The Baltimore Orioles seemed like great contenders to win it all in 2016. With fantastic power hitting and the best closer in baseball, the Orioles appeared locked in for a deep playoff run. That wasn’t the case, however, as the Blue Jays knocked out Baltimore in the Wild Card.
After a disappointing end to an otherwise great season, the Baltimore Orioles looked to be busy in the offseason. They knew that Mark Trumbo, Matt Wieters, Pedro Alvarez and Steve Pearce could all potentially leave if they so pleased. Baltimore knew that their starting pitching wasn’t the greatest, and that to make that extra push they needed a more well-rounded team. The Baltimore Orioles knew that they needed to get things done this offseason to remain as playoff contenders. Now, in January of 2017, the same situation applies as the Orioles still seem right outside the cusp of greatness.
With one of the best managers in the league, Buck Showalter, the Orioles must properly build a solid club to compete for titles. While they have some decent prospects, their farm is in no way ready for the future. Sure, they could trade Manny Machado for a plethora of prospects, but the wise move seems to be win with him now, and slowly build the farm system up. With only two more seasons remaining in Baltimore, the Orioles must put together a winner that can convince Machado to stay at Camden Yards. Machado is Baltimore’s franchise player, and to be successful for a long time they need him to stick around.
With that being said, there are a few moves that could accelerate the Orioles into the postseason. Sure, one of the most critical moves would need a handful of smaller moves to achieve the purpose, but the end goal is still the same. With time not on their side, here are three moves to help the Orioles return to October.