Orioles‘ Mike Elias On Ward/Rodriguez Trade, Pitching Search, Non-Tender Decisions

Orioles president of baseball operations Mike Elias held a video convention with reporters (together with Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com) on Friday to debate each the workforce’s selections on the non-tender deadline and a number of other different subjects, most notably the key one-for-one swap earlier this week that despatched Grayson Rodriguez to the Angels in change for Taylor Ward.

The commerce represented one thing of a long-term purpose for the entrance workplace, as Elias stated Ward is “any person that we’ve been chasing for no less than for a pair years, simply due to the profile, the massive right-handed energy.”  Including Ward introduced extra stability to a Baltimore lineup that was fairly heavy in left-handed bats, and eventually making the transfer to acquire him now was associated to each the Orioles’ wants and broader market situations.  “I wasn’t assured the place else any person like him would come from on the free agent and commerce market proper now that has the form of bat that we predict he has and what he did final yr,” Elias stated.

With this perceived shortage in thoughts, the Orioles have been finally keen to maneuver Rodriguez, which counted as a shock on many ranges.  Accidents have stored G-Rod off a giant league mound since July 31, 2024, but it wasn’t way back that the previous high prospect was seen as a constructing block of the Orioles’ rotation.  Rodriguez additionally isn’t slated without spending a dime company till after the 2029 season, whereas Ward is managed by way of simply the 2026 season.

Elias cited Ward as a possible qualifying supply candidate heading into free company, “so that would change that equation a bit of bit” when it comes to “the mismatch within the quantity of potential workforce management.”  However basically, the O’s have been finally keen to take the chance of transferring Rodriguez to be able to pry Ward away from Los Angeles.

“It’s uncomfortable to make trades, often.  It’s exhausting to line up, and also you’re going to provide one thing up,” Elias stated.  “That’s at all times going to be troublesome and attention-grabbing….Grayson’s a terrific child.  We beloved bringing him up on this group and rearing him, and he’s acquired a vivid future.  And generally, trades are part of baseball.”

Shedding Rodriguez deepens Baltimore’s want for beginning pitching, which Elias reiterated as a chief purpose of the membership’s offseason.  Kyle Bradish, Trevor Rogers, Dean Kremer, Tyler Wells, and Cade Povich now line up because the projected beginning 5, with Brandon Younger and Chayce McDermott within the minors as the highest depth choices.  It’s a gaggle that wanted extra expertise and clear top-of-the-rotation upside even when Rodriguez was nonetheless within the fold, and Elias stated once more that his workforce is taking a look at many pitchers, “whether or not it’s high or entrance or high half of the rotation, all these buckets.  We’re attempting, and there are guys on the market and we’re in pursuit of each one in every of them.”

With each the rotation and bullpen as wants, a reunion with swingman Albert Suarez might assistance on two fronts, and Elias stated the Orioles have been focused on a reunion even after non-tendering the right-hander yesterday.  “I don’t wish to go into particulars about our decision-making as we method these tender selections, however we very a lot are followers of Albert and we’re very a lot hoping to proceed speaking to him, and made that clear to him and his group,” the PBO stated.

Suarez is one other pitcher seeking to rebound from a misplaced 2025 season, as he tossed solely 11 2/3 innings for the Orioles final yr.  A proper rotator cuff sidelined Suarez for many of the yr, and he was additionally hit by a flexor tendon pressure in his proper forearm close to the tip of the season.  The flexor pressure was stated to be minor sufficient that surgical procedure didn’t appear crucial, and Suarez was anticipated to renew a throwing program after a restoration interval.

MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz projected that Suarez would obtain a $900K wage in his first journey by way of the arbitration course of, as Suarez’s incomes potential was clearly dampened by his lack of time on the mound in 2025.  Regardless of that modest wage and the Orioles’ remaining years of management, the workforce nonetheless opted to half methods with Suarez.  It might be that the O’s suppose they’ll carry Suarez again at an excellent cheaper price tag, or the membership might have some misgivings about Suarez’s well being scenario.

Whereas Elias talked about the Orioles’ wide-ranging seek for pitching, he didn’t straight allude to the opportunity of pivoting and now buying and selling a bat for rotation assist.  This appeared like a logical avenue for Baltimore to discover heading into the offseason, and the tactic maybe makes much more sense within the wake of each the Ward commerce and the truth that the O’s tendered a contract to Ryan Mountcastle.  Between Mountcastle’s projected $7.8MM arbitration wage, his disappointing 2025 numbers, and a primary base image that additionally consists of Samuel Basallo and Coby Mayo, there was loads of hypothesis that the Orioles would simply half methods with Mountcastle totally.

As a substitute, the O’s stored Mountcastle as a result of “we predict he’s a terrific hitter,” Elias acknowledged, noting that Mountcastle’s manufacturing was impacted by a hamstring pressure that stored him on the injured checklist for over two months.  Elias isn’t involved over any potential roster surplus, as he once more pointed to the numerous damage considerations that helped sink the Orioles’ 2025 season.

“As we lived by way of final yr, it’s a must to fear about depth, too.  That is one thing that may type itself out.  I feel the primary factor is we don’t wish to discard a very good hitter if we don’t need to, and we wish to preserve our expertise, and these guys are all actually promising bats,” Elias stated.

One other bat or two may but be a part of the combination, as Elias stated “we’re undoubtedly nonetheless pursuing upgrades to the lineup.  However I feel that Taylor’s presence actually solidifies the outfield image in a means that provides us extra flexibility with looking that subsequent affect bat and the place that particular person performs.”  When it comes to particular positions, Elias stated the workforce wish to have extra middle discipline depth, even with Colton Cowser and the newly-acquired Leody Taveras presently lined up up the center.