Pete Alonso and the Baltimore Orioles gave it their all, and they should be commended for sticking things out until the regular season’s final week. But their postseason hopes officially died on Thursday when the White Sox beat the Royals. Chicago clinched their place while ending Baltimore’s hopes.
Naturally, we must ask ourselves what’s next for Alonso, Gunnar Henderson, and the rest of the O’s. We’ve previously discussed players who could be on their way out this offseason, but what about those available in free agency? Adding another starting pitcher would certainly help, and the Adley Rutschman trade created a void at catcher.
For this list, we’re focusing solely on pending free agents or international players who could be available via the posting system. As always, we prioritize realism, which means you’re not going to see the Orioles spend like the Mets or Dodgers. However, they should be open to handing out at least one significant contract.
Ian Happ, OF, Chicago Cubs
Objectively, there are two realistic ways to view the 32-year-old Happ: either you see him as someone who warrants a one-year, prove-it contract given his age and a down year by his standards, or you believe that his track record and power swing make him worthy of a multi-year deal.
We suggest the Orioles target Happ regardless, though we also believe the prove-it option makes more sense. He entered Thursday with career lows in batting average (.221) and OPS (.744), but he’s two homers away from a new personal best. Happ’s 12.7 percent walk rate is in line with his lifetime 12.2 percent average, so it’s not like he’s been pressing at the plate.
Happ might not be the most exciting name, especially not after the Orioles signed Alonso last winter, but his lefty presence makes him an intriguing fit for Camden Yards.
Michael King, SP, San Diego Padres
With respect to King, he strikes us as the kind of pitcher who is set to get overpaid this winter — or, at least, he would be during most offseasons. Projecting specific contracts for pitchers is difficult enough before factoring in the possibility of a lockout.
King has repeatedly impressed throughout the second half, recording a 2.93 ERA in 76.2 innings since the All-Star Break. We personally believe he profiles as more of a middle-of-the-rotation starter rather than an ace at this point in his career, even if his potential contract says otherwise.
Don’t take our cynicism as us hating this pairing, though. It’s all hands on deck when you’re competing in the AL East, a reality King knows firsthand from his time with the Yankees.
Ryan Jeffers, C, Minnesota Twins
When the Orioles begin thinking about next year’s starting catcher, we have to think the answer might be 2024 second-round pick Ethan Anderson. The former Virginia standout hit .288 with 24 home runs, 55 RBIs, and a .919 OPS in nearly 400 plate appearances, with most of that work coming at Double-A Chesapeake.
Anderson has extensive experience at first base, which works out perfectly with a potential Jeffers signing. Alonso could move to DH down the road, with Anderson playing first base and Jeffers staying behind the plate. This would also keep Baltimore from rushing Anderson, whom MLB Pipeline considers the Orioles’ No. 16 prospect, to the majors.
But above all else, signing Jeffers — whose .808 OPS marks his best since 2023 — means he’s not in the Yankees’ lineup.
Teruaki Sato, 3B/OF, Hanshin Tigers (Nippon Professional Baseball)
Fans got a brief glimpse of Sato during this past spring’s World Baseball Classic, when he recorded three doubles in 12 plate appearances for the Japanese team. He’s also become one of the country’s top power threats, hitting 76 home runs and 71 doubles since the start of 2025.
As of publication, neither Sato nor the Tigers have confirmed whether he’ll be posted this winter. Toronto signed Yomiuri Giants third baseman Kazuma Okamoto to a four-year, $60 million contract last offseason, and he’s nearly three years older than Sato.
For those curious: The Orioles have never signed a Japanese-born position player, though they landed pitchers Koji Uehara and Tomoyuki Sugano ahead of the 2009 and 2025 seasons, respectively.
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