MLB rumors: This 1 team could be agents of chaos in free agency

This winter’s MLB rumors could feature plenty of talk about one team we’re not used to seeing involved in free agency.

Plenty of the usual suspects will be active this offseason. Those typical big spenders and contenders will headline many of the MLB rumors during the winter months.

As with each offseason, there always seems to be at least one team that makes the leap from a middling ball club to an aggressive one. There may be no better example of this than the Baltimore Orioles. They exceeded expectations in 2022 by finishing 83-79. They’re moving on up.

General Manager Mike Elias spoke with Jon Morosi of MLB Network with a preview of what could lie ahead for the O’s. A bit different than some recent offseasons when they were an afterthought, we should expect the Orioles to get involved in plenty of MLB rumors between now and Opening Day 2023.

MLB rumors: Why the Orioles could cause some chaos in free agency

Teams like the Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Mets, and New York Yankees are big-budget franchises. A major separator between them and the Orioles is how much they’re already paying players on their roster.

The only non-arbitration player on the entire Orioles roster right now is pitcher John Means at an affordable $2.975 million. Although they are paying Chris Davis still and even have a $500,000 paycheck they send to Bobby Bonilla yearly, there is a lot of room for Baltimore to headline some MLB rumors of their own.

The strong finish by the O’s should only motivate Elias more to turn this young and exciting team into something more than a great underdog story. The team can make trades to get better. A wiser approach is to start spending money.

Now is a great time for the Orioles to flip on the “buy” switch with some major holes at positions where there are some strong free agents available.

Carlos Correa is an obvious guy to target to become their new shortstop. The DH spot is another where they can sign a variety of players. Perhaps the Orioles even look to add a pair of middle infielders.

One of their biggest weak points in 2022 was the middle infield duo of second baseman Rougned Odor and shortstop Jorge Mateo. Could following the Texas Rangers model of signing Corey Seager and Marcus Semien work out better for Baltimore?

One spot on the roster where the Orioles could cause the most chaos is in the pitching market. MLB rumors are already beginning to flood regarding top names like Jacob deGrom, Justin Verlander, and Carlos Rodon. The Orioles need a couple of arms. Although they might not be involved in signing those guys, it’s not a reach to see them add three lesser names. We can also find enough bats for them to trade to the Miami Marlins for Pablo Lopez.

MLB rumors in recent winters involving the Orioles have lacked firepower. Everything can change for this franchise as they look to join in on the action.