As the 2025 season came to a close with a dramatic game seven between the Toronto Blue Jays and Los Angeles Dodgers, the Baltimore Orioles front office was busy getting prepped for a crucial offseason.
With the hiring of new manager Craig Albernaz, Charm City is hopeful for a new chapter after a disappointing 2025 campaign.
The club’s offseason officially began last week with the announced returns of right-hander Rico Garcia and infielder Luis Vázquez to one-year deals.
Garcia was a formidable option out of the O’s pen after reuniting with the team in August, while Vázquez filled in for an injured Jordan Westburg for a good chunk of the second half.
On Monday, it was announced that outfielder Tyler O’Neill would officially opt-in to the remaining two years of his three-year contract, earning $33 million over the next two seasons.
Why wouldn’t O’Neill do this? The 30-year-old had the worst statistical season of his eight-year career, posted a negative WAR and compiled a slash line of .199/.292/.392 in just 54 games.
The Burnaby, Canada, native’s injury-marred 2025 campaign featured three stints on the injured list due to a variety of ailments, including neck inflammation, a left shoulder impingement and right wrist inflammation.
The O’s signed O’Neill to a three-year, $49.5 million deal last December, marking the first multi-year contract given to a free agent since Mike Elias became the head of the team’s baseball operations department in November 2018.
Also staying with the organization is left-hander Dietrich Enns, who agreed to terms on a one-year deal worth a guaranteed $2.625 million. That breaks down as a $2.5 million salary in 2026 with a $125K buyout on a 2027 club option worth $3.5 million.
Enns, 34, signed a minor league deal with the Detroit Tigers last season after a three-year tenure pitching in Asia. After struggling in just over 17 innings in the Motor City, he was acquired by the O’s right before the July 31 trade deadline in exchange for cash considerations.
Thankfully for his career and the Birds, Enns thrived in Charm City, turning in 28.2 innings of 3.14 ERA ball (17 relief appearances, one start).
The crafty lefty, who struck out 27.6% of his opponents in Baltimore, is out of minor league options, making him likely to break camp with the club next year.
Baltimore also agreed to a minor league contract with right-hander Jean Carlos Henriquez. The 32-year-old out of the Dominican Republic hasn’t played in professional baseball since 2015 and is currently pitching for the Aguilas Cibaenas in the Dominican Winter League.
Lastly, the Orioles decided not to exercise the $5.5 club option of infielder Jorge Mateo, who has been with the organization since being claimed off waivers from the San Diego Padres in August of 2021.
Mateo’s last two seasons have been quite riddled with injuries. The 30-year-old veteran has appeared on the injured list for a concussion, a left elbow subluxation that ultimately required surgery, left elbow inflammation and a hamstring strain just in the last two seasons.
The known base stealing threat will become a free agent for the first time in his six-year career. This decision was a no-brainer for the Orioles, as Mateo is coming off a negative WAR season in which he only appeared in 43 games and posted a .177/.217/.266 slash line.
These moves are just the beginning of what is sure to be an eventful offseason for the organization. It is a do-or-die, make-or-break winter for Mike Elias to get this team back to being a true contender.
What do you think of these moves to kick-off the offseason? Let us know in the comments below! Make sure to follow The Baltimore Battery on Facebook, X, Bluesky and TikTok, and use the hashtag #baltimorebattery when sharing our content!
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