Good morning Birdland,
One of the more significant offseason deadlines has come and gone. The Orioles have tendered contracts to all but one of their arbitration-eligible players. Albert Suárez was the only
one left out. He will now become a free agent.
The one move that is getting more attention than the others is the decision to keep Ryan Mountcastle. The 28-year-old is coming off of an injury-plagued and poor-performing season. His projected $7.8 million salary for 2026 does not jive with the 0.5 bWAR he was worth in 2025. And with Coby Mayo and Samuel Basallo on the roster, it’s tough to see how everything fits together at the moment.
Elias described Mountcastle as “a big part of our picture right now” following the news that the O’s would be tendering him a contract. He also explained how the team regarded Mountcastle.
“I think so much of what happened in 2025, it was frustrating and disappointing and there were injuries in there, so it was really kind of microcosmic of what happened to a lot of the team. And Ryan still showed flashes of his ability…We think he’s a great hitter and that’s why we tendered him and we’re bringing him back.”
It is fair to say that Mountcastle is a better hitter than he showed in 2025. “Great” is a bit much though. Most years he has been 5-10% better than league average at the plate, but he plays a position where that isn’t very impressive. Expecting him to be anything more than that doesn’t make sense.
What could be more interesting is if this foreshadows a move to come, particularly around Mayo. The Orioles first base situation is not set in stone. We know Basallo will see innings at the position, in addition to DH and catcher. We have been assuming that Mayo will work in as well, but with Mountcastle set to come back that doesn’t sound like a foregone conclusion. And apparently the Orioles have been speaking with Pete Alonso’s representatives about a potential deal.
All of this makes Mountcastle seem like an insurance policy. If the Orioles make no other significant moves between now and spring training, then at least they have injury depth. If they add Alonso, then maybe they can swap Mountcastle for a passable relief pitcher or something. If they package Mayo in a deal for a pitcher, then Mountcastle can step in as the right-handed part of a platoon with Basallo. It’s all on the table.
Earlier in the month, Orioles control person Dave Rubenstein described the team’s ownership group as “deep-pocketed” and without constraints. He explained that they were “going to try to get the best players we can.” So far, Elias has already committed them to some serious spending. Taylor Ward makes a lot more than Grayson Rodriguez. With the tendering of contracts on Friday, he is handing out raises to a sizable chunk of the major league roster. And all of the buzz makes it seem like the Orioles are going to make a splash in free agency.
Elias is prioritizing flexibility at this point in the offseason. He is collecting players, regardless of cost, so that he can maneuver later on. That doesn’t necessarily mean making the best use of every dollar, but rather attempting to build the best possible baseball team. For now, with the needs for a closer and starting pitcher remaining, his job is incomplete. But the overall posture is quite different from prior winters.
Links
Wondering about Ward’s spot in Orioles’ lineup (and other notes) | Roch Kubatko
The thing about lineups is that they change, like a lot. As the team exists right now, I would have Ward bat right behind Gunnar Henderson, wherever that might be. It gives Gunnar a little protection. It creates RBI opportunities for Ward. And with Gunnar being a bit of a mad man on the bases, it might distract pitchers a bit to the point they leave some meatballs in the middle of the plate for Ward. The problem with the Orioles current roster is they do not have a lead-off hitter. Jackson Holliday might become it, but he’s not there yet. Something to think about as the offseason progresses.
Phillies Claim Pedro León | MLB Trade Rumors
The Orioles had claimed León from the Astros at the start of the month and hoped to sneak him through themselves. It didn’t work. But it’s possible the Phillies make him available later in the offseason.
Grayson Rodriguez is another example of Orioles’ inability to develop pitching | The Baltimore Banner
Eh, I’m not sure I agree with the premise. The Rodriguez era in Baltimore was certainly a failure, but I’m not sure I pin that on anyone, really. When he was healthy, he was fine, sometimes really good. He’s had a lot of injuries. Is that a development issue? This is different than Dylan Bundy, who was mostly healthy but just mediocre. The Kyle Bradish development was pretty great. They fixed something with Trevor Rogers last year. Under Elias they simply haven’t taken many big swings at adding young pitching talent.
Angels hire Anderson as hitting coach, Mabry as assistant | MLB.com
Two more folks with Orioles ties are joining the Angels. Brady Anderson will be their new hitting coach while John Mabry will be an assistant for new manager Kurt Suzuki. The Anderson hire is kind of wild. At 61 years old, he has never officially been a major league coach of any sort. But we know he did train with some of the Orioles players, particularly Brian Matusz, in the early 2010s. He’s no stranger to a big league clubhouse.
Orioles birthdays
Is it your birthday? Happy birthday!
- Jayson Aquino turns 33 today. Between 2016 and ‘17, he pitched in seven games for the Orioles.
- Jay Payton is 53 years old. The journeyman outfielder played the 2007 and ‘08 campaigns in Baltimore.
- The late Joe Gaines (b. 1936, d. 2023) was born on this day. He spent parts of two seasons in the Orioles outfield, posting a 143 OPS+ in 1963 and then struggling in ‘64.
This day in O’s history
1965 – Orioles outfielder Curt Blefary is named AL Rookie of the Year, just beating out Angels pitcher Marcelino López.
1966 – The Orioles sign free agent pitcher Sid Fernandez to a three-year deal.
2021 – Trey Mancini is named Comeback Player of the Year in the American League. He had missed the entire 2020 season while undergoing treatment for cancer and returned to hit .255/.326/.432 with 21 home runs.
