Former Rays pitcher Shane Baz on the mound. (Getty Images)
The Baltimore Orioles are not easing off the gas this winter.
Baltimore continued its impressive offseason Friday by acquiring right-handed pitcher Shane Baz from division rival Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for a significant package of minor league talent and a Competitive Balance Round A draft pick.
Baz, 26, joins an Orioles club that has aggressively reshaped both its roster and its identity. The right-hander gives Baltimore another controllable starter with upside as the organization continues to pursue pitching help through both trades and free agency.
He arrives with a clear path to a rotation role, joining a group that currently includes Kyle Bradish, Trevor Rogers, Dean Kremer, Tyler Wells, and Cade Povich. While Baltimore is still expected to explore additional upgrades, Baz brings strikeout ability and remaining upside that fits neatly into the club’s short- and medium-term plans.
This Week in Free Agency: 12/13/25 – 12/19/25
As expected, Tampa Bay extracted real value. The Rays received outfielder Slater de Brun, catcher Caden Bodine, right-hander Michael Forret, outfielder Austin Over, along with a Competitive Balance Round A draft pick — a return consistent with Tampa Bay’s long-standing emphasis on depth and development.
The move is the latest chapter in a statement-making winter for Baltimore.
Earlier in the offseason, the Orioles dealt right-hander Grayson Rodriguez to the Los Angeles Angels for outfielder Taylor Ward. At the Winter Meetings in Orlando, Baltimore signed first baseman Pete Alonso to a five-year, $155 million deal and earlier in free agency added closer Ryan Helsley to stabilize the bullpen.
Collectively, the moves reflect a front office intent on competing now — and doing so decisively.
Why Bo Bichette feels like the Red Sox’s inevitable pivot
Baz arrives in Baltimore coming off the heaviest workload of his major league career. He made a career-high 31 starts in 2025, going 10–12 with a 4.87 ERA, 176 strikeouts against 64 walks, and a 1.33 WHIP across 166 1/3 innings.
In a division where margins are thin and rotations decide October, this is more than a depth move. The New York Yankees have the ability to flex it’s financial muscle, the Boston Red Sox have added arms in Sonny Gray and Johan Oviedo, the Rays are reshuffling around youth, and the Toronto Blue Jays are pushing to deepen their roster, already adding starter Dylan Cease and are connected to outfielder Kyle Tucker.
Baz isn’t an ace, but he’s a necessary piece. He gives Baltimore swing-and-miss stuff, playoff-relevant velocity, and team control through his prime years. The Orioles aren’t just trying to stay competitive in the AL East — they’re building for the reality that October success in this division demands rotation depth, durability, and upside.