Orioles Owner Explains Reason for Record-Breaking Shane Baz Contract

The Baltimore Orioles have got to be feeling good about how they started the 2026 season. After all, they have a perfect record at this point—despite it being just one game.

But that isn't the only reason for the positive vibes around Baltimore. On March 27, news broke that right-handed pitcher Shane Baz had signed a five-year contract extension with the team that's worth $68 million. This sets a new record for the most amount of money Baltimore has ever given a pitcher.

Baltimore is clearly very high on Baz, especially since he hasn't pitched in a major league game for them. He did produce a solid 2.61 ERA across three starts in spring training, which included 14 strikeouts across 10.1 innings pitched.

The Orioles acquired Baz in a trade that sent four prospects and the No. 33 pick in the 2026 MLB Draft to the Tampa Bay Rays this offseason, which is further proof of how much the team believes in him. He's coming off a 2025 campaign where he produced a 10-12 record with a 4.87 ERA and 176 strikeouts in 166.1 innings pitched (31 starts).

Baltimore Orioles pitcher Shane Baz (34) | Morgan Tencza-Imagn Images

David Rubenstein, Mike Elias Address Shane Baz Signing

Orioles owner David Rubenstein released a statement about this historic deal for Baz on March 27.

“This agreement with Shane continues our drive to build a championship-caliber roster. We thank Shane for his commitment to Baltimore, the Orioles, and our great fans. Thanks also to Mike Elias and the baseball operations group for helping to keep Shane as an Oriole for years to come," Rubenstein said, per an X post from Jake Rill of MLB.com.

Orioles President of Baseball Operations Mike Elias also made a statement about the extension, saying, “We were ecstatic to acquire a pitcher of Shane’s talent during the offseason and are thrilled we could come to a long-term agreement to keep him in Baltimore. Our ownership group, led by David Rubenstein, continues to provide our organization with support and resources as we pursue consistent success on the field.”

Statements from David Rubenstein and Mike Elias on Orioles’ extension with Shane Baz pic.twitter.com/wqd3uGpyAI
— Jake Rill (@JakeDRill) March 27, 2026

With this record-breaking contract now on the books, there's some pressure for Baz to perform. He certainly has the talent to be a frontline starting pitcher (and that's clearly how the Orioles see him), but the 2025 campaign was the first time he remained fully healthy throughout a year.

Baz will be making his 2026 season debut against the Minnesota Twins on March 29.

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