Baltimore Orioles linked to 3 elite starters for offseason

Could the Baltimore Orioles have their eyes on these three pitchers this upcoming offseason?

Jun 16, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; San Diego Padres starting pitcher Dylan Cease (84) and catcher Martin Maldonado (15) during a mound visit in the fourth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Baltimore Orioles starting pitchers have a collective 4.73 ERA in baseball to this point in the 2025 season, which puts them at No. 23 in MLB.

That isn't good. And while the Orioles' starters weren't expected to be one of the team's strengths this season, the offense not meeting its expectations has the rotation's weakness even more apparent, which contributed to this team having a brutal start to the 2025 campaign.

The good news for Baltimore is that this underperforming offense seems bound for a bounce-back 2026 season, given that there's just too much talent in the lineup to have two mediocre seasons in a row. Therefore, one would assume that the Orioles' front office will emphasize adding starting pitching this offseason.

Jul 27, 2022; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Orioles general manager Mike Elias stands oil the field before the game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images | Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

And in more good news, several potentially available players would seemingly make a lot of sense to end up with the Orioles.

Expert lists three starting pitchers who could land with the Orioles This Winter

R.J. Anderson of CBS Sports wrote a September 11 article that assessed what Baltimore needs to do to become postseason contenders once again in 2026. And at one point, he listed several starters who could be a good fit to join the Orioles.

"The Orioles could pounce on any number of starting pitchers seeking shorter-term deals. Might Baltimore be able to land Dylan Cease, a rumored past target? Or would Elias be willing to part with some of his prospect capital to obtain a Mitch Keller or an Edward Cabrera?" Anderson wrote.

Can Braves and Orioles turn it around in 2026? Biggest questions facing two disappointing would-be contenders https://t.co/uCmJk1uhdK

— CBS Sports MLB (@CBSSportsMLB) September 11, 2025

San Diego Padres hurler Dylan Cease would definitely make sense for the Orioles to pursue. While he hasn't performed up to his standards this season (as shown by his 7-11 record and 4.71 ERA), Cease is still just a few years removed from being an AL Cy Young contender in 2022. And his struggles this year will decrease how much it would cost to sign Cease in free agency.

Read more: Baltimore Orioles eyed AL exec for GM job, per insider

As for Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Mitch Keller (who has a 4.16 ERA in 29 starts this season), he's under contract through the 2028 campaign. And Miami Marlins pitcher Edward Cabrera (3.57 ERA and 140 strikeouts in 128.2 innings pitched) has three years of arbitration ahead of him before becoming an unrestricted free agent at the same time as Keller. Both would bolster Baltimore's rotation.

Given that some believe Orioles star catcher Adley Rutschman will be on the trade block this offseason, perhaps he could be included in a deal that brings either Keller or Cabrera to the Orioles.