Orioles interested in reunion with former All-Star

The Baltimore Orioles“The window to contend has been wide open over the past two seasons and yet they have failed to get a single playoff win during that span. Regardless, even though they are lost starting pitcher Corbin Burnes in free agency to the Orioles they should be in a good position to remain competitive in 2025, especially if they can add another starter or two to add to their rotation depth. To that end, it looks like they’re aiming to bring back a familiar face.

According to Rock Kubatko of MASN Sports, the Orioles are interested in re-signing John Means, a former All-Star who has been badly bitten by the injury bug the last few seasons. Since 2022, Means has pitched just 52.1 innings, starting 10 games during that span. He’s had to undergo Tommy John surgery twice, and at this point it’s unclear what he has left in the tank even though he’s only 31 years old.

Regardless, the Orioles have serious interest in bringing him back, and Kubatko said it “would be a mistake” to downplay their interest in re-signing the 31-year-old lefty. However, no one should expect anything to move quickly in this regard.

“Means remains a free agent, as expected.” A quick deal was off the cards as he recovers from his second Tommy John surgery. The Orioles didn’t close the door on him. There is a lot of positive history there. It would be a mistake to diminish their interest. His re-signing is possible. “The industry perception is that he probably won’t sign until much later in the offseason,” Kubatko wrote.

There is a bit of upside left in Means, provided of course he gets back to near full health afterwards his battle with injuries. In his final full season in 2021, he posted a 3.62 ERA in 26 starts (146.2 innings), posting a 2.5 VAR (per Fangraphs) in the process.

Can the Orioles win a playoff game in 2025?

The fruits of the Orioles’ rebuild began to sprout in 2023, when they emerged as a powerhouse thanks to the breakthrough of multiple top prospects, such as Gunnar Henderson and Adli Ruchman, among others. And they still had a few more quality prospects waiting for their chance to blossom, with Jackson Holiday and Coby Mayo are looking to recover after a rough cup of coffee in the big league.

The Orioles, however, failed to make plays when it mattered most. They have fallen flat on their faces in the playoffs in two straight playoff series, something they will be looking to change in 2025.

Alas, they will need to secure some reinforcements to complement their growing player base. Corbin Burns was out of their range, and it’s hard to imagine them entering the season with only one potentially impactful signing (Charlie Morton) to help their rotation.

Orioles fans should watch how the team handles its starting pitching situation, as it could make or break their campaign in 2025. But the goal, above all else, for Baltimore is to make the playoffs despite being in a crowded AL East.