The 2026 season was undoubtedly very disappointing for the Baltimore Orioles.
After entering the campaign with high hopes, the Orioles finished with a 79-82 record. With this, they finished fourth in the American League standings and did not make the playoffs.
When noting that the Orioles entered the season with high expectations, this campaign was certainly a rough one for them. Now, Baltimore is entering a big offseason as they hope to bounce back in 2027.
The Orioles should be looking to boost their roster during the offseason. One specific area that they should be looking to upgrade is their pitching rotation. Because of this, they are being linked to one of baseball’s top pending unrestricted free agent pitchers.
Baltimore Orioles Named a Top Landing Spot for Padres Star Michael King
Christopher Kline of FanSided recently wrote an article looking at the top landing spots for San Diego Padres pitcher Michael King. The Orioles were among the teams that made the cut.
“Trevor Rogers, their best pitcher two years running, will now enter free agency. That leaves Baltimore’s front office will a clear and immediate need in the rotation,” Kline wrote. “As such, it’s not hard to envision the O’s ponying up for a second-tier ace like Michael King; the Tarik Skubals of the world are still outside their price range, no doubt.”
With the Orioles needing serious pitching help, it would not be shocking if they targeted King this offseason. If they successfully signed him, he would have the potential to greatly improve their pitching rotation.
The Orioles should not be afraid to make a bold move for King. They are in a very tough division, so adding a high-impact pitcher like King would be smart for them to do.
Taking a Look at King
When looking at King’s stats this season, it is clear that he would be a strong pickup for Baltimore. In 32 games this regular season for San Diego, he had a 12-10 record, a 3.21 ERA, and 159 strikeouts. This was after he posted a 5-3 record, a 3.44 ERA, and 76 strikeouts in 15 games for the Padres in 2025. With numbers like these, he would be great for the Orioles to bring in.
King has also been a very good pitcher for a long time now. From 2022 to 2024, he even had an ERA under 3.00. With this, the Orioles should not be afraid to make a serious run at King this offseason. He would make their rotation stronger, and that is a significant need for Baltimore right now.
Nevertheless, it will be interesting to see if the Orioles can end up signing King this offseason from here.
Baltimore Orioles Named Top Free Agent Landing Spot for Padres Star Pitcher