Birds Watcher

If you have ever worked at a job with a supervisor that likes to micromanage, you know how frustrating it can be to do your job without worrying about constant criticism or second-guessing. The same can be said for general managers trying to build a winning roster without interference from the higher ups. As the Baltimore Orioles look to potentially bring on a new GM, the presence of Mike Elias could prove to be too big of an obstacle for prospective candidates to overlook.

Hey...Hey...Hey...Goodbye ByBrian Burrows|Oct 11, 2026, 7:43 AM EDT Sep 13, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays designated hitter George Springer (4) hits a solo home run against the Baltimore Orioles during the fifth inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect When it comes to fandom, people always have their favorite players, but they also know they the opponents the never want to see.

The Baltimore Orioles' starting rotation should be a point of emphasis for them this offseason. Last offseason, Baltimore went out and traded for Shane Baz from the Rays to boost the rotation, but they were also hoping for a return to form from Trevor Rogers, which they didn't get. Baltimore's starters this season were middle of the pack. They were 15th in fWAR and 17th in ERA.

Once upon a time, the Baltimore Orioles thought that they had a very special player in outfielder Vance Honeycutt. A perfect compliment to go along with other top prospects like Ike Irish. With as much athletic ability as anyone in the 2024 MLB Draft, the team spent their 22nd overall pick on him. While he may be impressing scouts around the Arizona Fall League with his immense talent this season, it took a lot of work to get to this point.

The MLB offseason's first checkpoint comes five days after the end of the World Series. Teams have to decide whether or not to offer the qualifying offer to their impending free agents (who have never been offered it before and spent the entire season with that team). This season, the qualifying offer (QO), which is a one-year contract, will be worth just over $23 million. If a player declines, the team he left gets draft pick compensation.

The Baltimore Orioles will need to address their starting rotation this offseason. They helped themselves out by giving long-term extensions to Shane Baz and Kyle Bradish in the last year, and Brandon Young's emergence gives them a solid three starters. Their highest-ceiling pitcher is headed into free agency, and they'll also need to replace Chris Bassitt.

Managing an MLB team is not an easy task. With gameplanning, player management, and countless in-game decisions to make, there are a number of moving parts to keep in order if you want your team to win. So it would make sense to always be open to consider the advice of great baseball minds who may know a thing or two to help you. For Baltimore Orioles manager Craig Albernaz, it appears that he may have skipped over that part.

There are some old friends still hanging in there in the postseason. ByBrian Burrows|Oct 6, 2026, 4:54 PM EDT Jul 28, 2025; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Orioles outfielder Cedric Mullins (31) celebrates after hitting a home run during the second inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Oriole Park at Camden Yards.

Two seasons ago, it looked like Jordan Westburg was going to be a key part of the Baltimore Orioles' budding core. The former first-round draft pick was an All-Star in 2024, and he built on that in 2025 even though injuries limited him to 85 games. Westburg missed all of 2026 after a UCL sprain in his right arm required him to undergo Tommy John surgery. Unfortunately for the 27-year-old, missing the season opened the door for others to find their footing in his positions.

The Baltimore Orioles are headed into a pivotal offseason for the direction of the franchise. Now two seasons removed from their last playoff appearance and 12 years removed from their last playoff win, the O's need to make the necessary upgrades this winter to take advantage of their squad before players start getting close to free agency. Unfortunately for the Baltimore, this free agent class is extremely weak.