In the second full week of the offseason, president of baseball operations Mike Elias went to the General Managers Meetings in Las Vegas, new manager Craig Albernaz continued to build his coaching staff and the front office looked ahead to a busy month.<\/p>\n
Let\u2019s look at some of the things Elias talked about this week:<\/p>\n
Elias told reporters in Las Vegas that the Orioles could have a payroll that approaches their $158.57 million 2025 Opening Day figure.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re still down from where our 2025 payroll was. We\u2019ve got quite a bit to go just to get back to 2025 levels, and I think that\u2019s definitely a possibility if we want to go there, and we\u2019ll assess opportunities beyond that. I think we\u2019re just going to look at things on a case-by-case basis. The ownership group has a lot of willingness to invest but also wants to win.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is a group that\u2019s really enabling us to invest. We\u2019re going to go out in the market, see what we\u2019re able to do to improve the team. But we\u2019ll definitely be behaving as buyers this season, whether it\u2019s free agency or trade.\u201d<\/p>\n
In September, a story broke that Elias had been promoted from executive vice president of baseball operations before the 2025 season, but that wasn\u2019t announced. On September 29th, Elias commented on his promotion for the first time and said he could add a general manager to the Orioles, front office.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt may be this offseason; it may not be,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
After spending four weeks on a managerial search, a time when interviews could have been conducted for a new GM, Elias said this week that wasn\u2019t likely to happen.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s something that we\u2019ll be able to utilize, whether it\u2019s internally, externally, in the future with the title change I have now. But I don\u2019t see something happening this offseason,\u201d Elias said.<\/p>\n
The Orioles are eager to bolster their starting rotation, but it doesn\u2019t sound as if they\u2019re planning on a major contribution by Grayson Rodriguez, who hasn\u2019t pitched since July 31st, 2024.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s not something that we\u2019re planning around very heavily, but he\u2019s a guy that provides a real wild card for us talent-wise,\u201d Elias said.<\/p>\n
According to The Athletic, Elias is eager to find a closer.<\/p>\n
\u201cIdeally, we\u2019re going to acquire somebody who has closer experience, that\u2019s good against righties and lefties,\u201d he said. \u201cThere are a few teams [trying to do] that. Maybe there\u2019s not enough to go around. But it\u2019s at the top of our list.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re being very intentional in talking with those free agents and checking in on trade possibilities. I would really like to get that. Obviously, there are many ways to build a bullpen. It\u2019s something teams and front offices can sort of do over the course of a season. But our preference is to land an experienced closer this winter.\u201d<\/p>\n
Elias said he\u2019s willing to forfeit a draft pick in order to sign a player who turns down a qualifying offer. The Orioles haven\u2019t done that under Elias.<\/p>\n
The qualifying offer is $22.025 million, and players have until Tuesday to accept or reject it.<\/p>\n
Thirteen players received a qualifying offer. Arizona starter Zac Gallen, Chicago Cubs starter Shota Imanaga, Cubs outfielder Kyle Tucker, Detroit second baseman Gleyber Torres, Houston starter Framber Valdez, Milwaukee starter Brandon Woodruff, New York Mets reliever Edwin Diaz, New York Yankees outfielder Trent Grisham, Philadelphia designated hitter Kyle Schwarber, Phillies starter Ranger Su\u00e1rez, San Diego pitchers Dylan Cease and Michael King and Toronto shortstop Dante Bichette.<\/p>\n
Some on the list could get serious consideration from the Orioles.<\/p>\n
In an interview with MASNSports.com, Elias said the Orioles have priorities for this offseason.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think it\u2019s pretty clear with agents and other teams we\u2019re talking to, trying to keep things simple that that\u2019s at the front end of our wish list. Obviously, we\u2019ve got to see what\u2019s 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\u2019re exploring, and that\u2019s where a lot of our energy and focus is right now is seeing what\u2019s out there in those categories.\u201d<\/p>\n