your-hair stuff.

Outfielder Heston Kjerstad was assumed to be available to any interested clubs because he’s out of options next season. Perhaps he could be packaged in a trade. He definitely was on borrowed time. But the former second-overall draft pick was designated for assignment, cleared waivers and became a free agent.

That part seemed out of the blue.

There was no way to know that the Orioles would go outside the organization and add right-handers Josh White and Chase Hampton, left-hander Philip Abner and catcher Zach Morgan on waiver claims. The scramble commenced to learn more about them.

The 40-man roster is at 37 and more space might be cleared when the Orioles reach the Nov. 17 deadline to protect players in the Rule 5 draft.

As names and news swirled yesterday, I reached for a few players who were impacted one way or the other over the past few days.

Colin Selby

The Orioles acquired Selby from the Royals in a July 2024 cash transaction. He appeared in three games but made the Wild Card roster, which might win you a few bets if challenging a friend or sucker to recite the bullpen.

Selby was chosen over Matt Bowman, a surprising move that came after he tossed four scoreless innings with only one hit allowed. He didn’t break camp with the team the following year and appeared in only 11 games, allowing five runs and striking out 14 batters in 14 innings, and a shoulder injury in spring training sidelined him for the entire 2026 season.

Selby underwent “a pretty significant surgery” in July, as president of baseball operations Mike Elias described it, to repair his labrum and rotator cuff, which sounds a lot like Félix Bautista’s procedure the previous summer. He won’t be ready next spring, but he’s still in the organization.

The team announced on Saturday, right around the time that trick-or-treaters began to shove their hands into bowls of candy, that Selby cleared outright waivers and was reinstated from the 60-day injured list and assigned to Triple-A Norfolk. He wasn’t going to hold onto his 40-man roster spot, but the club didn’t cut ties.

Selby made $785,200 this year and gained a year of service time without throwing a pitch. He isn’t eligible for arbitration until the following offseason.

Jeremiah Jackson

The flurry of moves didn’t lay a glove on him.

Jackson impressed in 2025 after the Orioles introduced him to the majors on Aug. 1, batting .276/.328/.447 with 10 doubles, two triples, five home runs and 21 RBIs in 48 games and playing right field and third base.

The deadline trade of Ramón Urías presented Jackson with a chance to audition and he passed it.

Jackson earned the final bench spot this spring after hitting .314 (11-for-35) with one double, two homers, seven RBIs and an .848 OPS in 13 exhibition games. Jackson Holliday’s broken hamate bone and Westburg’s elbow injury that required Tommy John surgery opened the door for Jackson, who otherwise could have been squeezed out after the Orioles traded for utility man Blaze Alexander.

The 2026 season was a rocky one for Jackson. His line drive into the dugout on April 14 fractured manager Craig Albernaz’s jaw, but he hit a grand slam the next inning. He was optioned on Aug. 19 during an 0-for-25 slump, and with catcher Samuel Basallo reinstated from the injured list, and returned on Sept. 9 with Alexander going on the IL.

There were a few more highlights, like homers in back-to-back games against the Mets at Citi Field and an inside-the-park home run against the Yankees in the Bronx, but he went 7-for-43 in September after an 0-for-18 August and finished with a .217/.247/.365 line in 102 games.

The Orioles can take advantage of Jackson’s minor league options and keep him around for depth purposes. They can plug him into multiple positions. For now, he’s still clutching his spot on the 40-man.

Rece Hinds

The 40-man bubble didn’t pop underneath Hinds, who received a one-year major league contract  over the weekend.

Hinds went 5-for-28 (.179) with two doubles, four walks and 13 strikeouts in 12 games after the Orioles acquired him from the Marlins on Aug. 3 for cash considerations. He also had a few misplays in right field, including a lost fly ball from Joey Ortiz that drew the ire of Albernaz.

“He didn’t have sunglasses at all, and the sun was in right field,” Albernaz said. “Pretty frustrating … It was overcast to start, but it was a 4 o’clock game. I thought you would have some sunglasses.”

There’s nothing shady about Hinds’ new deal. It just came as a bit of a surprise. But the Orioles aren’t guaranteeing a residence on the 40-man roster. We’ve seen it happen before. Offer a new deal with a modest raise and try later to pass the player through waivers.

I’m not making a prediction here. Just pointing out the possibility.

Hinds is a career .171/.229/.388 hitter in 64 games over parts of three seasons, but the front office sees something in him. He has 111 doubles, 21 triples, 100 home runs and 342 RBIs in seven minor league seasons. And like Jackson, he could be a nice depth piece.

Unlike Jackson, he’s out of minor league options.

Cameron Foster

He’s good for now.

The Orioles acquired Foster and minor league pitcher Wellington Aracena from the Mets for reliever Gregory Soto at the 2025 trade deadline and added him to the 40-man roster in November prior to the Rule 5 draft.

Foster made his major league debut this season and appeared in six games, allowing nine earned runs and 10 total with 17 hits and eight walks over nine innings. He also struck out nine batters.

Foster was recalled on April 16 and optioned on the 25th. He served as the 27th man in an April 30 doubleheader and returned to Norfolk afterward, was recalled May 17 and optioned two days later.

Right shoulder discomfort forced him out of a game later that month, and he didn’t pitch again after making three rehab appearances with High-A Frederick from July 22-31.

With the usual revolving door attached to the bullpen, Foster will get another chance to pass through if he’s healthy.

Here’s the updated, new-look 40-man roster:

Pitchers
Philip Abner
Félix Bautista
Shane Baz
Kyle Bradish
Yennier Cano
Luis De León
Cameron Foster
Rico Garcia
Trey Gibson
Chase Hampton
Ryan Helsley
Yaramil Hiraldo
Alex Hoppe
Anthony Nunez
Cade Povich
Cam Sanders
Josh Walker
Josh White
Grant Wolfram
Brandon Young

Catchers
Samuel Basallo
Zach Morgan
Carlos Narváez

Infielders
Blaze Alexander
Pete Alonso
Christian Encarnacion-Strand
Gunnar Henderson
Jackson Holliday
Jeremiah Jackson
Coby Mayo
Jordan Westburg

Outfielders
Dylan Beavers
Colton Cowser
Christian Franklin
Rece Hinds
Tyler O’Neill
Reed Trimble

Note: Right-hander Braxton Bragg was named the Arizona Fall League’s Pitcher of the Week after tossing four scoreless innings in Peoria.

Bragg, who missed the 2026 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery, threw 41 of 56 pitches for strikes.