The Baltimore Orioles enter a critical stage of the 2025 MLB offseason, and the pressure is rising after major shifts in the starting pitching market. With Dylan Cease signing a deal with the Toronto Blue Jays and the Sonny Gray trade strengthening the Boston Red Sox, Baltimore faces mounting urgency to add a frontline arm. Each move intensifies the AL East arms race, placing the club in a position where decisive action is no longer optional.

The Orioles traded starter Grayson Rodriguez earlier in the offseason, hoping added offense would offset the loss in the rotation. But with rivals adding proven arms, the Orioles must reassess their approach as their current group leans heavily on upside rather than reliability. The pressure is magnified by a rotation packed with talent but short on established durability, and the club now risks falling behind as available top-end options continue to shrink.

The team at MLB.com spoke with MLB’s Mark Feinsand about how the recent moves by division rivals have intensified the urgency for Baltimore to secure a starter. Feinsand broke down the significance of the shift and why the club may need to act soon.

“The Orioles probably need a starting pitcher as much as any other team in baseball, and after watching the Blue Jays sign Cease and the Red Sox trade for Sonny Gray, Baltimore’s urgency has to be a little greater with two of their division rivals bulking up their rotations.”

Cease landing in Toronto removes a top-tier arm from the market already, while Gray joining the Red Sox eliminates a durable veteran who could have stabilized any rotation.The O’s still have financial space and one of the sport’s best prospect groups, giving them multiple pathways to pursue an impact starter before the market thins further.

The club now sits at a crossroads, where a bold addition may be required to remain competitive. With rivals improving quickly, this moment shapes up as one the Orioles cannot afford to let pass.