Orioles begin roster construction as Albernaz is introduced as manager

Bigger moves are ahead for the Orioles, but for the third time in four days, they’ve signed an under-the-radar player to a 2026 contract.

Last Friday, they signed utility infielder Luis Vázquez and right-handed reliever Rico Garcia for next season. On Monday, they retained left-handed reliever Dietrich Enns, who had a $3 million option for next season, signing him to a 2026 contract with an option for 2027.

Neither Garcia nor Enns is guaranteed to make the club next March, and neither has minor league options remaining and would have to pass through waivers if the club wanted to send them to Triple-A Norfolk. Vázquez does have minor league options remaining.

While the Orioles don’t have a closer for 2026, they do have some depth pieces. Besides Enns and Garcia, the club has arbitration-eligible relievers Keegan Akin, Yennier Cano, Jorgé Castillo and Albert Suárez.

Akin could command $3 million in arbitration, according to MLBTradeRumors. com while Cano ($1.8 million), Castillo ($1.7 million) and Suárez ($900,000) are also eligible for arbitration.

The Orioles traded four key relief pitchers last July — right-handers Bryan Baker, Seranthony Domínguez and Andrew Kittredge and left-hander Gregory Soto. They also lost closer Félix Bautista for perhaps the 2026 season after rotator cuff and labrum surgery.

Craig Albernaz, who finally will be introduced as the Orioles’ manager on Tuesday, will have a reconstructed bullpen.

President of baseball operations Mike Elias will pursue closers and other back-end relievers in the free-agent and trade markets. He also could consider pitchers who are in the organization.

Vázquez won’t have competition from Jorge Mateo for a utility job. According to a report by Francys Romero of Beisbol FR, the Orioles won’t be picking up the $5.5 million option of Mateo, who played in just 42 games last season. That move was expected.

Also expected was the news that outfielder Tyler O’Neill, who has two years remaining on his three-year, $49.5 million contract, would not be exercising the opt-out clause, according to The Baltimore Banner.

The Orioles will need to make roster space to reinstate players on the 60-day injured list — Bautista and right-handers Grayson Rodriguez and Brandon Young.

Free agency doesn’t begin in earnest until Thursday at 5 p.m. The General Managers meetings in Las Vegas begin November 10th.

Impressive Era Committee Finalists:

The Hall of Fame’s Contemporary Baseball Era Committee ballot lists eight players. Two are pitchers — Roger Clemens and Fernando Valenzuela. Six are position players — Barry Bonds, Carlos Delgado, Jeff Kent, Don Mattingly, Dale Murphy and Gary Sheffield.

The results of the committee’s vote will be announced on December 7^th at the Winter Meetings in Orlando.

All players are still alive except for Valenzuela, who died in 2024. Valenzuela played for the Orioles in 1993.

Notes: The Orioles signed 32-year-old right-hander Jean Carlos Henriquez, who last pitched in North America in 2015 for the Tampa Bay Rays’ Dominican Summer League team. He’s playing winter ball in the Dominican Republic. … As expected, no Orioles are among the three finalists for the major Baseball Writers’ of America Awards.

Call for questions: I answer Orioles questions most weekdays. Please send yours to: Rich@BaltimoreBaseball.com.