Orioles Target Experienced Ninth-Inning Guy to Solidify Closing Role

The Baltimore Orioles are once again staring at a familiar late-inning dilemma. How can they lock down the ninth without their injured All-Star flamethrower, Félix Bautista?

President of baseball operations Mike Elias is openly hunting for a proven closer for the 2026 season. Baltimore’s bullpen construction now feels like one of the most intriguing storylines of the upcoming winter.

Orioles Enter 2026 With a Bullpen Question Mark

The Orioles have the core of a contender, but their bullpen — once a strength — has been hollowed out by trades, injuries, and underperformance. The most glaring issue sits at the back end of games, where Elias wants a veteran, ninth-inning specialist to stabilize things.

Right now, newly acquired Andrew Kittredge profiles as the default closer if the season started today. Elias landed Kittredge in a deal with the Cubs, and while the right-hander brings experience, the front office seems to view him more as a high-leverage piece than a locked-in, long-term stopper.

Why Andrew Kittredge Isn’t the Final Answer

Kittredge has the pitch mix and temperament to handle high-pressure spots. He could certainly close in stretches.

But Baltimore has learned that a true contender usually needs a dedicated, battle-tested closer — especially in October, when every pitch feels magnified. Kittredge looks more like part of a committee or a setup solution than the centerpiece of the ninth inning.

Elias keeps pointing toward an external, veteran arm as the priority. That’s the direction the conversation keeps circling back to.

Felix Bautista’s Injury Looms Over Every Decision

The entire calculus changes if Félix Bautista is healthy. But he isn’t — and won’t be fully himself for a while.

Bautista underwent surgery in mid-August to repair a torn rotator cuff and labrum. That’s an extensive procedure and usually demands a long, careful recovery.

The timeline has Bautista sidelined for roughly 12 months. Realistically, that limits his 2026 contribution to, at best, the final month of the season.

From Elite Closer to Question Mark

Before the injury, Bautista had established himself as one of the game’s premier closers. In 2023, he posted a 1.48 ERA, racked up 33 saves, and earned an All-Star nod while terrorizing hitters with elite velocity and a devastating splitter.

Major arm surgery changes everything. The Orioles can’t build their bullpen plan around hoping Bautista comes back sharp in September, so Elias is focused on finding a proven, healthy alternative for most of 2026.

Elias Has Been Down This Road Before

This isn’t the first time Mike Elias has had to pivot quickly from Bautista to a veteran replacement. After Bautista’s earlier major arm issues in 2024, Elias moved fast to plug the ninth inning by signing Craig Kimbrel to a one-year, $13 million deal.

At first, that gamble paid off. Kimbrel stabilized the late innings and looked like the answer, but his struggles as the season wore on eventually cost him the closer role.

The lesson was clear: a big name alone doesn’t guarantee ninth-inning security across a full season.

Short-Term Deals, Veteran Bets

That Kimbrel move fits a broader pattern for the Orioles. Elias seems to prefer short-term veteran deals that offer upside without long-term risk.

Recently, Baltimore has brought in a string of established players on manageable contracts, including:

This approach keeps the payroll flexible and the roster competitive. But it also means the club is constantly revisiting key roster spots — none more critical than the closer role.

A Bullpen in Transition

The Orioles’ 2025 season took a heavy toll on their relief corps. Through trades and designations, the bullpen was stripped down, leaving only Yennier Cano and Keegan Akin from the Opening Day group still on the roster by season’s end.

That level of turnover demands a reset. With Bautista sidelined and Kittredge more of a complementary piece, the closer’s job is wide open heading into 2026.

Internal Arms vs. External Solutions

Cano’s stuff plays late in games, and Akin provides valuable length and versatility. Still, neither profiles as the clear, day-one closer on a playoff hopeful.

That reality pushes Baltimore toward the free-agent market. Several intriguing options await.

Free-Agent Closers Who Fit Baltimore’s Plans

The 2026 free-agent reliever class has the kind of talent that can instantly reshape Baltimore’s bullpen. Elias and his staff have a range of styles, price points, and risk levels to choose from.

Potential high-impact targets include:

The market also offers some familiar faces. Potential reunion options like Seranthony Domínguez and Gregory Soto could make sense if the Orioles prefer shorter-term gambles on relievers they know well from past scouting and competition.

Kenley Jansen: The Veteran Safety Net

If the Orioles prefer a more cost-conscious route, Kenley Jansen stands out as a logical fallback. He’s not at his peak, but his track record, competitiveness, and experience closing big games could provide the sort of stabilizing, veteran presence Elias is seeking on a shorter, value-minded deal.

Pairing a veteran like Jansen with Kittredge, Cano, and a healthy (eventually) Bautista could give Baltimore the depth and flexibility it’s lacked when injuries and inconsistency hit in recent years.

The Ninth Inning Will Define Baltimore’s Ceiling

The Orioles have the lineup and rotation to make a real run in October. But let’s be honest—figuring out the closer situation might actually decide how far they go in 2026.

Bautista’s return? Still up in the air. After all the recent bullpen shakeups, Elias clearly doesn’t want to gamble with the ninth inning.

Maybe Baltimore throws big money at someone like Díaz or Williams. Maybe they go for a shorter deal with a veteran, say, Jansen.

Either way, they get it: in today’s MLB, it’s not about how you start, but how you wrap things up.

 
Here is the source article for this story: Elias: Orioles Looking For “Experienced Ninth-Inning Guy”