Orioles have obvious need to address this winter to become contender again

What do the Baltimore Orioles need to do to become a contender once again?

Jul 27, 2022; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Orioles general manager Mike Elias reacts on the field before the game between the Baltimore Orioles and the Tampa Bay Rays at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. | Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

It has been a tough season for the Baltimore Orioles, and things haven’t improved since the trade deadline.

The Orioles dealt away much of their talent at the deadline, allowing them to restock their farm system. But moving productive players has hurt them on the field.

Baltimore was already struggling before trading some of its veterans, and things haven’t improved much in the win column. In August, the Orioles have lost numerous games, and their upcoming schedule remains challenging.

However, despite things not looking great right now, there is reason to believe that the team can turn things around quickly for next year.

MLB.com's Thomas Harrigan recently wrote about the Orioles’ potential to follow in the footsteps of the Toronto Blue Jays — going from sellers this summer to contenders in 2026.

“Another AL East team, the Orioles, is perhaps the most likely of the 2025 sellers to follow in the Blue Jays’ footsteps next year, though addressing a rotation that ranks 28th in ERA (4.90) will be imperative,” Harrigan said.

Coming into the campaign, Baltimore was a popular pick to be a playoff team in the American League. The franchise had won more games than any other AL team over the previous two seasons and still had much of its young core intact.

What Should Orioles Focus on This Winter?

Feb 27, 2025; Sarasota, Florida, USA; Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Grayson Rodriguez (30) throws a pitch during the first inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Ed Smith Stadium. | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

Unfortunately, the team had some injuries to their starting rotation early on that derailed the year before it even started. This was a unit that arguably needed more help from the front office after losing Corbin Burnes over the offseason, and their weaknesses were exploited.

With one of the worst rotation ERAs in baseball, the Orioles’ biggest need this winter is abundantly clear. Trevor Rogers pitching like an ace has been an added boost of late, but they will also want to see progress from their younger arms.

Read More: Pair of star Orioles’ pitchers out for the season

While Grayson Rodriguez is out for the rest of the campaign, both Tyler Wells and Kyle Bradish are expected to be back down the stretch. If some of the young pitchers can develop, the Orioles might just need to add one pitcher to help fix the rotation.

As shown by the Blue Jays this season, a team can turn it around very quickly and become a contender after being a seller the year before. For Baltimore, they will be trying to follow in their footsteps.