Orioles president Mike Elias expressed strong optimism about new rotation addition Shane Baz during a Saturday press conference, one day after acquiring the 26-year-old right-hander from the Tampa Bay Rays in a prospect-heavy trade.
The trade, which sent four Baltimore prospects to Tampa Bay, landed Baz with three years of team control through 2028. Elias, speaking on a Zoom call with reporters on December 20, 2025, called Baz "a perfect fit for us in our rotation and our team right now." He pointed to underlying metrics suggesting bad luck in 2025 and untapped potential: "I think he’s somebody that hasn’t fully tapped into his ceiling yet."
Elias praised Baz's arsenal, including a four-seam fastball that touches triple digits: "He’s got probably one of the best starting pitcher arms in the Major Leagues, and he’s got really elite stuff." The Orioles' updated rotation features right-handers Kyle Bradish, Shane Baz, Dean Kremer, and Tyler Wells, plus left-hander Trevor Rogers. Depth includes Cade Povich, Albert Suárez, and Brandon Young.
While declaring the rotation improved, Elias signaled more moves ahead: "I think our rotation is a lot better than it was before we made the trade, but I view it as a move in this offseason." Rumors link Baltimore to Framber Valdez, Ranger Suárez, Edward Cabrera, Freddy Peralta, and MacKenzie Gore. The aggressive winter continues after adding Pete Alonso and Taylor Ward, with Elias affirming: "I don’t think the roster is a finished product. We’re going to keep working."