Orioles Offseason Praised By MLB Writer

The Baltimore Orioles have done as much as anyone in the American League East to improve their roster this offseason.

Baltimore’s blockbuster addition was first baseman Pete Alonso, but they’ve also brought back right-hander Zack Eflin and added right-hander Ryan Helsley, right-hander Shane Baz, and outfielder Taylor Ward, among other moves. Who knows, they might not be done, either.

This all got Bleacher Report’s Zachary D. Rymer thinking this week as he rated the best offseasons in Major League Baseball. Rymer had the Orioles at the top of his list.

“Alonso is the perfect guy to bring some life and leadership to an offense that didn’t have much of either last year,” Rymer wrote. “He and Ward could add as many as 70 home runs to the mix, thus returning Baltimore’s offense to the slugging splendor it enjoyed in 2024.”

“Baz is in the post-hype section of his career, but his stuff is still lively and he was healthy enough to make 31 starts last season,” Rymer continued. “If he’s a No. 3 behind Trevor Rogers and Kyle Bradish, that’s how you know Baltimore’s rotation could be good. In the bullpen, Helsley will need to be the guy that Félix Bautista used to be for the Orioles. It’s perfectly permissible to be bullish, as Helsley was still throwing 100 mph with a nasty slider even in a down year in 2025.”

The Orioles missed the postseason in 2025 after making the playoffs in two consecutive seasons prior. They have a ton of young talent headlined by Gunnar Henderson, and the future is bright. Thanks to the past few months of deals, the present is also exciting for Baltimore.