The O’s are at it again and although they aren’t the Rays’ fiercest rivals, Tampa Bay must remain aware of this AL East club. And now, after one of the most successful offseasons in their franchise’s history, every team must take notice.

Let’s break down the Orioles’ unforgettable offseason to this point. They have acquired power-hitting outfielder Taylor Ward, five-time All-Star Pete Alonso, Rays young starter Shane Baz, and two high-powered relievers in Andrew Kittredge and Ryan Helsley. This roster is about as complete as they get in the MLB, and they weren’t even finished yet. They recently signed a former Blue Jays starting pitcher that will give their rotation the extra boost that it needs.

Orioles sign starting pitcher Chris Bassitt to a one-year deal

The 36-year-old workhorse, Chris Bassitt will be taking his talents to Baltimore for the upcoming season. He will be staying within the division as Bassitt spent the last three seasons with the Blue Jays. His numbers have faltered a little bit in recent years, but he’s received Cy Young votes in three different campaigns along with an All-Star appearance in 2021 with the Athletics.

With this underrated signing, the Orioles look much more comfortable in as their rotation will likely play out like this:

1. Zach Eflin

2. Kyle Bradish

3. Dean Kremer

4. Shane Baz

5. Chris Bassitt

The depth of this rotation is revealing, and it leaves out 2021 All-Star Trevor Rogers, up-and-coming lefty Cade Povich, and 6’8 righty Tyler Wells. Needless to say, this group is loaded with high-quality depth.

We placed Bassitt at the back end of this staff, but it’s very possible (due to his experience) that he’s pushed to the No. 3 or 4 spot. Regardless, the Rays must have a plan for facing this kind of onslaught. As it stands, Tampa Bay’s roster is clearly at the bottom of their daunting division in talent. The Yankees, Red Sox, and Blue Jays won’t be easy competitors by any means, but the Orioles may have just trumped their rivals with this “last straw” type of acquisition.

The Rays also solidified their rotation with a surprising signing of veteran righty Nick Martinez, but it still doesn’t move the needle in terms of divisional comparisons. We will need our seasoned veterans and young stars to play above their expectations throughout the 2026 season.