The Orioles were linked to Michael King pretty much from the outset of free agency in their quest to land a starting pitcher, and nothing has changed in the many weeks that followed.

Framber Valdez also is in play and the Orioles already met with him at the general managers meetings. Ranger Suárez, too, seems to fall in their price range, given that they spent $155 million over five years for first baseman Pete Alonso.

It wouldn’t be completely accurate to say that money is no object, but it isn’t nearly as much of an obstruction anymore.

“We have resources to do other deals, as well, and we don't have particular constraints,” control owner David Rubenstein said again at the Alonso press conference. “We don't have any particular limit that we imposed on Mike (Elias). So as long as the baseball rules are what they are today, we can do what we want to do, and we're prepared to do what we need to do to get the team to be on a championship level. We're ready to go.

“If there are other great players we can get, we'll try to get 'em.”

For anyone still processing what happened with the Orioles last week … Ryan Noda stayed in the organization after clearing waivers.

We don’t know what’s going on with catchers Maverick Handley and Drew Romo after they were designated for assignment.

There’s a little more to talk about, of course. The Orioles have a new first baseman. The buzz hasn’t faded.

Let’s keep the discussion going.

* Pete Alonso’s homework on the Orioles extended to a ballpark where he played 10 games as a visitor, resulting in three doubles, five home runs and 11 RBIs.

When a series of events unfolds as they did for the Orioles at the Winter Meetings and in the days that followed, there’s almost too much to digest. It’s like devouring a holiday feast but not having to adjust the holes in your belt.

Fans are hoping that their team keeps behaving like gluttons.

Beyond the minor league depth moves, the Orioles have signed outfielder Leody Taveras to a $2 million contract, traded for reliever Andrew Kittredge and power-hitting outfielder Taylor Ward, signed closer Ryan Helsley to a two-year, $28 million contract with an opt-out, and secured power-hitting first baseman Pete Alonso with a five-year, $155 million contract.

It’s the second week in December.

Alonso’s deal includes a $12.5 million signing bonus and an $18.5 million salary in 2026, followed by payments of $31 million in each of the next four seasons. He can receive award bonuses and has no-trade protection that allows him to reject eight clubs.

The Orioles went into the Winter Meetings with a full 40-man roster and kept it that way. They just changed some of the names.

The big one, of course, is first baseman Pete Alonso, with the ink now dried on a five-year, $155 million contract. To make room, the Orioles designated catcher Maverick Handley for assignment.

"I think as the free agent process, once that kind of starts, you really kind of don’t know what’s going to happen," Alonso said at yesterday's introductory press conference. "It’s this weird baseball limbo. But then as you start to sit down and really start to think about things, you kind of have some time to really reflect. As the offseason progressed, realistically, as we got further along, this partnership to me, it was just head and shoulders above everybody else. This park, this city, this team, this organization, everything combined, everything just clicked. And for me, it was the perfect fit, not just as a player but for family life, too.

"I could go up and down a laundry list of things, there were just so many boxes, and every single box this place checked. For us, we’re just so pleased, and for this organization to see me, not just in the now but in the future, I mean, it’s such a blessing. I can’t wait to play, I can’t wait to perform, I can’t wait to win games.”

Switch-hitting catcher Drew Romo was a DFA victim Wednesday, which led to the understandable assumption that the Orioles were clearing a spot for Alonso. But no. They claimed left-hander Josh Walker on waivers from the Braves, bringing him back to the organization.

A large stuffed polar bear sat at the end of a long table earlier today for Pete Alonso’s introductory press conference as the Orioles’ new first baseman. The player who inspired its arrival for an event that more prominently featured the control owner, president of baseball operations and the agent who brokered the deal was struggling to button his No. 25 white jersey.

“This is harder than hitting,” he quipped.

The Orioles didn’t invest $155 million over five years for Alonso to dress quickly.

One of the biggest moments in franchise history, with multiple billboards along I-95 celebrating his arrival, delivered a five-time All-Star, a great deal of optimism and some laughs. 

New manager Craig Albernaz and bench coach Donnie Ecker sat in the front row. Mike Elias referred to it as “a very momentous and historic day for the Orioles franchise.”

To make a big splash at the Winter Meetings, the Orioles shed their conservative ways and took the Polar Bear Plunge.

The reception from the industry and fan base was anything but chilly.

Pete Alonso passed his physical and signed his five year, $155 million contract, giving the Orioles an infield composed entirely of Scott Boras clients – Alonso at first base, Jackson Holliday at second, Gunnar Henderson at shortstop and Jordan Westburg at third.

Long gone are the days when the Orioles hated to deal with Boras and tried to avoid negotiating with him – at any cost.

Executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias, appearing as a call-in guest last night on the “Orioles Hot Stove Show,” explained how quickly the deal came together.

ORLANDO – The Orioles looked like they were going to complete the most eventful Winter Meetings without actually doing anything.

They were rumored to be on just about every free agent, and certainly the most expensive. They offered designated hitter Kyle Schwarber $150 million over five years, but the Phillies matched it and got him. They remained in the hunt for outfielders Kyle Tucker and Cody Bellinger, the former ranked No. 1 on every board with a projected cost in the neighborhood of $400 million over 11 years. They were serious enough about first baseman Pete Alonso to schedule a face-to-face meeting and be viewed by at least a few industry folks as the dark horse pick to sign him.

I go back to an observation, which I shared yesterday morning, that Alonso was going to fall in their laps. My advice: Always wear a cup.

This is a monumental statement from the Orioles, who went from back-to-back playoff appearances to last place and a decline in attendance.

Alonso’s deal is the second-largest financial commitment made by the Orioles after Chris Davis’ seven-year, $161 million contract in 2016 that kept him in Baltimore. Adam Jones received a six-year, $85.5 million extension in 2012.

ORLANDO – It wasn’t just talk.

And these weren't just another Winter Meetings for the Orioles.

The club is finalizing a five-year, $155 million contract with first baseman Pete Alonso, pending the results of a physical. A source has confirmed the agreement.

President of baseball operations/general manager Mike Elias sought a big bat and didn’t care about the position, in this case the crowd at first base. He also sought a clubhouse leader for a team relying so heavily on its young core.

Those boxes are checked.

ORLANDO – Having Kyle Schwarber come off the board yesterday is expected to create the proverbial domino effect, which is a popular phrase at the Winter Meetings. A highly sought free agent reaches agreement on a contract and others begin to move, as well.

The Orioles could play their own version of the game.

They had serious interest in Schwarber, enough that they offered the same five years and $150 million that he accepted from the Phillies, as first reported by The Athletic and confirmed by an industry source, and plugging a designated hitter into the lineup would have led to some sort of trade. The same is true if they sign an outfielder or first baseman, and they remain linked to both Kyle Tucker and Pete Alonso.

According to another industry source, the Orioles were given a final chance at Schwarber if they attached an extra year to their offer. Schwarber turns 33 in March.

Agent Scott Boras had quips for days but didn’t bite when asked which teams were meeting with Alonso. The Orioles were reported to be in that group.

ORLANDO – The Orioles couldn’t beat their odds in tonight’s Draft Lottery.

Given the fourth-best chance to earn the No. 1 selection at 9.24 percent, they had to settle for receiving the seventh pick in July. The White Sox choose first, followed by the Rays, Twins, Giants, Pirates and Royals.

This will be the fourth time that the Orioles hold the seventh-overall selection and the first since taking outfielder Nick Markakis in 2003. Markakis is in their Hall of Fame and appears on the ballot this year for Cooperstown.

They’ve gotten the first pick on three occasions, selecting pitcher Ben McDonald in 1989, catcher Adley Rutschman in 2019 and infielder Jackson Holliday in 2022.

“Didn’t have a huge reaction, honestly,” said Will Robertson, the club’s vice president of domestic scouting. “I mean, it’s so out of our control. Obviously, higher is better, so would have loved to have seen a better number, but we just can control what we can control.”

ORLANDO – For the Orioles to make a huge splash in free agency, they might have to dip into agent Scott Boras’ pool of superstar talent.

They haven’t shown a hesitancy to talk about it.

Boras represents pitchers Ranger Suárez, Zac Gallen and Tatsuya Imai and first baseman Pete Alonso, among many others, and the Orioles have made it known that they want a frontline starter and an impact hitter.

Has Boras noticed that Orioles president of baseball operations/general manager Mike Elias is more aggressive this offseason in his pursuit of Boras clients?

“You know, you gauge that by the notice of how they and their ownership respond to the offer exchanges that occur, and that varies in every market,” said Boras, who drew another big crowd to his annual Winter Meetings presser in the lobby at the Signia by Hilton Bonnet Creek.

ORLANDO – The Orioles went through a prolonged Winter Meeting phase when they sat out the big-ticket negotiation dance and settled for the occasional under-the-radar move and a Rule 5 selection.

One year, they drafted three.

Mike Elias arrived in the front office and spent his first Winter Meetings, less than a full month on the job, interviewing candidates for manager and other important positions in the organization. He had to build analytic and international scouting departments. Fielding a winning team wasn’t on the agenda.

The sessions this week aren’t guaranteed to bear fruit, but the Orioles have become the apple of everybody's eye. They've raised expectations to a level unseen in a long time.

They made a huge splash back in 2003 by signing shortstop Miguel Tejada, the reigning American League Most Valuable Player, to a six-year, $72 million contract at the Winter Meetings in New Orleans. 

ORLANDO, Fla. – New Orioles manager Craig Albernaz is acing his first Winter Meetings.

Albernaz came across as relaxed and prepared during his 20-minute media session this afternoon, eager to share information and toss out the occasional quip.

He confirmed that Ryan Helsley will be the closer rather than working multiple innings after signing a two-year, $28 million contract with an opt-out clause. He said the coaching staff is “pretty much done” but could have a fit for one more hire. The club is trying to figure out what that would look like or whether there’s a need. He feels “great” about the club as it’s presently constructed.

“We have a great young core and we have some really good veteran pieces around it, and our coaches right now, now that we’re almost in place, they’re having great conversations with them, start getting their plans going heading into spring training,” Albernaz said. “So I feel very good.”

The No. 1 strength cited by Albernaz is the team’s pure athleticism and the engines. He isn’t ready to talk about weaknesses based solely on what he’s watched on video and gathered through the numbers.

ORLANDO – Time to get this party started.

The Orioles trickled into the Signia by Hilton Bonnet Creek and Waldorf Astoria yesterday for baseball’s annual Winter Meetings. They boarded early and later flights, escaping the cold back home and plunging into the Hot Stove.

President of baseball operations/general manager Mike Elias will sit down with executives and agents today in his quest to find more pitching and another hitter. He’s already had a fairly busy offseason by hiring manager Craig Albernaz and assisting in the construction of a coaching staff, trading for reliever Andrew Kittredge and outfielder Taylor Ward and signing closer Ryan Helsley. He’s also claimed catcher Drew Romo and outfielder Will Robertson for the 40-man roster and made a batch of moves aimed at improving the minor league depth.

We’d like to know just how much the Orioles are willing to spend in free agency. How far they can stretch payroll.

A starter is desired for the top portion of the rotation and a No. 1 like Framber Valdez is gonna cost them. Elias hasn’t spent more than $15 million on a pitcher, the contract given to veteran Charlie Morton last offseason. Tomoyuki Sugano received $13 million the previous month.

Flights will be landing at the Orlando airport all day and night as baseball executives, managers, scouts, agents, media and other personnel descend upon the Signia by Hilton Bonnet Creek and Waldorf Astoria for baseball’s annual Winter Meetings.

Be prepared to see the hotel referenced by multiple names. It’s already caused some confusion because it’s a combined facility with shared conference rooms. But it’s got to be easier than navigating the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center in Nashville, where employees at the front desk hand you a map, wish you luck and offer a small blessing as you walk away.

The agenda is pretty much the same, with only a few small tweaks.

Check into your room and quickly ascertain whether the Ravens-Steelers game is available to watch on television.

Find the lobby bar and quickly ascertain whether the Ravens-Steelers game is available to watch on television.

Though there isn’t necessarily any intent, the Orioles are trending toward hiring full-time managers with catching backgrounds.

That’s two in a row.

Brandon Hyde was a catcher at Long Beach State and in the White Sox’s system. Craig Albernaz developed a reputation as a plus defender with a cannon arm behind the plate at Eckerd College and in nine minor league seasons, the first eight with the Rays.

Hyde had Tim Cossins as his catching instructor and Fredi González and Robinson Chirinos as bench coaches before his dismissal on May 17. The revamped staff under Albernaz includes Joe Singley as field coordinator and catching coach and Hank Conger as bullpen coach.

Conger is the more familiar name to baseball fans after playing five seasons with the Angels and one each with the Astros and Rays. Singley is 28 years old, making him unique by coaching standards. He played at Coastal Carolina and began his coaching career at the school before working as Reds assistant catching coach and bullpen catcher for two seasons and Marlins catching coach, assistant catching director and bullpen catcher this year.

Craig Albernaz is almost done reaching out to his players, one of the important tasks for any new manager. He’s going through the phone numbers, introducing himself and starting the bonding process that will carry over to spring training in a few months. He doesn't want to be a total stranger to them on the report dates. 

“I’m almost at the finish line,” Albernaz said last night as a call-in guest on the “Orioles Hot Stove Show” on WBAL Radio, which was broadcast live from Rye Street Tavern.

“It’s been awesome to connect with the guys. A lot of energy, a lot of focus work in the offseason. So it’s one of those things where, when you have those conversations, you can’t not be excited to get to spring training and get to work.”

Albernaz has watched president of baseball operations/general manager Mike Elias fortify the bullpen with set-up man Andrew Kittredge and closer Ryan Helsley and the middle of the lineup with power-hitting outfielder Taylor Ward. And there are more boxes to check.

“Real excited,” Albernaz said. “Mike and his group, they’re working to getting the team better and making these additions. When you add a right-handed bat and a presence in the lineup like Taylor Ward, how can you not be excited? And the same thing with Ryan Helsley. And the cool part with Helz is that, he was a high priority free agent for a lot of teams and he made the decision to choose us, and that’s something we don’t take lightly here. And I thanked him for it.”

The media’s fascination with baseball closers and the mentality required to succeed at the job runs at such a high level that Ryan Helsley was asked about it twice yesterday during his introductory video call.

Helsley has looked at pitching life from many sides, working as a starter at Northeastern State University in Oklahoma and in the minors, being a reliever in the majors and going from ninth-inning All-Star specialist to more of a setup role this year with the Mets.

The deadline trade that brought Helsley from the Cardinals contributed to the Mets’ freefall. His ERA climbed from 2.77 after his third appearance with his new team to 5.14 after his 16^th.

Though open to the idea of starting again, which the Tigers wanted him to do, Helsley found his ideal match with the Orioles, who needed him to close and were willing to pay him $28 million over two years but also let him opt out after the first.

Félix Bautista was an All-Star in 2023, winning the American League’s Reliever of the Year award but undergoing Tommy John surgery in October. He’s on the shelf again, this time recovering from a procedure to repair his labrum and rotator cuff.

The Orioles were aggressive in their pursuit of free-agent closer Ryan Helsley, and he used the same approach to decide whether they were the right team for him.

Helsley met with club officials, reached out to former teammates with the Cardinals who also played for the Orioles, spoke with a friend who knows new manager Craig Albernaz. Helsley did his homework. And he’s confident that he made the right choice in accepting their two-year, $28 million offer with the opt-out clause.

“It just seemed like a great fit, honestly,” Helsley said earlier today in a video call. “Playing this team the last few years and seeing their young core and how tight-knit they were, and I’ve known a couple guys that have played with this group the last few years and they had very good things to say about them and the new coaching staff. I’ve heard a lot of great stuff about it, so that really drew me to come to Baltimore. And obviously, it has to be a two-way street in free agency and they were very interested, as well, and obviously we were able to strike a deal.”

Helsley can reenter free agency after the 2026 season, which might make him a one-and-done with the Orioles if he pitches at his previous All-Star level.

“To have an opt-out was big,” he said. “We had a few offers on the table, but obviously, we felt like Baltimore was the best. And not only the best offer, but the best fit. I couldn’t be more excited to be a part of this organization.”

New closer Ryan Helsley passed his physical with the Orioles, signed his two-year, $28 million contract and awaits the opportunity to field questions from the media.

Half the league reportedly had expressed some level of interest in Helsley. What made him decide on the Orioles?

How much did the opt-out clause sway him? I wouldn’t expect him to go into too much detail on the money offered by other clubs.

How aggressive were the Orioles in their pursuit? Were they among the first teams to contact his agent?

Was he intrigued by the teams that viewed him as a potential starter, something he’s never done in the majors? Sixty-nine of his 87 minor league appearances came as a starter. He was in the rotation for 21 of his 26 college games.