Orioles eye high-leverage relievers as Mike Elias plans bullpen additions originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Baltimore Orioles are a team that has been circulating through offseason chatter as they've made a notable trade and are rumored to be after big free agent signings.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThus far, they've traded for outfielder Taylor Ward and traded for Andrew Kittredge (a player they traded away in July).
Earlier in the week, it was released that the Orioles were rumored to be in play for names like Framber Valdez and Kyle Schwarber.
Although these targets may be tough to lure in, the Orioles are also planning to bolster their bullpen via free-agency. According to Orioles insider Roch Kubatko, Elias had this to say: “We’re trying to make an external addition there, so working on that right now,” Elias said. “I can’t say things with 100 percent certainty, but we’re making every effort to make external additions to the bullpen and in particular an experienced ninth-inning guy if we can.”
This insinuates that Kittredge will once again be a setup man, a role he's played well for many teams throughout his career. With Felix Bautista expected to recover from surgery at the very end of the 2026 season, Baltimore certainly has a need in the back of the bullpen.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThat said, this market offers a good chance for the Orioles to find their man, as there are plenty of high leverage arms available. Edwin Diaz, Robert Suarez, Ryan Helsley, and Devin Williams will be some of the most sought after. However, guys like Kyle Finnegan, Kirby Yates, Emilio Pagan, Pete Fairbanks and Kenley Jansen certainly have a market as well.
With all these options available, it seems likely that Baltimore is able to bring a new closer into the fold for 2026.
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