Orioles need to win some free-agent contests

ORLANDO—The Orioles may or may not reach an agreement with a top-shelf hitter or pitcher before the Winter Meetings end on Wednesday. That doesn’t mean the Orioles aren’t serious players in this year’s free-agent marketplace.

According to The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal, the Orioles were serious about slugger Kyle Schwarber, who hit 56 home runs and 132 RBIs. They made an offer equal to the one Schwarber took with his previous team, the Philadelphia Phillies.

However, the five-year, $150 million offer wasn’t enough. The Phillies matched it, and Schwarber returns to the Phillies.

The Orioles reportedly are in the market for another slugging free agent, Pete Alonso.

Alonso’s agent, Scott Boras, who also represents free-agent pitchers Zac Gallen, Tatsuya Imai and Ranger Suárez said there’s lots of interest in his client.

Why wouldn’t there be? Alonso has averaged more than 40 home runs in his seven-year career with the New York Mets, and if the Mets aren’t willing to offer him more than three years, perhaps the Orioles will give him an offer similar to the one reportedly given to Schwarber.

In 2025, Alonso hit 38 home runs and drove in 126 runs with an .871 OPS. His defensive WAR (Wins Above Replacement) was a career worst -1.8, but Boras said every club he’s spoken with wants him as a first baseman.

If the Orioles didn’t add Alonso, their first baseman would be Coby Mayo, who not so long ago was considered an untouchable prospect.

Mayo worked diligently with senior advisor John Mabry on his first base play, but he’s still relatively new at the position. Wednesday is Mayo’s 24^th birthday and while he’s still young and has great power potential, he remains a prospect.

Mayo hit .301 with a .941 OPS in September with five home runs and eight RBIs, but for the season hit .217 with 11 homers and 28 RBIs.

If the Orioles signed Alonso, they could try to trade Mayo for pitching or add him to the designated hitter mix. They also still have Ryan Mountcastle, who stands to make $7.8 million in his final season before free agency.

Adding a starter isn’t as complicated. The Orioles have been linked with Suárez and Framber Valdez. It’s clear they need at least one more starter to fill out their rotation.

On Tuesday, the Toronto Blue Jays held a press conference here introducing Dylan Cease, another Boras client, whose seven-year, $210 million contract might be the biggest one handed out this offseason.

Since the Orioles lost out on Cease, they’ll presumably double down on their efforts to sign Suárez or Valdez.

That might not come to fruition on Wednesday but could come before baseball pauses for the holidays in two weeks.

The Athletic also reported on Tuesday night that the Orioles and Miami Marlins are involved in trade talks about starter Edwin Cabrera.

On Tuesday, Schwarber and reliever Edwin Diaz reached agreements. Diaz will move from the Mets to the Los Angeles Dodgers for three years and $69 million.

While it’s still relatively early in free agency, the Orioles know they’ll need to show their skeptical fanbase they can not only be competitive in the free-agent sweepstakes, but win some of those contests, too.

Writing Award: Longtime Cleveland Plain Dealer writer Paul Hoynes, who’s covered the Indians and Guardians since 1983, is the winner of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America’s Career Excellence award.

Hoynes has covered more than 6,000 major league games and 13 managers.

He beat out the late Scott Miller, who covered baseball for more than 30 years, and Sports Illustrated’s Tom Verducci.

Most impressive arm: Montana Fouts, who pitches for the Talons of the Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL) and a member of the United States women’s national softball team, stopped by the media work room late in the day and threw to a catcher, dazzling onlookers with her fastball.

Seen in the lobby: Two former Orioles managers, Brandon Hyde and Dave Trembley, are at the meetings.

Hyde is working in Tampa Bay’s front office while Trembley manages State College in Major League Baseball’s Draft League.

What’s next: Unless the Orioles drop a player before the start of the Rule 5 draft on Wednesday at 2 p.m., they won’t be able to participate in it.

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