The Baltimore Orioles' search for starting pitching might be leading them to a future Hall of Famer.
Baltimore is among the teams showing interest in veteran right-hander Justin Verlander, sources told Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. However, the sides don't appear to be close to a deal, and the rest of Verlander's market remains unknown.
Verlander, who turns 43 in February, is coming off a solid 2025 season with the San Francisco Giants. After a slow start, he authored a dominant second half and finished the campaign with a 3.85 ERA, 1.36 WHIP, and 137 strikeouts across 29 starts. Those numbers marked a nice rebound from his career-worst 2024 campaign with the Houston Astors.
Baltimore is looking to return to contention following a disappointing last-place finish in 2025. Upgrading the rotation has emerged as a major need for the club, which has already acquired Shane Baz via trade and re-signed veteran Zach Eflin.