The Baltimore Orioles’ winter was passing in a strange state: not exactly quiet, but not exactly explosive either. Everyone knew they needed another shooter for rotation. Everyone guessed they would do something. But until now, the only thing that was clear was… the ambiguity.
Framer Valdez had been mentioned too long to be just a harmless rumor. The Orioles were said to have made an offer. No specific number. No official confirmation. Just the feeling that both sides were watching each other, waiting for the other to blink first. Valdez, as the last remaining top shooter on the market, seemed to believe a bigger offer would come. And Baltimore didn’t seem in a hurry to break that balance.
It was in this silence that the name Zac Gallen began to be mentioned—not loudly, but enough to grab attention.
Just a year ago, Gallen was considered a sure bet for a lucrative, long-term contract. Three consecutive seasons with an ERA of 3.65 or lower, multiple Cy Young nominations – a profile that would have reassured teams of their investment. Then the 2025 season arrived. An ERA of 4.83. A strikeout rate that had declined for the third consecutive year. A qualifying offer, making all the financial calculations less attractive.
From a position of “almost certain to sign a big player,” Gallen gradually slipped into the gray area of the free market – where risk and hope coexist. However, not everyone saw the decline. Some teams looked at the second half of the season, where Gallen had an ERA of 3.97, significantly lower than the beginning of the year. Perhaps he adjusted something. Perhaps the problem wasn’t as big as the overall numbers suggested.
Gallen’s free agency thus became a series of conflicting signals. Reports from early December suggested he was close to a $22 million-a-year deal with the Cubs — quickly dismissed. Time passed, the market changed, and Gallen remained. Not signed. Not finalized. Not gone from behind-the-scenes conversations.
Then Jon Heyman appeared on MLB Network, saying the Orioles were “in on Zac Gallen.”
Not “aggressively pursuing.” Not “close to closing.” Just “in on.” A phrase vague enough to open up a range of interpretations. Did Baltimore really consider Gallen a serious option? Or was this simply a strategic move, placed on the table at the right time to remind Valdez that the Orioles weren’t cornered?
Conversely, it’s also possible that Gallen’s team is using the Orioles name to put pressure on the Cubs or even the Diamondbacks — his former team, which is still believed to be open to a reunion. In this game, nobody needs to truly “love” anyone. Just showing concern is enough.
What makes the situation noteworthy is the timing. The Orioles aren’t in a hurry. They have roster depth. They have a farming system sufficient to mitigate short-term risks. But they’re also at a stage where each season carries the expectation of progressing further. A top-class shooter can change the entire trajectory of the season. A wrong decision can bring everything to a standstill.
Zac Gallen’s appearance in this story could be just a shadow. Or it could be a sign that the Orioles are ready to take a different path—less certain, more risky, but more suited to how they operate.
Until a signature is put on paper, everything remains speculation. But when a name unexpectedly pops up at the very moment a major deal is still up in the air, it’s hard to believe it’s just a coincidence.
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