The Baltimore Orioles’ anticipated rotation is made up of young players, with Dean Kremer, Kyle Bradish, Grayson Rodriguez, and Tyler Wells all slated to return.
However, with Kyle Gibson set to enter free agency, the Orioles may be looking for a proven ace to help them advance farther in the playoffs.
In an article published by Sports Illustrated, the site listed the top 50 free agents this season and predicted which team will sign the free player.
The Orioles were linked to one of the greatest free-agent pitchers on the market, Philadelphia’s Aaron Nola.
That would be a fantastic acquisition for a young Orioles club looking to advance past the American League Division Series. After winning 101 games and capturing the AL East, the Orioles were swept in three games by the eventual world champion Texas Rangers.
The Orioles would be signing a pitcher with proven durability in Nola, who has made 30 or more starts in each of the last five complete seasons. He has a career record of 90-71 with a 3.72 ERA and 1,582 strikeouts.
Aside from Nola’s dependability, SI raised many worries about Nola’s fit with the Orioles, including several predicated on 2023:
Nola’s strikeout rate fell to 25.5%, but his home run rate increased to a career-low 1.49 per nine innings, which is alarming for a man entering his age-31 season, but any decrease should be gradual given his consistent output throughout his career.
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He finished 12-9 with a 4.46 ERA, 202 strikeouts, and 45 walks in 2023. He has struck out at least 200 batters in each of his last five full seasons. He was a first-round choice of the Phillies in 2014, meaning he’s a product of their farm system.
He was also one of the rare players who received a qualifying offer from his organisation. Nola may accept that deal and earn a guaranteed $20 million in 2024 with Philadelphia.
