For the first time in a number of years, the Orioles are in an offseason where they might actually sign a notable free agent, instead of the last several years of, well, you know. The starting rotation is the area with the most obvious need, though plenty of fans have already talked themselves into the O’s signing one of the “big four” shortstops as well. It seems possible, if not guaranteed, that the O’s might even play for one of the qualifying offer free agents.
As a quick refresher, the qualifying offer system is meant to give a team who loses a crucial free agent some compensation for that player signing elsewhere.