Baltimore Orioles Should Make This Star Pitcher a Priority in Free Agency

There has been much speculation about how aggressive the Baltimore Orioles are willing to be this offseason.

While they reportedly are targeting high-level starting pitchers instead of the veterans that they've signed the past couple years, their philosophy of not spending due to their limited budget might hold them back from achieving that goal in free agency.

The Orioles could also make a trade using their strong prospect pool to get the ace they're looking for.

But one player that Baltimore could aggressively pursue in free agency is former Chicago Cubs' ace Marcus Stroman.

The right-hander was one of the best starting pitchers on the market before signing a three-year, $71 million with the Cubs in 2022.

After two seasons in Chicago, Stroman declined his $21 million player-option for 2024, electing to hit free agency once again.

That decision was surprising after injuries forced the starter to miss the majority of the back half of last year. Speculation about what his true value on the open market might be could have driven him back to the Cubs.

However, the New York native is a free agent once again and should be a major target of the Orioles.

Stroman has posted four straight seasons with an ERA under 4.00.

He was one of the best starters in the MLB last season prior to his injuries in the summer. The righty would immediately step in and become the No. 1 option in this rotation, something that Baltimore needs.

What size of contract he's looking for after opting-out of $21 million is unknown. It's also unlikely that another team would be willing to offer him that same type of money based on the injury concerns.

That could lower his asking cost into something more palatable for the Orioles.

The 32-year-old might also be looking for longevity in his next contract and could prioritize that over a large yearly salary.

If that's the case, then Baltimore should seriously consider Stroman.