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The general manager meetings in Las Vegas are over, and Orioles president of baseball operations/general manager Mike Elias is flying back to Baltimore. He didn’t bring any new players but he’s gained some clarity on the trade and free agent markets.
The daily sessions have served their purpose.
Elias sat down with executives from other teams, agents and some players who showed up at the Cosmopolitan hotel.
“A lot of information gathering and a lot of meetings,” Elias said this afternoon.
“Overall it was really good. I can’t say anything happened, but this is how the offseason starts to develop usually is the conversations that initiate at the GM meetings.”
Asked whether the Orioles were more engaged in trade or free agent discussions, Elias said, “I think it’s gonna be balanced as we go through the offseason and a mix of both, but here in particular, we definitely want to make use of the face-to-face meetings that we can have with all the agents, so here it was probably more free agent conversations. But I don’t think that’s gonna persist through the whole offseason.”
It’s probably a reach to say that lots of new information came out of Vegas. What unfolded with the Orioles just provided confirmation.
* The priorities remain starting pitching, especially someone at or near the top, the bullpen, and a bat that ideally would fit in the outfield.
“I think it’s pretty clear with agents and other teams we’re talking to, trying to keep things simple that that’s at the front end of our wish list,” Elias said. “Obviously, we’ve got to see what’s available and executing on that front. It could end up developing into a different wish list as we go along, but those are the things that are front and center that we’re exploring, and that’s where a lot of our energy and focus is right now is seeing what’s out there in those categories.”
* Félix Bautista might be available down the stretch after recovering from shoulder surgery, but the Orioles need to find a closer.
“I’ve kind of laid out the wish list and that’s on it,” Elias said. “It may be that that doesn’t happen, but that’s our Plan A is to try to get somebody with closing experience. We are hopeful that we get Félix back at some point, but if we do, it is gonna be late in the season. And coming off a shoulder surgery, I just don’t think that it makes sense to factor him into our offseason planning right now.
“When we get to the deadline, I think we’ll have a better sense of what that’s looking like and we can see where we’re at there. But right now we do want to bring in more experienced veteran help for this bullpen if we can. And it would be great if it’s somebody who has more ninth inning experience.”
* Colton Cowser is an option in center field but someone else could bump him back to a corner.
“I don’t think it matters too much because he’s really good in both spots,” Elias said. “I think the way we’re looking at it is, I think this outfield could use more help, and if that comes in another guy to help out in the corners, great. If that comes in a guy that is seen more as a center field option, fine. But we know playing time has to be rotated around.
“We used a lot of different outfielders last year. A lot of them are now gone. We have four basically incumbents right now with the primaries being (Dylan) Beavers and Cowser, (Tyler) O’Neill, (Leody) Taveras. There’s guys in the minor leagues that provide some depth options. There’s players who have some versatility to go out there. But it’s just a category that we’re going to be looking for another import. And it could come in different profiles.”
* The Orioles won’t be scared away by a player with a qualifying offer attached to him.
They would have to surrender a draft pick for, as examples, starters Framber Valdez, Ranger Suárez, Dylan Cease, Brandon Woodruff, Zac Gallen and Michael King, reliever Edwin Díaz, infielder Bo Bichette and outfielders Kyle Tucker, Kyle Schwarber and Trent Grisham.
“I think that it’s something that we’re gonna have to be at peace with relinquishing if we’re going for qualified free agents, and we want to be in on those markets, and we are,” Elias said. “We’re having those conversations. So it’s something that you just factor in and your valuation. It’s just something that we make note of, but it doesn’t preclude us from those categories.”
* The payroll has plenty of space to take on bigger contracts.
Control owner David Rubenstein talked about the investor group’s “deep pockets” at manager Craig Albernaz’s introductory press conference. He mentioned the “resources” available to acquire players.
“We don’t have particular financial constraints,” he said.
“Mike has a lot of authority to go out and find the best players that we can get.”
Elias was asked multiple times over the past two days about spending in free agency.
“I think let’s start with the fact that if you just look at our team right now and the payroll right now with the guys that we’re returning in arbitration, the guys that are returning who are under contract, the pickups that we just made, we’re still really far from what our 2025 payroll level was and we’re definitely not under any orders to lower that at this point. So we’ll see where the number ultimately goes at some point,” Elias said.
“You start to weigh things on a case-by-case basis and you kind of see how your roster is shaping up as you keep going along the offseason and making moves. But the owners have really put us in a position to be flexible and assess opportunities.”
* Grayson Rodriguez should be ready for spring training, which doesn’t necessarily assure him of a spot in the rotation.
“There’s nothing going on right now that would hold him back,” Elias said. “He’s not injured right now and he’s preparing for spring training, but the poor guy’s missed a year and two months basically, and we’ve got to be mindful of that, and I think he’s a really nice wild card talent for us, and I’m really optimistic and bullish about it. But the fact that he’s missed so much time recently, we just have to be prudent about that.
“We don’t want to plan around him too heavily, but I really like where he’s at.”
Note: The Braves claimed pitchers Carson Ragsdale and Josh Walker on waivers from the Orioles.
Ragsdale made his major league debut this year and allowed eight runs and 10 hits in five innings over two appearances in September. The eight runs and nine of the hits came in three innings in Toronto.
The Orioles selected Walker on waivers from the Phillies on Aug. 21 but he didn’t pitch for them.
