The Winter Meetings that begin Sunday in San Diego will maintain or create new dialogues between Orioles executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias and various executives and scouts. Talks aimed at producing a trade or free agent signing, or building momentum toward resolutions later in the offseason.

The Orioles have been fairly predictable in the past, but moving into a more competitive stage, with a more aggressive attitude, could change that entirely.

What should stay the same is the annual selection in the Rule 5 draft, the only interruption blamed on the lockout, unless picking 17^th costs them the players they wanted. They aren’t averse to passing.

They could add to the list of waiver claims that includes third baseman Rio Ruiz at the 2018 Winter Meetings, Elias’ first major league addition, reliever Marcos Diplán at the 2019 event and pitcher Ashton Goudeau in 2020.

It always leads to the line, “Assuring that they won’t go home with just a Rule 5 pick.”

Further maneuvering of players on the Orioles’ 40-man roster has created an open spot as they approach a new month and get closer to the start of free agency.

The team announced this afternoon that pitcher Chris Ellis and catcher Aramis Garcia were outrighted to Triple-A Norfolk. Ellis first was reinstated from the 60-day injured list.

Ellis made two road starts with the Orioles after they re-signed him to a minor league contract in March, tossing 4 1/3 scoreless innings on April 19 in Oakland and allowing five runs and walking three batters without retiring anyone on April 24 in Anaheim. He went on the injured list with right shoulder inflammation and underwent arthroscopic surgery on May 4.

The Orioles outrighted Ellis off the 40-man roster after the 2021 season and he elected free agency. He had made six starts and registered a 2.49 ERA in 25 1/3 innings. He walked 13 batters.

Garcia was claimed off waivers from the Reds Oct. 14 after appearing in 47 games and batting .213/.248/.259 in 115 plate appearances.

The Orioles are stockpiling catchers in the early days of their offseason.

Two more arrived today, with the Orioles claiming Aramis Garcia and Mark Kolozsvary off waivers from the Reds.

A full 40-man roster required two corresponding moves, and the Orioles designated relievers Louis Head and Beau Sulser for assignment.

Garcia, who turns 30 in January, is a right-handed hitter and second-round pick of the Giants in the 2014 draft out of Florida International University. He appeared in 47 games with the Reds this summer and batted .213/.248/.259 with two doubles, one home run, three walks and 34 strikeouts in 115 plate appearances.

The Reds were Garcia’s third major league team. He played in 37 games with the Giants in 2018-19 and 32 with the Athletics in 2021 and is a career .216/.253/.332 hitter with five doubles, 10 home runs, 25 RBIs, 10 walks and 114 strikeouts in 320 plate appearances. He’s thrown out 12 of 43 runners attempting to steal.