After back-to-back playoff appearances, Baltimore finished last in the division last season. The Orioles made a lot of splashes this winter, both through free agency and the trade market, in an effort to compete in the challenging AL East. For most of the first half, the club looked set to make another mistake under new manager Craig Albernaz. A four-game winning streak heading into the All-Star break and a sweep of the Astros to open the second half opened the door to a 2026 playoff berth.
Baltimore is still three games under .500, but in the American League, that’s within shouting distance of the last Wild Card spot. The surging Red Sox clinched the final postseason berth on a ridiculous 15-game winning streak. The Orioles stopped the run on Wednesday and are now three games behind Boston.
The AL’s watering hole situation would encourage the Orioles to at least explore acquisitions at the deadline. President of operations Mike Elias may have a foot in both the buyer’s and seller’s camps in August.
Record: 50-53 (23.4% playoff odds, via FanGraphs)
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Sell Mode
Upcoming free agents: Taylor Ward, Trevor Rogers, Andrew Kittredge, Chris Bassitt, Zach Eflin, Keegan Akin, Ryan Mountcastle (2027 club option)
Baltimore boasts a recruiting trifecta: a good-hitting outfielder, a middle-of-the-rotation starter, a shortstop with recent experience. Elias has to field calls from all kinds of competitors given the shifting options he has. The back half of the roster has been ruled out due to injuries, but the first three names are surprising.
Ward came to the Orioles in an enticing one-man deal that sent the right guys to multiple injuries. Grayson Rodriguez in the Angels. It was a clear win for Baltimore, as Rodriguez has been healthy in just eight starts, and the results have been poor (8.23 ERA, 1.77 WHIP). Ward has been incredibly valuable. He walks a ton, hits hard, and plays solid left field.
The 32-year-old Ward was far from the slugger Elias and the company thought he would get after a 36-homer, 103-RBI campaign in 2025. He hit just seven home runs and knocked in 27 through 102 games. Ward did not return home to Camden Yards until July. But a massive 17.1% walk rate fueled a career-best .387 OBP, which ranked 10th in the league. Ward’s 120 wRC+ is his best since breaking out in the 2022 season. His 4 Defensive Runs Saved in left field is his best total as a major leaguer. Ward made $12.175MM in his final year of arbitration. He is a good fit for any team that needs help at outside corner.
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