Projecting 2026 Orioles’ Opening Day roster ahead of Grapefruit League opener
Will Colton Cowser be able to handle center field every day?
Will Colton Cowser be able to handle center field every day?
Luke Jones offers his latest orange musings as pitchers and catchers report to Sarasota.
It’s pretty clear that Orioles fans thought more of the future of one-time ace pitching prospect Grayson Rodriguez than Mike Elias did after dealing the 26-year with four years of MLB control to Anaheim for slugging outfielder Taylor Ward. Why did the Birds quit on GrayRod? Luke Jones and Nestor discuss the philosophy and offseason strategy of new ownership with free agency looming.
I’m pulling for you to fix the Orioles on-and-off the field, even if you continue the bizarrely petty Angelos family tradition of willfully, purposely and strategically mistreating me and restricting a legitimate professional working local media member from asking you serious questions in the David Rubenstein “Next Chapter” era.
“We all want the same things here.”
Once one of baseball’s top prospects, Rodriguez hadn’t pitched for Baltimore since July 31, 2024 because of injuries.
We are loving these offseason baseball conversations but will the Hot Stove heat up enough to energize the Baltimore Orioles fan base for the first time in a generation? Time will tell. Ron Cassie of Baltimore Magazine joins Luke Jones and Nestor for a Baltimore baseball offseason primer of hopes and possibilities for David Rubenstein and Michael Arougheti to step up and into the big leagues of MLB payroll.
We are loving these offseason baseball conversations but will the Hot Stove heat up enough to energize the Baltimore Orioles fan base for the first time in a generation? Time will tell. Ron Cassie of Baltimore Magazine joins Luke Jones and Nestor for a Baltimore baseball offseason primer of hopes and possibilities for David Rubenstein and Michael Arougheti to step up and into the big leagues of MLB payroll.
When it’s time to put a baseball round table together, we gather at least a hundred years worth of media and institutional insights about the Baltimore Orioles like no other group. Longtime MLB media analysts Luke Jones and Allen McCallum join Nestor at State Fare in Catonsville on the Maryland Crab Cake Tour for an Orioles offseason primer and plenty of insights on the hiring of new Birds manager Craig Albernaz and everything that needs to be on the checklist of Mike Elias in the coming weeks at Camden Yards.
When it’s time to put a baseball round table together, we gather at least a hundred years worth of media and institutional insights about the Baltimore Orioles like no other group. Longtime MLB media analysts Luke Jones and Allen McCallum join Nestor at State Fare in Catonsville on the Maryland Crab Cake Tour for an Orioles offseason primer and plenty of insights on the hiring of new Birds manager Craig Albernaz and everything that needs to be on the checklist of Mike Elias in the coming weeks at Camden Yards.
There hasn’t been much to provide offseason hope for a last place baseball team but Luke Jones and Nestor agree that the emergence of Trevor Rogers and encouraging return of Kyle Bradish to the top of the Orioles rotation helps ease some pressure on a Birdland offseason of unrest for Mike Elias and a franchise in search of better pitching and awakened, youthful bats next spring.
General manager Mike Elias leaning so hard on the young position core was a mistake, but the group still needs to shoulder its share of the blame.
With the promotion of key prospects Samuel Basallo and Dylan Beavers and the young group of high-ceiling position talent now completely in The Show, the last place Baltimore Orioles’ showing on the field these next six weeks should prove to be more than just a bunch of meaningless baseball games. Luke Jones and Nestor use a Birdland history lesson to discuss what a success would even look like for Mike Elias and this era of stars who haven’t really shined…
With the promotion of key prospects Samuel Basallo and Dylan Beavers and the young group of high-ceiling position talent now completely in The Show, the last place Baltimore Orioles’ showing on the field these next six weeks should prove to be more than just a bunch of meaningless baseball games. Luke Jones and Nestor use a Birdland history lesson to discuss what a success would even look like for Mike Elias and this era of stars who haven’t really shined…
Top prospect Samuel Basallo capped a fun weekend with his first major league hit and RBIs in his long-awaited debut on Sunday.
Colton Cowser is dealing with “very mild” symptoms that landed him on the seven-day concussion IL on Friday.
No one should be shocked by the deadline deals of Mike Elias but fans of the Baltimore Orioles are certainly within reason wondering what the grand plan looks like to compete in 2026. Luke Jones and Nestor discuss the large sell off of nine MLB players at trade deadline in exchange for 16 prospects. It’s going to be a long, last-place offseason in Birdland to rebuild the pitching.
No one should be shocked by the deadline deals of Mike Elias but fans of the Baltimore Orioles are certainly within reason wondering what the grand plan looks like to compete in 2026. Luke Jones and Nestor discuss the large sell off of nine MLB players at trade deadline in exchange for 16 prospects. It’s going to be a long, last-place offseason in Birdland to rebuild the pitching.
The trade deadline came and went with the Orioles dealing nine major leaguers for what resulted in 16 minor-league players over the course of July.
With Felix Bautista and Zach Eflin now on the injured list, we wonder who will pitch once the dealing is done. Luke Jones and Nestor discuss the trade day options of Mike Elias as the Baltimore Orioles dealt away Ramon Urias and Andrew Kittredge on Wednesday night with more news to come on Ryan O’Hearn and Cedric Mullins. And who knows who else?
With Felix Bautista and Zach Eflin now on the injured list, we wonder who will pitch once the dealing is done. Luke Jones and Nestor discuss the trade day options of Mike Elias as the Baltimore Orioles dealt away Ramon Urias and Andrew Kittredge on Wednesday night with more news to come on Ryan O’Hearn and Cedric Mullins. And who knows who else?
As the clock ticks on the Major League Baseball trade deadline on Thursday afternoon, Luke Jones and Nestor discuss the suddenly depleted Orioles’ trade arsenal and the realities of what to expect from Mike Elias – and it isn’t “a haul” by any stretch of the orange imagination – for this last-place operation.
As the clock ticks on the Major League Baseball trade deadline on Thursday afternoon, Luke Jones and Nestor discuss the suddenly depleted Orioles’ trade arsenal and the realities of what to expect from Mike Elias – and it isn’t “a haul” by any stretch of the orange imagination – for this last-place operation.
The Orioles will be sellers, not buyers, at the MLB Trade Deadline later in the month. Luke Jones and Nestor set the stage for what could be the final acts of the Mike Elias administration in Baltimore with very mixed results. You can only go up when you’re in last place (again)…
The Orioles will be sellers, not buyers, at the MLB Trade Deadline later in the month. Luke Jones and Nestor set the stage for what could be the final acts of the Mike Elias administration in Baltimore with very mixed results. You can only go up when you’re in last place (again)…
Gary Sanchez and Coby Mayo each homered and drove in four as Baltimore eclipsed 20 runs for the first time since Sept. 28, 2000.
Colton Cowser discusses Orioles’ huge night at plate following 22-8 win over Tampa Bay
It’s a big week for the somewhat-surging, last-place Baltimore Orioles who have shown some vital signs in recent weeks and now arrive in The Big Apple to face scuffling the scuffling New York Yankees at The Bronx. Luke Jones and Nestor discuss the Birds finding some semblance of momentum to keep the season alive this summer.
It’s a big week for the somewhat-surging, last-place Baltimore Orioles who have shown some vital signs in recent weeks and now arrive in The Big Apple to face scuffling the scuffling New York Yankees at The Bronx. Luke Jones and Nestor discuss the Birds finding some semblance of momentum to keep the season alive this summer.
Don’t look now but the Baltimore Orioles have won 14 of their last 20 games and are headed to Tampa looking to continue to rectify the awful April and May with another series in a minor-league stadium against a MLB club. Luke Jones and Nestor discuss legitimate Orioles’ optimism after an Angels sweep featuring better pitching and a return to the lineup for some key young players ready to compete.
Don’t look now but the Baltimore Orioles have won 14 of their last 20 games and are headed to Tampa looking to continue to rectify the awful April and May with another series in a minor-league stadium against a MLB club. Luke Jones and Nestor discuss legitimate Orioles’ optimism after an Angels sweep featuring better pitching and a return to the lineup for some key young players ready to compete.
As the Orioles remain on a pace to lose 100 games, Luke Jones joined Nestor at Faidley’s Seafood at Lexington Market in downtown Baltimore to discuss the lack of success against left-handed pitching, continued losing and wonder if Colton Cowser and Jordan Westburg can create a June spark to lift a last-place team toward .500 before the end of summer.
As the Orioles remain on a pace to lose 100 games, Luke Jones joined Nestor at Faidley’s Seafood at Lexington Market in downtown Baltimore to discuss the lack of success against left-handed pitching, continued losing and wonder if Colton Cowser and Jordan Westburg can create a June spark to lift a last-place team toward .500 before the end of summer.
It looked like Major League Baseball at times but Luke Jones and Nestor couldn’t ignore the obvious of the Orioles and Athletics playing three games in a minor-league stadium in Sacramento as the sport continues to devolve and lower its own bar for professionalism. Two last-place teams going nowhere, except maybe to Las Vegas…
It looked like Major League Baseball at times but Luke Jones and Nestor couldn’t ignore the obvious of the Orioles and Athletics playing three games in a minor-league stadium in Sacramento as the sport continues to devolve and lower its own bar for professionalism. Two last-place teams going nowhere, except maybe to Las Vegas…
With Ryan Mountcastle sideline until at least August, Coby Mayo should be in line for an extensive look in the majors.
After another strong seven-inning start in Seattle late on Tuesday night in another Orioles victory, Luke Jones and Nestor discuss the keyrole Tomoyuki Sugano has taken in the Birds’ rotation as so much disappointment has descended on this 2025 squad with the poor start and last-place standing.
After another strong seven-inning start in Seattle late on Tuesday night in another Orioles victory, Luke Jones and Nestor discuss the key role Tomoyuki Sugano has taken in the Birds’ rotation as so much disappointment has descended on this 2025 squad with the poor start and last-place standing.
It’s hard to stay up late but even harder when the Baltimore Orioles are in last place in AL East. Luke Jones and Nestor set the stage for three games in Seattle and an unlikely first-time appearance in Sacramento as the MLB circus moves the lowly Athletics into a minor-league stadium.
The 2024 AL Rookie of the Year runner-up will see his first action since fracturing his left thumb in Toronto on March 30.
New assistant John Mabry brings extensive major league playing and coaching experience to Baltimore’s staff.