New closer Ryan Helsley passed his physical with the Orioles, signed his two-year, $28 million contract and awaits the opportunity to field questions from the media.

Half the league reportedly had expressed some level of interest in Helsley. What made him decide on the Orioles?

How much did the opt-out clause sway him? I wouldn’t expect him to go into too much detail on the money offered by other clubs.

How aggressive were the Orioles in their pursuit? Were they among the first teams to contact his agent?

Was he intrigued by the teams that viewed him as a potential starter, something he’s never done in the majors? Sixty-nine of his 87 minor league appearances came as a starter. He was in the rotation for 21 of his 26 college games.

The Orioles are just as busy making changes to their front office as they are the coaching staff and roster.

Matt Blood is receiving another promotion, according to sources, with a new title of vice president of player and staff development.

In his new role, Blood will continue to oversee all aspects of minor league player development and operations, but with duties expanded to provide executive support for manager Craig Albernaz in major league staff and player development, as well as supporting the sports medicine and performance departments.

The latest bump removes Blood’s title of vice president of player development and domestic scouting, which he held since October 2023.

The Orioles hired Blood in September 2019 as director of player development after he served as Rangers' director of baseball innovation. Blood had worked for three years as USA Baseball's director of the 18-and-under National Team Program, and he previously spent seven seasons as an area scout in the Cardinals organization, where he worked with Mike Elias.

When the clock strikes 5 p.m., free agency will officially be underway in Major League Baseball. 

The 2026 class doesn’t feature a headliner like Aaron Judge, Shohei Ohtani or Juan Soto, but there is plenty of talent to be had. Spotrac estimates a dozen players to earn at least $20 million annually, a list that includes six starting pitchers. 

Throughout the offseason, we’ll take a deep dive into some potential fits in Baltimore. 

Player: Framber Valdez, LHP, 31 years old  

2025 Stats: 13-11, 192.0 IP, 3.66 ERA, 1.245 WHIP, 8.8 K/9, 3.2 BB/9