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Shane Baz is a big fan of the Orioles’ offseason moves, especially now that he’s become one of them.
The Orioles traded for Baz on Dec. 19, sending four prospects and a Competitive Balance Round A pick to the Rays. They began the month by signing closer Ryan Helsley and reached agreement with first baseman Pete Alonso at the Winter Meetings. Starter Zach Eflin was re-signed on the 28th.
And that was just December.
Reliever Andrew Kittredge came back to the Orioles in a Nov. 4 trade with the Cubs, and outfielder Taylor Ward was acquired from the Angels two weeks later.
“The names that they're getting right now are superstar players - Alonso, you got Helsley, Ward, Eflin obviously coming back,” Baz said yesterday in a video call. “I don't know if I'm missing anybody, but those names are just really, really exciting, getting the chance to play with guys that are of that caliber and I know are really respected around the league and help teams win. And I think it speaks to how they want to play this year and what they're trying to do, and that gives you a little more motivation, I think, just to set the standard and winning is all that matters. And I really like that kind of situation.”
The Rays have contended in past years despite a low payroll, but Baz was recovering from Tommy John surgery and couldn’t contribute in 2023, when they finished in second place behind the Orioles. His average fastball velocity increased from 95.6 mph in 2024 to 97 mph last year, when he made 31 starts. This is pre-surgery velo. As good as old.
“I think a big thing of it was just kind of figuring out post-surgery and all of that stuff, just a routine that I really liked in between my starts of how much I like to throw, how far I want to throw, and then what I wanted to do in my midweek bullpen,” Baz said. “Also just figuring out the workout side of it - which days I need to focus more on mobility and a little bit less lifting and vice versa. And I think I just did a good job of kind of learning what my body responds better to and just what I like to do that really helps me just be ready for that fifth day 32 times.
“So I think I just got a better grasp on that, and just the experience, being healthy helps with that, too, just giving you the opportunity to really maybe try something here and there. But I think I just got a little smarter with my stuff and I think it helped me a lot, just to feel good every five days and be able to deliver 100 high-quality pitches or more.”
Baz introduced a cutter last summer and made a drastic reduction in the number of sliders thrown, from second- to fifth-most in his arsenal. The Orioles will review and recommend.
“It was really weird,” he said. “I would say just the slider didn’t feel great from the start, and obviously took it into the season and I was getting victimized on it a ton. So that’s kind of when you have to make quick adjustments and decisions. I kind of decided that I wanted to put it away and work on it.
“I’m lucky that I feel I have a really good feel for the cutter that I’ve kind of had forever that I just haven’t really used yet. And just kind of decided to swap those pitches during the year. I thought the cutter did great. Obviously, I’m going to talk to all the pitching guys and stuff like that and just get feedback during spring, and I think we’ll formulate a good plan going forward of just what my best mix is and how I can use it. It’s exciting.”
* I’ve written about some of the bounceback candidates for 2026, including Eflin, Adley Rutschman, Gunnar Henderson, Tyler O’Neill and Yennier Cano.
Let’s add Colton Cowser, the starting center fielder in early mock lineups.
Cowser was runner-up for American League Rookie of the Year in 2024 after batting .242/.321/.447 with 24 doubles, three triples, 24 home runs, 69 RBIs and a 3.1 bWAR in 153 games. He walked 52 times and struck out 172, putting the swing-and-miss issues front and center in an otherwise impressive campaign.
The Orioles also liked his defense in left field, but he slid over last season after Cedric Mullins was traded to the Mets and no one has joined the roster who projects as a regular.
Sliding or diving into first base isn’t recommended when trying to beat out a ground ball. Cowser fractured his left thumb on March 30 in Toronto and didn’t play again until June 3.
The season was ruined. Cowser had his best month in June, batting .250/.310/.550 with six doubles and six home runs in 22 games, but finished with a .196 average and .655 OPS over 92 games. He was on the seven-day concussion injured list from Aug. 8-16.
A record was set - 14 stolen bases the most without being caught in club history – but Cowser could use a fresh start. And the Orioles could use something closer to his 2024 production for the lower portion of the lineup.
Having Pete Alonso and Taylor Ward on the roster should alleviate the pressure on younger players like Cowser. And they’ll be working with new hitting coach Dustin Lind and assistant Brady North.
Other players just need to … bounce.
Jordan Westburg was an All-Star replacement in 2024 but injuries struck again last season. A left hamstring strain forced him onto the injured list from April 27-June 10, and right ankle sprain sidelined him again from Aug. 19-Sept. 15. Westburg appeared in only 85 games and hit .265/.313/.457 with 10 doubles and 17 home runs.
A fractured right hand in 2024 cost him almost two months.
Westburg can be one of the best hitters on the team, certainly able to provide some of the best at-bats, if he can stay on the field. He should be the everyday third baseman, also able to back up Jackson Holliday at second base and Gunnar Henderson at shortstop. He just needs better luck.
Fun fact: Westburg’s .711 slugging percentage on sliders was third highest in the majors, in a minimum 40 at-bats ending on the pitch, behind the Guardians’ Kyle Manzardo (.750) and Yankees’ Giancarlo Stanton (.714). It’s the second-highest slugging percentage by an Oriole in the Pitch Tracking era (since 2008), trailing only Manny Machado’s .750 in 2018.
