The Baltimore Orioles today announced that DON ROVAK will join the organization as the Chief Revenue Officer, focusing on revenue generation through ticket and corporate sales in both Baltimore and Sarasota, Fla., and creating local economic impact for the city, state, and surrounding area.

“We are excited to have such an incredible talent and industry leader join the Orioles at such a thrilling time for our organization,” shared CATIE GRIGGS, Orioles President of Business Operations. “His expertise, passion, and creativity will be a tremendous asset to our club for years to come.”

Rovak joins the Orioles after just completing his 17^th year with AMB Sports and Entertainment, a company comprised of the National Football League’s Atlanta Falcons, Major League Soccer’s Atlanta United FC, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta Drive GC, and PGA TOUR Superstore. With AMB Sports and Entertainment, Rovak’s responsibilities included Mercedes-Benz Stadium events, private events, and Falcons and Atlanta United ticket sales, service, and ticket operations departments.

Rovak has led the team that has sold out Mercedes-Benz Stadium for all Falcons games and United matches since its opening in 2017. He revolutionized benefits for Falcons season ticket members, including free tickets for road games, annual seat relocation, and pre-party invitations, among other enhancements. Under his supervision, in all seasons for Atlanta United, the team finished first in season tickets, group sales, and overall attendance. Additionally, Atlanta United holds many of the top single match attendance records in their short lifespan.

“I am thrilled to arrive in Baltimore, and to be a part of such a historic franchise with so much opportunity ahead,” shared Rovak. “I look forward to developing relationships with the fans and the corporate community as we embark on an exciting O’s season.”

We could call it a “two tiered” Orioles rotation at this point. They have two at the top right now in right-handers Zack Eflin and Grayson Rodriguez and three that follow that in some order.

As of today, Eflin or Rodriguez could get the Opening Day assignment with the other starting second.

Third through fifth in some combo, is expected to be Dean Kremer, Tomoyuki Sugano and Charlie Morton. That is how I stack it as of today, Kremer, Sugano and Morton fifth. Others may project Morton at No. 3 or Sugano at No. 3. Lot of options here. No lefties in this rotation, but they are in the depth behind this group currently with pitchers like southpaws Cade Povich and Trevor Rogers. Could one of that duo impact the Opening Day five? Of course, it’s baseball, changes and injuries happen. Always write your plans in January in pencil with a big eraser close by.

The Orioles hopes for Eflin are likely big. In 2023 he pitched to an ERA of 3.50 with 16 wins for Tampa Bay and finished sixth for the AL Cy Young award. Traded to the Orioles on July 26 last summer for three minor leaguers, he went 5-2 with a 2.60 ERA over nine starts.

With a combined 3.54 ERA and 1.054 WHIP the past two seasons producing an ERA+ of 115, he will be expected to pitch to that form for the 2025 Orioles.

Let’s get this part straight. Right-hander Charlie Morton is not the replacement for losing Corbin Burnes. Neither is righty Tomoyuki Sugano. No one is saying they are. No one is hinting at it or suggesting it in any way.

The Orioles may still add a pitcher they can slot closer to the top of their rotation and based on comments here, that would be welcome.

Nothing they have done in the last few days precludes that from happening. In my mind, maybe you have a different take, that is just as likely to happen today as it was before the Morton signing.

Where I think some fans slanting toward the negative over the Morton are missing the boat, is this addition could help the 2025 Orioles. No matter who slots at the top of their rotation.

Yes, he turned 41 in November and was the fourth-oldest pitcher in the majors last year. He’s also pitched to a 3.92 ERA since 2023, throwing 328 2/3 innings. No O’s pitcher on the team in those seasons, pitched that many innings. Even those in their 20s. His ERA for those seasons tops that of Dean Kremer and Grayson Rodriguez, both at 4.11 for the 2023-2024 seasons.

I’m dumping more mailbag questions into your laps. I'll handle the next batch.

We’ve pondered whether Zach Eflin or Grayson Rodriguez would be the No. 1 starter as the roster’s currently set, who’s the No. 5 starter, the chances that Jackson Holliday platoons, how much Heston Kjerstad plays, whether the Orioles trade for Luis Castillo, and if the Orioles are done making moves for position players.

Here are a few more. Share your answers with the class.

Does Nick Gordon have any shot at making the team in spring training?

On paper, it seems highly unlikely.

In this space yesterday I noted that Ryan Mountcastle would be expected to hit more home runs in 2025 as the Orioles are moving the left field fence closer to home plate at Camden Yards. This is after three years after they had moved the wall back nearly 30 feet from its original position.

Mountcastle hit 22 home runs in Baltimore during the 2021 season, the last one with the previous dimensions. He averaged a homer at Camden Yards every 12.77 at-bats that year. But then he hit just 28 total home homers from 2022 through 2024, hitting one every 24.86 at-bats.

I wondered how the entire team was impacted by the year-to-year home homer numbers.

Here are the stats on that from 2021 on:

Actually, the O’s got closer to their 2021 home stats each year, almost equaling them last season when the team hit 235 homers for the season, second-most in the major leagues to the Yankees' 237.

The Orioles today announced that they have agreed to terms with right-handed pitcher Charlie Morton on a one-year major league contract for the 2025 season.

Morton, 41, went 8-10 with a 4.19 ERA (77 ER/165.1 IP) with 154 hits (23 HR), 85 total runs, 65 walks (1 IBB), 18 hit batters, and 167 strikeouts in 30 games, all starts, for the Atlanta Braves last season. He is one of four pitchers to make at least 30 starts in each full season since 2018 (not including 2020), along with José Berríos, Patrick Corbin, and Aaron Nola. During the last four years with the Braves, he combined to go 45-34 with a 3.87 ERA (295 ER/686.1 IP).

Morton is a 17-year veteran with the Braves, Tampa Bay Rays, Houston Astros, Philadelphia Phillies, and Pittsburgh Pirates. Between the five teams, he’s gone 138-123 with a 4.01 ERA (948 ER/2,125.2 IP) with 1,991 hits (203 HR), 1,045 total runs, 787 walks (25 IBB), 186 hit batters, and 2,047 strikeouts in 383 games (382 starts). His 138 wins are tied for the seventh most among active pitchers. He finished third in the American League Cy Young Award voting and received a vote for Most Valuable Player in 2019 with the Rays. Morton also made the All-Star team that year, marking his second straight All-Star season after doing so with the Astros in 2018.

A native of Flemington, NJ, Morton was originally selected by the Braves in the third round of the 2002 First-Year Player Draft out of Joel Barlow (CT) High School. He was acquired by Pittsburgh along with Gorkys Hernández and Jeff Locke in exchange for Nate McLouth on June 3, 2009. Philadelphia acquired him for David Whitehead on December 12, 2015. Morton then signed MLB contracts with Houston, Tampa Bay, and Atlanta.

To make room on the 40-man roster, catcher René Pinto was designated for assignment. The Orioles’ 40-man roster currently has 40 players.

The Orioles’ rotation is deeper tonight, though also more likely to remain in-house for an Opening Day starter.

Charlie Morton has signed a one-year contract, with an industry source confirming the guaranteed value at $15 million.

Morton is a 17-year veteran who turned 41 in November, making him the logical choice to serve as leader of the rotation. He’s been durable, making 33, 31, 30 and 30 starts over the past four seasons.

The right-hander is one of four pitchers with at least 30 starts in each full season since 2018 – not including the shortened 2020 - along with José Berríos, Patrick Corbin, and Aaron Nola.

Where Morton slots will be determined later, but he could settle behind Zach Eflin and Grayson Rodriguez. Dean Kremer and Japanese right-hander Tomoyuki Sugano should round out the unit.

Today a look at a few more notes and items we can expect to see during the 2025 season.

The return of this pitcher: The No. 11 overall pick in the 2018 MLB Draft, right-hander Grayson Rodriguez should return as a full-time member of the Baltimore rotation.

In 2024, he made what turned out to be his last start on July 31. He was scheduled to pitch Aug. 6 in the series opener at Rogers Centre in Toronto but was scratched just minutes before first pitch with what was later described as right lat/teres discomfort.

Getting this now 25-year-old right-hander back is a big lift for the rotation, which loses ace righty Corbin Burnes. Rodriguez went 13-4 with a 3.86 ERA over 20 starts and the Orioles went 14-6 in those games.

He gave up two earned runs or less 14 times. And if you could take away his two worst starts last year, where he allowed seven runs each time, he would have finished the season with an ERA of 3.02.

Now that 2025 has arrived on the calendar, can the baseball season be that far behind?

It will be here sooner than we think, with spring training arriving next month, the first spring game set for Feb. 22 and Opening Day 2025 scheduled for March 27 with the Orioles at Rogers Centre in Toronto.

Here are a few things to ponder and look forward to during this coming season.

The filling out of the roster: Will the O’s add a front-line starting pitcher? If they add someone or more than one, does that happen via free agency or via a trade?

Last season it was not until Feb. 1 that the deal for Corbin Burnes was announced.

With right-hander Corbin Burnes off to Arizona and no ace pitchers still to be had via free agency, the Orioles may have pivoted toward a pitcher who made nine appearances for them in the 2023 season and one more in that postseason.

That is 29-year-old right-hander Jack Flaherty, coming off a strong 2024 season that began with Detroit and ended with him getting a ring with the Los Angeles Dodgers, his hometown team.

Per The Athletic, “both sides would be open to a reunion after Flaherty’s bounce-back season.”

Between the two clubs last year, he made 28 starts throwing 162 innings – the second-most of his career. He went 13-7 with a 3.17 ERA and 1.068 WHIP. He posted strong walk and strikeout numbers, walking 2.1 per every nine innings (a 5.9 percent walk rate) and fanning 10.8 (29.9 percent).

Among qualified pitchers last year (the 58 that had 162 or more innings) he finished third in the majors in strikeouts/nine, tied for eighth in WHIP, tied for 13^th in batting average against (.223) and 13^th in MLB in ERA.

The year 2025 is upon us. Break out the resolutions and other promises that will be broken like a hockey player’s front teeth.

I usually avoid them but figured I’d come up with a list and invite everyone here to share their own. They can be personal and professional. They can be Orioles related. They can come back to bite you now that they’re documented.

Don’t be ashamed if the elliptical that you kept talking about before Christmas is used to dry your cotton laundry. Or if a vow to avoid having your favorite team dictate your mood is shattered 10 minutes after pitchers and catchers report. These things happen. You’re in a safe space here.

Here we go. I typed softly in case you’re hungover.

No more whining about travel.

The Orioles have made the following roster move:

• Agreed to terms on a 2025 minor league contract with INF/OF Nick Gordon.

Some projections when free agency was just beginning had outfielder Anthony Santander getting $100 million and maybe more whenever he signs his next contract.

Free to sign with any team, Santander is still out there for any club to sign, but maybe some recent deals provide a framework for his next one.

As free agency opened up, MLBTradeRumors.com projected that Santander, ranked as its No. 9 free agent, would get a four-year deal for $80 million. ESPN projected he would sign for three years and $69 million. FanGraphs.com predicted five years for $100 million and The Athletic put it at five years and $105 million.

An Oriole since the 2016 Rule 5 draft and for parts of eight big league seasons, Santander is expected to sign elsewhere, especially after the Orioles added outfielder Tyler O’Neill via free agency.

For his 2024 season on offense, Santander hit .235/.308/.506/.814 with 25 doubles, two triples, 44 homers, 91 runs and 102 RBIs.

After a few days away, we’re back today with a new blog and hopefully some fresh thoughts and takes to lead us into the New Year.

For now, a few facts and opinions.

Fact: O’s 2024 ace pitcher Corbin Burnes is headed to Arizona to pitch for the 2025 season.

Opinion: The Orioles' current rotation, even minus Burnes, could be solid but is now missing the pitcher who finished fifth for the American League Cy Young Award. So how will the O’s make up for this loss? For me, it’s never a one-for-one type thing in that they add this player to replace that player. All players they use in 2025 could partially help replace those not back.

There are no longer any aces left via the free agent market but perhaps the team could deal for a top pitcher, as it did with Burnes last Feb. 1.

Rather than ask (beg?) for more mailbag questions, I decided today to pose a few of my own.

Here are three for you to consider. Share your answers.

If the Orioles don’t acquire a No. 1 starter, should Zach Eflin or Grayson Rodriguez start on Opening Day?

Eflin has the edge in experience and track record. He’s also good, so the assignment wouldn’t be based only on those two factors.

The Rays named Eflin their Opening Day starter this year, and he held the Blue Jays to one run through five innings before the game unraveled for him in a five-run sixth. He surrendered three home runs in an 8-2 loss.

If the Orioles are, indeed, done with the position side of their roster beyond maybe some minor league signings, we can begin crafting lineups against right-handed and left-handed starters.

Why? Because what else are you gonna do besides eat leftovers and talk about Corbin Burnes?

The chatter now has him seeking at least $245 million. I’ll gladly wear it if wrong.

(Update: Burnes is in agreement with the Diamondbacks on a six-year, $210 million contract, allowing him to pitch close to home. The New York Post's Jon Heyman was first with the news. The deal includes an opt-out after two seasons. The Orioles reportedly were aggressive in their pursuit but remain without a No. 1 starter via free agency or trade.)

I’m correct when I say that the Orioles can go with many combinations and the lineup construction often hinges on who’s hot and who’s not. An extended Gunnar Henderson slump, for example, can lower him from the leadoff spot. Same goes for a middle-of-the-order bat. And there are multiple choices for a designated hitter against a right-handed starter.

Here’s hoping that everyone had a wonderful holiday spent with the ones you love. And that you tolerated the rest without incident.

I put a bow on the mailbag and noticed some extra questions. It can’t be emptied. It just keeps reproducing like Philip Rivers.

Here they are.

Haven't asked in a bit but what is the status on upgrading the parks sound system? I know it would be helpful for all.
Any major upgrades won’t be completed until 2026, but I’ve heard that improvements are planned for the sound system to get through 2025. And I agree that it would be helpful. As I’ve said, we can’t hear anything clearly from the press box, including the Opening Day ceremonies. I just tell Rob Long or whoever has the microphone that they looked good.

Will the Orioles sign a free agent before the New Year or are they on vacation until then?
They don’t shut down over the holidays. Deals can get done. It only takes a phone call. But I’ll predict that we don’t get more news until after Jan. 1. Just a guess.

On Christmas Day 2024, if I could give something to every person alive, it would be the abilities to be humble, nice and respectful to each other every day in every way.

As I traveled recently, a big smile on my face in going through another adventure, I noticed so many people just look unhappy. Many probably are unhappy.

So many seem to think of themselves first often and seldom those around them. Too bad. We never know what someone else is dealing with or what burdens they carry.

I once told Jim Palmer it warms my heart that Hall of Fame Orioles like him and Brooks Robinson were always so very nice to the fans.

“Steve, it doesn’t take much to be nice,” he told me.

Baseball America recently wrote about the findings of Major League Baseball’s study on pitching injuries and what it meant for amateur youth pitchers.

The study found – to no real surprise – that youth pitchers are throwing too much, too hard, and too often. This is leading to long-term injuries. Again, no one should be surprised.

They are chasing the dollars of MLB and before that the scholarships from top Div. I schools that lead them to get drafted that lead them to pro ball and possibly one day to the big dollars of the majors.

How big?

Price tags are going up.

I’ve heard the speculation that Corbin Burnes could sign for less years at a higher annual average value, perhaps going as low as three years.

I’ll believe that when I see it. Not a minute beforehand.

There’s some logic in getting paid big on a shorter term and re-entering free agency at age 33. A sliver of logic. Thinly sliced like garlic with a razor on “Goodfellas.”

The pitching market melted a little more Sunday with the Marlins sending left-hander Jesús Luzardo to the Phillies - an injury risk but one of the most appealing starters on the trade market. Max Fried signed with the Yankees, receiving $218 million over eight seasons. Blake Snell got $182 million over five years from the Dodgers. Nathan Eovaldi exceeded some expectations by receiving $75 million over three years to stay with the Rangers. Garrett Crochet was dealt to the Red Sox.

Japanese right-hander Rōki Sasaki is out there and predicted by many in the industry to sign with a West Coast team if it isn’t one based in New York. Jack Flaherty and Nick Pivetta sit in the next-tier group. Sean Manaea and Walker Buehler just left it.