⚡ LATEST UPDATE: Orioles reportedly pursuing a free agent with the kind of talent that could make rivals hesitate ⚡ .MH
When speaking with the media about his team’s plans to bolster its roster earlier in the MLB offseason, Baltimore Orioles president of baseball operations Mike Elias made it clear that he would like to add a front-end piece for the starting rotation by saying, “[We plan to] see if we can add somebody who fits into that tier. That would be Plan A for our rotation.”
The good news for Elias is that several compelling starting pitchers are going to be available this offseason, and about five of them could certainly fit into that “tier” of being a front-line starting pitcher to pair with Trevor Rogers.
The issue is that many teams are expected to be in on these five arms. And the Orioles come up short, they’ll need to pivot and get creative to bolster this rotation heading into the 2026 season.
When it comes to pure talent, few free agent pitchers have more than Zac Gallen. But the problem with Gallen is that his talent hasn’t always turned into good performances.Sep 9, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Zac Gallen (23) throws a pitch against the San Francisco Giants during the first inning at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Robert Edwards-Imagn Images | Robert Edwards-Imagn Images
The 30-year-old veteran is one of the more perplexing starting pitchers because he has been somewhat inconsistent. While he has had three seasons with an ERA under 2.81, he produced a 4.30 ERA in 2021 and an even worse 4.83 ERA in his most recent campaign with the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Expert Links Orioles to Zac Gallen
This mediocre season could not have come at a worse time for Gallen, given that he’s now an unrestricted free agent. However, that didn’t stop The Athletic’s Andy McCullough from saying Gallen would be the Orioles’ ideal free agency acquisition in a November 25 article.
McCullough noted that Gallen’s 4.83 ERA could “scare off” other teams from trying to sign him, especially because he’s still projected to receive $52 million over three years, according to Spotrac. But if the Orioles feel like they could ensure Gallen reached his potential, $52 million would be a bargain for a pitcher of his caliber.
It’s also worth noting that Gallen had a 3.21 ERA across his final seven starts of the 2025 season, which shows he was on track to turn things around after a bad start to the year. What’s more, he proved invaluable for the Diamondbacks during their 2023 run to the World Series.
That postseason pedigree would be massive for a young Orioles roster that’s looking to return to World Series contention in 2026.
