Jacob Young gets a second crack at becoming only the third Gold Glove Award winner in Nationals history.

Young was named a finalist for the award this morning, one of three competing to be honored as the best defensive center fielder in the National League. He’s joined by the Cubs’ Pete Crow-Armstrong and the Cardinals’ Victor Scott II.

The winner will be announced Nov. 3.

It’s the second straight year Young has been named a Gold Glove finalist. Though he seemed to have a stronger statistical case for the award in 2024, he ultimately lost out to the Rockies’ Brenton Doyle.

Young’s case this season isn’t quite as concrete. He was one of only three regular major league position players with a 1.000 fielding percentage. But he ranked second to Crow-Armstrong in FanGraphs’ overall Defensive Rating (17.7 to 12.3) and Defensive Runs Saved (15 to 13). And he ranked third to both Crow-Armstrong and Scott in Statcast’s Outs Above Average (24 to 16 to 14) and Runs Prevented (22 to 14 to 13).

For the second consecutive season, Washington Nationals outfielder Jacob Young was named one of three finalists for the Rawlings Gold Glove award in center field on Tuesday.

Young, 26, led National League center fielders and was one of only three players in all of Major League Baseball with a 1.000 fielding percentage in 2025. He ranked second among National League center fielders in defensive rating (12.4) and defensive runs saved (13), according to FanGraphs.com, and third in outs above average (14) and runs prevented (13), according to MLB Statcast. He accumulated these numbers while playing in only 112 games (901.1 innings).

For the second year in a row, Young had the quickest reaction time (feet covered in the first 1.5 seconds of opportunity) in all of Major League Baseball at 4.6 feet. Young earned three Electric Plays of the Week from Major League Baseball for his catches on July 2 vs. Detroit (9^th inning home run robbery), July 23 vs. Cincinnati (home run robbery) and Sept. 21 at New York Mets (acrobatic, off-the-foot catch at the wall).

Young looks to become the first Nationals outfielder and third Nationals player (2005-pres.) overall to win a Gold Glove, joining Ryan Zimmerman (3B, 2009) and Adam LaRoche (1B, 2012).

Rawlings Gold Glove Award winners will be announced on Sunday, Nov. 2, on ESPN at 8:30 p.m. ET.

PLAYER REVIEW: CJ ABRAMS

Age on Opening Day 2026: 25

How acquired: Traded with James Wood, MacKenzie Gore, Robert Hassell III, Jarlin Susana and Luke Voit from Padres for Juan Soto and Josh Bell, August 2022

MLB service time: 3 years, 130 days

2025 salary: $780,600

No matter what roster moves are completed in the offseason, the Orioles won’t go far unless their core group makes the necessary strides. You heard it before and will again. Help must come from within.

Theories are floated on why some players regressed, whether it’s the individuals or the messaging. The problem is much harder to fix without knowing the answer. 

There could be more than one.

Asked at his season-ending press conference how much of a priority he’s placing on offensive improvement, president of baseball operations/general manager Mike Elias said, “When you have a season that misses the mark by this much, there’s a lot on the list of what went wrong. But certainly, that was amongst the most, I don’t know if I want to say ‘surprising,’ but kind of fundamental, that a lot of our core drafted players that have formed the spine of not only this winning team the last few years, but the rebuild leading into it, most of them were hurt or had down years or stagnating in some form or fashion, and it’s definitely concerning to watch it happen and concerning to watch it happen to a lot of them simultaneously.”

“We have talked a lot with them individually about it. I think all of us in the org, there’s a lot of soul searching and looking in the mirror individually what could each of us have done better to get a better result for the team, and that definitely applies to those guys. We’ve talked about it. We’re formulating plans. And we’re going to do everything that we can to kind of have them bounce back and get back on track.

PLAYER REVIEW: LUIS GARCIA JR.

Age on Opening Day 2026: 25

How acquired: Signed as international free agent, July 2016

MLB service time: 4 years, 142 days

2025 salary: $4.5 million

Orioles 22-year-old minor league left-hander Luis De León pitched at three levels of the farm system this year, was selected for the Arizona Fall League and didn’t miss a beat.

De León, the 21^st-ranked prospect in the organization per MLB Pipeline, allowed an unearned run and one hit in four innings in his first AFL start with the Peoria Javelinas. He also struck out seven batters.

De León climbed from Class A Delmarva to High-A Aberdeen and Double-A Chesapeake, making three starts with the Baysox and allowing only three earned runs and striking out 24 in 16 innings. Overall, he posted a 3.30 ERA in 20 games this year, struck out 107 in 87 1/3 innings and didn’t surrender a home run.

A scout from outside the organization has watched De León multiple times, including the AFL start, and described him as “really exciting.”

“Really good (stuff),” he said. “Good fastball, a good slider, the changeup’s coming. Kind of gave him a chance at being a bottom-of-the-rotation type arm with upside. I think he’s gonna have to develop a fourth pitch, but he’s only 22.”

PLAYER REVIEW: JOSH BELL

Age on Opening Day 2026: 33

How acquired: Signed as free agent, January 2025

MLB service time: 9 years, 53 days

2025 salary: $6 million

The Orioles will need to show improvement in many areas next season, the only way to pull themselves out of the division cellar. It isn’t just pitching and it isn’t just hitting. It isn’t just the constant injuries that forced almost daily roster moves.

The 70 different players used were one short of the major league record set this year by the Braves, who started former Oriole Charlie Morton in their final regular season game. The 41 pitchers came within one of the American League record shared by the 2021 Orioles and 2019 Mariners. The 34 position players tied the franchise record set in 1955.

Even the seven catchers were unprecedented.

Everywhere you looked, the Orioles were doing something unusual. And it isn’t bragging rights when it happens for the wrong reasons.

Here’s another one:

Ramón Urías appeared in 506 games with the Orioles over parts of six seasons. He played every position in the infield. Both of his managers praised his versatility and those stretches when he seemed like the only hot hitter in the lineup.

The trade deadline got him, too. Though under team control through 2026, Urías was dealt to the Astros for Class A pitcher Twine Palmer.

The roster priorities begin with pitching, both the rotation and bullpen, but the Orioles probably will check on infielders who can replicate Urías’ glove work. Jorge Mateo has a $5.5 million option in his contract that they could decline. Luis Vázquez has a great defensive reputation at shortstop but is 9-for-62 in the majors. His biggest contribution came on the mound with four scoreless relief appearances over 4 1/3 innings.

Jeremiah Jackson was head and shoulders above the other two, which got his foot in the door for 2026. He batted .276/.328/.447 with 10 doubles, two triples, five home runs and 21 RBIs in 48 games, but he doesn’t really fit the utility profile because his starts came at third base and in right field. He’s also made starts at shortstop and second base and in left and center field in the minors, but the Orioles don’t envision that kind of movement from him.

If the Orioles can’t make room on the roster for Jackson and a super-utility player, they could bank of the versatility of other infielders for coverage. Interim manager Tony Mansolino didn’t think that Jackson had to play shortstop in order to break camp with the team. They have backups, including Jackson Holliday, who handled the position while Gunnar Henderson was on the injured list.

PLAYER REVIEW: KEIBERT RUIZ

Age on Opening Day 2026: 27

How acquired: Traded with Josiah Gray, Donovan Casey and Gerardo Carrillo from Dodgers for Max Scherzer and Trea Turner, July 2021

MLB service time: 4 years, 64 days

2025 salary: $6 million

PLAYER REVIEW: RILEY ADAMS

Age on Opening Day 2026: 29

How acquired: Acquired from Blue Jays for Brad Hand, July 2021

MLB service time: 3 years, 171 days

2025 salary: $850,000

The Orioles have a full 40-man roster that’s going to experience a significant shuffling of players.

A typical offseason.  

Pitchers Félix Bautista, Grayson Rodriguez and Brandon Young will come off the 60-day injured list. Pitcher Zach Eflin and catcher Gary Sánchez also are on the 60-day but will become free agents after the World Series.

Pitcher Tomoyuki Sugano also is a pending free agent. Infielder Jorge Mateo ($5.5 million) and reliever Dietrich Enns ($3 million) have team options in their contracts that could be declined. Fourteen players are eligible for arbitration and a few are candidates to be non-tendered, including first baseman Ryan Mountcastle, outfielder Dylan Carlson and reliever José Castillo.

Here’s the current 40-man:

The first offseason mailbag filled up quickly and required a second dumping.

Here are some extras from earlier this week. Same rules against obsessive editing and crowing about it. Same weird mix of baseball and anything else.

Given Grayson Rodriguez’s health issues, and Kyle Bradish (and Tyler Wells) coming back from injury, might the Orioles reconsider starting the season with a six-man rotation? If/when someone gets hurt, they could drop down to five if they don't see it as a season-long thing.
The issue with a six-man rotation always has been the added stress it places on a bullpen. You’re a man short. I see your logic, but you’d need relievers to cover those innings. I think Rodriguez is the only one who could be babied at the beginning because he hasn’t pitched since July 31, 2024. We’ll know more about the team’s plans after camp opens, but my expectation is a standard five-man rotation with the possibility of expanding it later in the summer.  

How many former catchers will interview for the manager's job?
Rick Dempsey would love a shot at it. Not happening. But he needs to be on the guest coaching list at spring training. The man only caught in the majors for 24 years and won a couple World Series. But back to your question. The odds are much better for David Ross, Bob Melvin, Brad Ausmus and Mike Matheny.

Does being a former Oriole weigh into the club's decision on a new manager?
The Orioles aren't saying much about the search but that doesn't make much sense. Brandon Hyde had no ties to the Orioles. Ryan Flaherty, as another example, played under Buck Showalter. Why would that matter to the current regime? His playing career ended with Cleveland in 2019. Maybe the Guardians will call if they need another manager. If the Orioles hire Flaherty, it will be because of his coaching background after retirement, his knowledge and implementation of analytics, his intelligence, what he learned as a player.  

PLAYER REVIEW: ROBERT HASSELL III

Age on Opening Day 2026: 24

How acquired: Traded with James Wood, CJ Abrams, MacKenzie Gore, Jarlin Susana and Luke from Padres for Juan Soto and Josh Bell, August 2022

MLB service time: 85 days

2025 salary: $760,000

Orioles pitcher Albert Suárez received a second opinion on his right elbow Tuesday during an examination by Dr. Keith Meister.

According to a team spokesperson, Suárez suffered a mild forearm flexor strain in his last appearance on Sept. 14 in Toronto.

Suárez is continuing his rehabilitation into the offseason and is expected to begin a throwing progression in the coming weeks, which is a positive development following concerns over the severity of his injury. Second opinions often lead to bad news. 

The club will provide a further update when it has more information to share.

Suárez made his lone start of the season at Rogers Centre and allowed one run and two hits in three innings before being shut down. He couldn’t undergo an MRI until the swelling subsided.

PLAYER REVIEW: JACOB YOUNG

Age on Opening Day 2026: 26

How acquired: Seventh round pick, 2021 Draft

MLB service time: 2 years, 37 days

2025 salary: $768,700

Samuel Basallo played in only 31 games with the Orioles and already began to blend with his teammates and understand how life works in a major league clubhouse.

What you see and hear in there stays in there.

Basallo might have taken it to the extreme, but he had an impressive response to a question at Yankee Stadium about a team meeting to discuss how the Orioles could avoid a repeat of their disappointing 2025 season.

“I don’t want to talk about specific things, but I think we’ve talked about a number of different topics and things that we need to do better, things that we need to get better at,” he said through interpreter Brandon Quinones.

“I don’t think it’s the smart thing to talk about it on camera, but we’ve spoken about a few different things and we know what we need to do.”

PLAYER REVIEW: DAYLEN LILE

Age on Opening Day 2026: 23

How acquired: Second round pick, 2021 Draft

MLB service time: 119 days

2025 salary: $760,000

A team’s offseason business usually includes deciding which arbitration-eligible players should be tendered contracts and which ones are allowed to walk into free agency. Or given a shove.

The deadline to grab or let go is Nov. 21.

Players with three-to-six years of service time are eligible, and most fans know every step of the dance. The sides exchange figures if an agreement isn’t reached, and a three-person panel chooses a winner in hearings that run between late January and early February.

The Orioles prefer the file-and-go approach (and I prefer calling it file-and-trial), but they make exceptions for contracts that include options and aren’t just for the upcoming season.

Arbitration contributes to the hikes in payroll. Players don’t take cuts. And some raises are more extreme than others.

PLAYER REVIEW: DYLAN CREWS

Age on Opening Day 2026: 24

How acquired: First round pick, 2023 Draft

MLB service time: 1 year, 35 days

2025 salary: $761,800