Good morning, Camden Chatters.
The MLB offseason is starting to take off. Yesterday marked the fifth day since the end of the World Series, which is the deadline for teams to exercise or decline options
on players who have them, and the first day in which they’re allowed to sign free agents from other teams. It’s also the day that players who’d been on the 60-day IL must be added back to the 40-man roster, which requires jettisoning other players to make room.
As a result, there was plenty of roster reshuffling around the majors yesterday, especially with the Orioles, who made a bevy of transactions that involved a whopping 14 players and turned over more than a quarter of the 40-man roster.
The O’s finalized a one-year, $2 million deal to sign veteran outfielder Leody Taveras, the former Rangers center fielder. If Taveras makes the Orioles’ roster — which, given the minimal amount for which he signed, isn’t a sure thing — he’ll provide speed and defense off the bench but not much offense to speak of. The O’s also made one other roster addition from outside the organization yesterday, claiming outfielder Pedro León from the Astros. León had a seven-game cup of coffee for Houston this year, going 2-for-20. The 27-year-old’s best weapon is his legs, with 111 stolen bases in five minor league seasons. He’s probably headed for Triple-A Norfolk.
The Orioles had two decisions to make about player options, exercising one and declining one. They picked up the $9 million option for the recently reacquired righty Andrew Kittredge, who should play a meaningful role in the back of the Orioles’ bullpen next year. But they declined the $5.5 million option on infielder Jorge Mateo, making him a free agent. It wasn’t a surprise, considering that he’s coming off of his worst season and doesn’t really fit on the O’s roster anymore, but I’ll choose to remember the good times for Mateo and the excitement he provided with his blazing speed.
The Orioles also added reliever Anthony Nunez, one of three minor leaguers acquired in the Cedric Mullins trade from the Mets, to the 40-man roster. Nunez had a 3.45 and 12.1 K/9 in 16 games for Norfolk after the trade, and the O’s clearly envision him contributing to the major league bullpen sooner rather than later.
To make room for all the newcomers — as well as for Félix Bautista, Grayson Rodriguez, and Brandon Young coming off the 60-day IL — the O’s parted ways with a bunch of expendable pieces from their 2025 roster, including outfielders Dylan Carlson and Daniel Johnson and relievers Carson Ragsdale, José Castillo, and Shawn Dubin. Best of luck to all those guys wherever they end up (Castillo has already been claimed by the Mets). They also DFA’d lefty Josh Walker, who never pitched for the Orioles but had been at Triple-A with the Tides.
Phew. Got all that? The offseason has just begun and already the Orioles have been busy, even if it’s been mostly minor moves so far.
In other news around the majors that may be of interest to Orioles fans, the Guardians declined their 2026 option on former O’s ace John Means. Means had spent the 2025 season recovering from his second Tommy John surgery, and he completed his rehab by September in hopes of earning a postseason roster spot with Cleveland, but the club never called him up. The Guardians apparently didn’t see enough to like about Means’s minor league performance to give him an opportunity for a 2026 rotation spot.
And in division rival news, the Rays declined their 2026 option on Pete Fairbanks, who has been their closer for the past three years. I’m wondering if the Orioles might kick the tires on Fairbanks. They’re in need of a closer, and he’s been a pretty solid one who has plenty of AL East experience. After a game this September, Fairbanks called the Orioles “a bunch of LEGO-loving people,” which some O’s fans interpreted as an insult, but was actually meant to be complimentary in that Fairbanks is a LEGO-loving person himself. So he’d fit right in with his fellow toy-block enthusiasts in the O’s clubhouse.
Links
Orioles signing Taveras to one-year contract – School of Roch
More on the Leody Taveras signing. I suppose he’s an upgrade over Dylan Carlson, but in a perfect world, the O’s will sign another outfielder who’s better than both of them.
Will Orioles sign young stars to extensions this offseason? | MAILBAG – BaltimoreBaseball.com
Oh, friend. Why ask questions that you already know the answer to?
It’s time: O’s need to make a spending splash this offseason – Steve Melewski
It’s been time for that for quite a few offseasons now. But yes, I agree.
Orioles birthdays and history
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! One member of the 2025 Orioles was born on this day: right-hander Roansy Contreras (26), who pitched one game for the Birds on Aug. 27 and worked 4.1 scoreless innings, then got DFA’d the next day. Tough crowd. Other former Orioles with Nov. 7 birthdays include outfielder Dariel Álvarez (37), right-hander Kris Benson (51), and the late first baseman Bob Hale (b. 1933, d. 2012).
On this date in 1989, Orioles closer Gregg Olson won AL Rookie of the Year, becoming the first relief pitcher ever to do so. The 22-year-old, just one year after being drafted, pitched 64 games and notched 27 saves with a 1.69 ERA. Olson received 26 of 28 first-place votes, beating out some nobody named Ken Griffey Jr.
And on this day in 2023, Orioles general manager Mike Elias was named baseball’s Executive of the Year after constructing an O’s roster that won 101 games and the AL East. It was a well-deserved honor, though it’s hard to believe it was only two years ago, considering how grumpy a lot of Orioles fans are about Elias these days.
