What could be next for Orioles after losing out on Edward Cabrera

Another option is off the board for the Baltimore Orioles in their hunt for an impact starting pitcher, as the Chicago Cubs have finalized a trade with the Miami Marlins for right-hander Edward Cabrera.

The Chicago Cubs have acquired right-hander Edward Cabrera in a trade with the Miami Marlins that sends top outfield prospect Owen Caissie and two other hitting prospects to Miami, sources tell ESPN. Deal is done and official. Players are being informed now.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) January 7, 2026

Many teams were reportedly in the mix for the 27-year-old hurler, with the Orioles regularly mentioned as a top bidder for his services. But unable to pull off a deal, Mike Elias and company will have to pivot elsewhere to find the frontline starter that they desperately need and have been vocal about pursuing.

After acquiring Shane Baz from Tampa Bay and re-signing Zach Eflin to a one-year deal, a current rotation of Trevor Rogers, Tyler Wells, Baz, and Eflin appears to be just one name away from being a very formidable unit on Opening Day. While Elias's history in Baltimore suggests the club could be done here, all indications this offseason are that they will remain aggressive in their pursuit of a top arm.

Remaining trade options for the Orioles

The question is: who? Despite missing out on Cabrera, the O's are expected to remain engaged in trade talks. In an appearance on the Foul Territory podcast, The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal indicated that Baltimore's front office believes they "need one more [pitcher] to fit toward the top of their rotation.”

As evidenced in the Baz trade, the Orioles have a wealth of prospects that they would be willing to part with in the name of quality starting pitching. This could include players like Freddy Peralta, MacKenzie Gore, or Kodai Senga. If they were gaining any ground in conversations with Miami before Cabrera was dealt, it may be easy for Baltimore to pivot to fellow Marlin Sandy Alcántara instead.

The Orioles believe they still have the prospect depth to make another trade for a starting pitcher, says @Ken_Rosenthal. 👀 pic.twitter.com/z30hRmi007
— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) January 6, 2026

Any of these names would be a great addition to the Orioles already improved rotation but would likely cost a considerable return that may be tough to stomach after losing four prospects in the haul for Baz. While the O's will continue to poke around the trade block, a much more likely outcome would be landing their next star pitcher through free agency.

Remaining free agent options

Elias has been candid about his offseason goals from the start, putting a frontline starting pitcher at the very top of his wish list back in November. Owner David Rubenstein has been clear too, stating that his team has "no particular restraints" when it comes to bolstering the roster. This combination has led to an offseason of rumors linking nearly every top free agent pitcher to Baltimore, a trend that figures to continue until they inevitably land one or miss out on all.

The most regularly discussed name for the Orioles has been Houston Astros starter Framber Valdez. The southpaw is seen as a clear fit in Baltimore because of his link to Elias, who served as the Astros scouting director when Valdez signed out of the Dominican Republic in 2015.

Per @TheAthleticMLB, the Orioles are willing to lose another pick in a potential signing of Framber Valdez or Ranger Suarez

Baltimore would lose their third-highest selection, which is likely to be pick No. 85 #Birdland pic.twitter.com/nXC5Yx1FGk
— SleeperOrioles (@SleeperOrioles) January 7, 2026

On top of this, he is one of the best options out there. At 32 years old, Valdez has turned in 31 starts in three of his last four seasons and holds a career 3.36 ERA. The Orioles' top competition for Valdez appears to be the New York Mets, who are also desperate to land a frontline starter. However, Elias' history with Valdez and rumored willingness to provide a long-term deal could be difference between the Orioles and Mets.

Next is Ranger Suarez, another reliable southpaw with significant interest from both the Orioles and the Mets. With the Cubs seemingly out of the mix, it could come down to Elias and David Stearns for the two best remaining free agent pitchers. If either club is able to come to terms with one, it wouldn't be surprising to see the other quickly grab the other for a similar price.

Though Suarez, in some ways, could be a more intriguing option. His 3.38 career ERA across eight seasons is nearly identical to that of Valdez over the same number of years. But Suarez is two years younger and has logged over 300 less major league innings. These details could be minor in comparison to their club's broad scouting and projection for who they prefer for the future but may be a big consideration in what kind of contract they end up getting.

The Orioles are strongly in on Ranger Suárez, says @JimBowdenGM.

"They haven't been able to close the deal, but they kind of feel like they have a chance." pic.twitter.com/82YzStbS9l
— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) January 5, 2026

In the next tier is Zac Gallen, who is looking to bounce back from a 2025 campaign where he posted a career-worst 4.83 ERA. The right-hander will enter his eighth professional season at 30 years old, holding a career ERA of 3.58 across 176 starts. Like Valdez and Suarez, Gallen has become a near lock for 30 starts, and will be a reliable option for the Orioles if they miss out on the two southpaws.

A less flashy alternative could be Lucas Giolito, who is coming off of a strong season with the Boston Red Sox where he posted a 3.41 ERA in 26 starts. The 31-year-old struggled with an elbow injury that kept him off of the postseason roster, but he appears to have rebounded nicely from his surgery that put him out for the entire 2024 season. Giolito doesn't have the high-level stuff of a true number one or two, but could be a nice option for the back end of a Baltimore rotation of the same mold as Eflin or Dean Kremer.

As outlined, there are quite a few options left, but Elias and the front office may have to act quickly to land the true impact starter that they are looking for. As we've seen before, all it takes is one domino to set off a series of moves that could leave Baltimore wishing they had made a more decisive move earlier.

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Remaining trade options for the Orioles

Remaining free agent options

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