{"id":110395,"date":"2025-12-07T00:57:50","date_gmt":"2025-12-07T05:57:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/?p=110395"},"modified":"2025-12-07T00:57:50","modified_gmt":"2025-12-07T05:57:50","slug":"can-orioles-achieve-winning-200-million-payroll","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/2025\/12\/07\/can-orioles-achieve-winning-200-million-payroll\/","title":{"rendered":"Orioles Looking to Achieve a Winning $200 Million Payroll This Offseason"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The Baltimore Orioles will be buyers in free agency this winter, as President of Baseball Operations Mike Elias said <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.mlb.com\/news\/orioles-buyers-2025-26-offseason\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">days<\/a> after the 2025 season ended. Coming off a 75-87 season, only one year after a Wild Card berth, they need a spark.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_77566\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-77566\" style=\"width: 713px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-77566\" src=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/06\/USATSI_21843205-300x213.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"713\" height=\"506\" srcset=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/06\/USATSI_21843205-300x213.jpg 300w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/06\/USATSI_21843205-1024x726.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/06\/USATSI_21843205-768x544.jpg 768w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/06\/USATSI_21843205-1536x1089.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/06\/USATSI_21843205-2048x1452.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 713px) 100vw, 713px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-77566\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Nov 7, 2023; Scottsdale, AZ, USA; Baltimore Orioles general manager Mike Elias speaks to the media during the MLB General Manager&#8217;s Meetings at Omni Scottsdale Resort &amp; Spa. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Baltimore got to work quickly, first striking a deal with the Los Angeles Angels in a <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/2025\/11\/18\/orioles-acquire-taylor-ward-angels-trade-grayson-rodriguez\/\" target=\"_self\">one-for-one trade<\/a>. The team traded young starting pitcher <a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/r\/rodrigr01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2025-12-07_br\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Grayson Rodriguez<\/a> for outfielder <a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/w\/wardta01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2025-12-07_br\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Taylor Ward<\/a> to shore up a huge hole in their roster.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">The Orioles have acquired OF Taylor Ward from the Angels for RHP Grayson Rodriguez. <a  href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/hFsRlhI2W5\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">pic.twitter.com\/hFsRlhI2W5<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 MLB (@MLB) <a  href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/MLB\/status\/1990991097137385952?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">November 19, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>Later in November, the Orioles <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/2025\/11\/29\/orioles-sign-closer-ryan-helsley-two-year-deal\/\" target=\"_self\">signed<\/a> veteran closer <a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/h\/helslry01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2025-12-07_br\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Ryan Helsley<\/a> to a two-year, $28 million deal as a replacement for the injured <a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/b\/bautife01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2025-12-07_br\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">F\u00e9lix Bautista<\/a>. Judging by the <a  href=\"https:\/\/sportsnaut.com\/mlb\/baltimore-orioles-looking-to-go-big-in-mlb-free-agency-in-2025\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">sounds<\/a> of it, the team is far from done.<\/p>\n<h2>The Orioles Have a Lot of Payroll Room To Play With<\/h2>\n<p>The Orioles&#8217; projected payroll is <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.spotrac.com\/mlb\/baltimore-orioles\/overview\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">expected<\/a> to be around $137.8 million (including tax) as of Dec. 6. That puts their payroll well in the lower half of the league, and with over $160 million in tax space. Last year, the team spent $175 million on its payroll, including the $16.5 million contract to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/search\/search.fcgi?pid=oneilty01,oneill002tyl,oneill001tyl&amp;search=Tyler+O&#039;Neill&amp;utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2025-12-07_br\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Tyler O&#8217;Neill<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The Orioles should absolutely be big players in this year&#8217;s free agency market, especially in their pitching department. The market is being shaped by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/c\/ceasedy01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2025-12-07_br\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Dylan Cease<\/a>&#8216;s massive seven-year, $210 million contract with the Toronto Blue Jays. It should not deter the team from seeking a big-name starter or two.<\/p>\n<p>Left-handed pitchers <a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/v\/valdefr01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2025-12-07_br\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Framber Valdez<\/a> and <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.mlbtraderumors.com\/2025\/12\/astros-orioles-among-clubs-interested-in-ranger-suarez.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Ranger Su\u00e1rez<\/a> are still on the market, both names the Orioles are familiar with. Japanese right-handed pitcher <a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/register\/player.fcgi?id=imai--000tat&amp;utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2025-12-07_br\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Tatsuya Imai<\/a> and workhorse <a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/g\/galleza01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2025-12-07_br\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Zac Gallen<\/a> are also available as MLB heads into the Winter Meetings. Outside of Valdez, none of the above pitchers is expected to have an annual market value over $27 million.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Framber Valdez has ties to the Mets and Orioles front offices, who are both reportedly seen as favorites to land the left-hander. <a  href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/MWV3zPC7lC\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">pic.twitter.com\/MWV3zPC7lC<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 MLB (@MLB) <a  href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/MLB\/status\/1996995713704907264?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">December 5, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>The Orioles held the <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.mlb.com\/stats\/team\/pitching\/era\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">fifth-worst<\/a> ERA across the majors, alongside a .259 opposing batting average. The team had a silver lining in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/search\/search.fcgi?pid=rogertr01,rogers002tre&amp;search=Trevor+Rogers&amp;utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2025-12-07_br\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Trevor Rogers<\/a>, but failed to get any return on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/s\/suganto01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2025-12-07_br\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Tomoyuki Sugano<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/e\/eflinza01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2025-12-07_br\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Zach Eflin<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h3>Who Can the Orioles Target at the Winter Meetings?<\/h3>\n<p>ESPN MLB Insider Jeff Passan recently <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/mlb\/story\/_\/id\/47201350\/mlb-winter-meetings-2025-offseason-free-agency-trade-intel-rumors-updates-buster-olney-jeff-passan\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">wrote<\/a> that the Orioles could be the team to watch at the Winter Meetings this week. He specifically points to the team&#8217;s depleted rotation as a priority, though they could get a hitter as well.<\/p>\n<p>One name that&#8217;s recently <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.si.com\/mlb\/orioles\/onsi\/news\/baltimore-orioles-showing-interest-in-superstar-slugger-grant9#:~:text=Insider%20Links%20Orioles%20to%20Kyle,.%20LHP%20obviously%20plays).%22&amp;text=The%20Orioles%20clearly%20have%20a,a%20preferred%20source%20on%20Google.\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">popped up<\/a> in the latest rumor mill is left-handed power hitter <a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/s\/schwaky01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2025-12-07_br\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Kyle Schwarber<\/a>. The 32-year-old is coming off a career year where he slugged 56 home runs and finished second in National League MVP voting. In fact, around 30% of all his hits were home runs, though his strikeout rate is more than 25%.<\/p>\n<p>Schwarber&#8217;s bat would immediately jumpstart what has been a lackluster lineup in terms of home runs. He would triple the number of home runs <a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/h\/hendegu01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2025-12-07_br\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Gunnar Henderson<\/a> had for the Orioles, the team&#8217;s leader. He&#8217;d also lead the team in OPS, walks, RBI, and even be second in doubles.<\/p>\n<p>They can also <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/2025\/11\/11\/orioles-should-target-both-kyle-tucker-cody-bellinger-free-agency\/\" target=\"_self\">target<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/b\/bellico01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2025-12-07_br\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Cody Bellinger<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/t\/tuckeky01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2025-12-07_br\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Kyle Tucker<\/a> in free agency. In an ideal world for their team, they have the cap space to afford both and still be under $200 million. There could also be an earthquake in the free agency market if the Orioles target first baseman <a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/a\/alonspe01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2025-12-07_br\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Pete Alonso<\/a> to replace <a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/m\/mountry01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2025-12-07_br\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Ryan Mountcastle<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Baltimore&#8217;s low payroll at this time opens the door for an array of possibilities to return to postseason contention. If they play their cards right, they could be dark-horse candidates to make a World Series run. The ball is in their court, and they have the space to do it. The Orioles absolutely should target $200 million in payroll to make magic in October.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Main Photo Credit: Scott Taetsch\/Getty Images<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Baltimore Orioles will be buyers in free agency this winter, as President of Baseball Operations Mike Elias said days after the 2025 season ended. Coming off a 75-87 season, only one year after a Wild Card berth, they need a spark. Baltimore got to work quickly, first striking a deal with the Los Angeles [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5304,"featured_media":54444,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[3,1071,35],"tags":[5662,2359,2030,516,3009,3915,29149,4200,1978,1820],"class_list":["post-110395","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-orioles","category-mlb","category-news","tag-felix-bautista","tag-framber-valdez","tag-grayson-rodriguez","tag-kyle-schwarber","tag-ranger-suarez","tag-ryan-helsley","tag-tatsuya-imai","tag-taylor-ward","tag-tyler-oneill","tag-zac-gallen"],"modified_by":"Lewis Masella, Site Editor","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/110395","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5304"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=110395"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/110395\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":110402,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/110395\/revisions\/110402"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/54444"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=110395"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=110395"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=110395"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}