Former MLB Exec Links Baltimore Orioles to Top-End Starter

There are plenty of options for the Baltimore Orioles to land a high-end starting pitcher that they're look to add this offseason.

They could actually open up their checkbooks to sign one of the top free agents on the market, or they could piece together a package of prospects to land one via trade.

Either way, it's been speculated that the Orioles will actually enter the 2024 season with an ace on their staff.

One of those players could be left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez.

He was linked to Baltimore by former MLB executive Jim Bowden in his piece for The Athletic.

"That doesn’t mean he won’t fare well on the market this winter — he will. He’d be a strong fit to either re-sign with the Tigers or go to a new team such as the Orioles, Brewers or Diamondbacks," he wrote.

The 30-year-old decided to hit the open market after opting-out of his deal with the Detroit Tigers that had three years remaining.

Rodriguez had one of the best seasons of his career as a starting pitcher with the Tigers in 2023. In 26 starts, he went 13-9 with a 3.30 ERA across 152 2/3 innings pitched.

A concern about the talented lefty is his injury history.

The Orioles haven't been in the business of handing out massive contracts in the past and they certainly wouldn't do it with an injury prone starter coming off one of his best years in Major League Baseball.

Still, it would be worth it for Baltimore to explore the options to sign Rodriguez this offseason and pair him with two of their brightest, young arms.

Winter Meetings are coming up on Dec. 4 should give everyone a better idea about if the Orioles will truly attack free agency or if they're going to try and make additions through the trade market.