There were a few glaring needs for the Orioles entering this pivotal offseason. Others weren’t so obvious.
Due to Félix Bautista’s injury, Baltimore was left without a reliever with extensive closing experience. More injury concerns and free agent departures created holes in the starting rotation, and a busy trade deadline saw bullpen arms shipped away for prospects.
On the position player side, similar injury concerns, combined with underperformance, created questions about the lineup’s feasibility heading into 2026.
The additions of Pete Alonso, Taylor Ward, Ryan Helsley and Andrew Kittredge, among others, have addressed many, but not all of those concerns. With shakeups to the roster, Annie Klaff and I took inventory of where Baltimore currently stands and what is left to be done on this week’s edition of “The Bird’s Nest,” which you can watch here.
What will the Orioles do at first base?
This question, as it relates to the playing time itself, is easily answered by Alonso’s addition. While the O’s didn’t necessarily have a need at first, they severely lacked the Polar Bear’s combination of stability, power, and veteran leadership. The Mets’ all-time leader in home runs immediately slots in the middle of the lineup every day, primed to play another 162.
Whether Alonso plays all of his games at first base, or if he sees some time at designated hitter, remains to be seen. Behind him, the O’s have a trio of athletic first base options in Ryan Mountcastle, Coby Mayo and Samuel Basallo.
While Basallo’s future in Baltimore is certain, Mayo and Mountcastle’s is far from it. Will the Orioles elect to hold onto these valuable assets or see if there is value to be had in return? There likely isn’t room on the Opening Day roster for all three.
Will the O’s carry a third catcher?
Basallo and Adley Rutschman will be doing a vast majority of the catching for Baltimore in 2026. The quality of their bats, and the frequency with which they are featured, could necessitate a third option to spell them.
Though neither put up terribly impressive offensive numbers last season, each has offensive profiles that you’d want in the box more often than not. At his best, Rutschman can be an on-base machine, capable of consistent, quality at-bats and 20-plus home run power. Basallo’s pop is prodigious, and if he reaches his full potential, you want to give him the chance to hit Eutaw Street as frequently as possible.
If they’re both in your lineup nearly every day, whether at catcher or designated hitter, a third catcher like Maverick Handley, or a new addition, could make sense to keep on the team. That designated hitter spot, though, has plenty of options with Alonso, Mountcastle, Mayo, Ward and O’Neill. Plenty of right-handed options, that is.
The answer to this third-catcher question will most likely be answered based on how often new skipper Craig Albernaz plans on having his dynamic catching duo in the lineup at once.
What do the O’s need in the rotation?
A high-end starter would be great, but depth is a requirement.
Kyle Bradish, Trevor Rogers, Dean Kremer, Tyler Wells, Cade Povich and Brandon Young are the only starting pitchers on the 40-man roster who made starts for Baltimore last season. Albert Suárez, signed to a minor-league deal, would make seven, and Chayce McDermott, likely transitioning to a bullpen role, makes eight. One quarter of those arms is fresh off of major elbow surgery.
16 different players made starts for the O’s last year. Eight isn’t enough.
Whether it’s one of the prizes of the free agent starting pitching market, quality depth at the back end, or both, Baltimore still needs to add.
Are there more bullpen moves to be made?
Suárez certainly helps, and may also provide a blueprint for the types of moves the O’s could look to make.
The additions of Helsley and Kittredge, in my estimation, gives Baltimore six relievers ranging from locks to probables for the Opening Day roster: the new(ish) duo, Keegan Akin, Dietrich Enns, Yennier Cano and Rico Garcia. Suárez and Kade Strowd could be the leaders in the clubhouse for the final two spots.
Could that ‘pen use another veteran arm? Perhaps. But a bullpen should also have flexibility.
If a player tosses 40 pitches and won’t be available for four days, it would be very convenient if they have minor league options remaining and could be swapped out for another arm. With plenty of options like McDermott, Anthony Nunez, Cameron Weston and others on the way, it could behoove the Birds to keep their bullpen as flexible as possible to maneuver arms up and down from Norfolk to Baltimore. You don’t necessarily want to be locked into an arm on a big league contract if they don’t have minor league options remaining.
That won’t keep the Orioles out of free agent bullpen discussions, but it is something to consider.