It’s hard to believe it was only three months ago that Orioles fans embarked on the offseason with dreams of the club landing a big-name starting pitcher in free agency. The O’s were in liftoff mode, they seemingly had plenty of payroll flexibility after years of spending nearly nothing, and the market included stars like Justin Verlander and Carlos Rodón along with second-tier talents like Chris Bassitt and Jameson Taillon. The Birds, notably lacking an ace, were expected to be bidders.
We know now, of course, that the Orioles never had much intention of spending for premium talent; that ownership is in no immediate hurry to raise the budget to a competitive level (and might never do so).