The Baltimore Orioles enter the offseason with a clear hierarchy of priorities and an equally clear exception to their openness on the trade market.
After finishing 79-82 and missing the postseason for a second straight year, the club is hunting for starting pitching and outfield help.
Industry sources indicate the front office is prepared to listen on the bulk of its roster in pursuit of those upgrades, yet first baseman Pete Alonso stands alone as the player who will not be moved, via Orioles insider Andy Kostka.
That designation is no formality. Alonso arrived in Baltimore last winter on a five-year, $155 million contract and immediately delivered the impact production the deal anticipated.
In 161 games, he hit .267 with a .363 on-base percentage and .522 slugging percentage, leading the American League with 43 home runs while driving in 113 runs.
His 4.9 Wins Above Replacement ranked among the better seasons of his career, and he played essentially every day at first base.
Local media later named him the Most Valuable Oriole, a fitting acknowledgment for a player who provided both power and durability in a lineup that otherwise lacked consistent production.
The rest of the roster is available for discussion precisely because those results did not translate into a winning record.
Outfielders Colton Cowser and Dylan Beavers posted solid defensive reputations at times but combined for sub-.230 batting averages, while Tyler O’Neill continued to battle health and consistency.
The rotation features promising pieces in Kyle Bradish, Shane Baz, and breakout starter Brandon Young, yet left-hander Trevor Rogers is a free agent after receiving a qualifying offer.
An infield surplus that includes Coby Mayo, Jordan Westburg, and others gives the club depth to potentially package for external help.
Sources emphasize the Orioles are not actively shopping anyone; they are simply open-minded as they try to return to contention. Even shortstop Gunnar Henderson is not entirely off-limits, though any deal involving him would require a steep return and is viewed as unlikely.
Alonso’s untouchable status therefore serves as the clearest signal of the club’s longer-term intentions.
With four years remaining on a contract that includes a limited no-trade clause, he is the established middle-of-the-order presence around which the front office, now including new general manager Jared Banner alongside president of baseball operations Mike Elias, intends to build.
Other names may shift this winter as Baltimore seeks rotation and outfield reinforcements, but the Polar Bear is not among them. The Orioles have identified their foundational piece; the remainder of the winter will show how creatively they can supplement it.
