There is no denying the top pitcher remaining on the free agent market is Framber Valdez, and yet the longer his saga drags on, the more doubt creeps in as to whether the Orioles are his destined landing spot.

Baltimore has been a consistent suitor of Valdez all winter. The Orioles’ search for a high-end starter has been well documented, and president of baseball operations Mike Elias hasn’t shied from annunciating his desire to upgrade the rotation. The Orioles have made ripples to this point by adding right-handers Shane Baz via trade and Zach Eflin via free agency, but the ace-size hole remains.

That is not to say left-hander Trevor Rogers or right-hander Kyle Bradish can’t fill it. Rogers, with his 1.81 ERA in 109 2/3 innings last year, particularly looked the part of a rotation leader. If he can maintain anything close to that level of performance, Baltimore will feel fine about its starting pitching chances.

The Orioles may well land Valdez. But he’s far from the only option on the table. As the New York Post first reported and as sources confirmed, the Orioles are interested in right-hander Zac Gallen.

The Post has also linked right-hander Lucas Giolito to Baltimore. Whether that is a smokescreen to incentivize Valdez to choose or a willing pivot away from the 32-year-old remains to be seen.

Whatever the case, the Orioles could benefit from another addition to their rotation. For as strong as Baltimore’s lineup appears to be (FanGraphs’ Depth Charts projections list the Orioles’ offense as contributing 30.9 WAR, the third most in MLB), the pitching staff isn’t as certain. The Orioles’ pitching staff is projected to produce 14.1 WAR, which is the lowest among American League East teams.

Adding Valdez would be an immediate boost. He’s projected at 3.6 WAR. Gallen is projected at 2.4. Right-hander Chris Bassitt is projected at 2.0 WAR, while Giolito is at 1.3.

Given the uncertainty around Valdez, these are four pitchers to whom the Orioles can shift their attentions. They may not be the ace Baltimore has attempted to acquire, but this is how they’d fit.

Zac Gallen, 30

The clearest rotation upgrade not named Valdez available is Gallen, even after a season in which he didn’t find his form until the second half. Gallen finished 2025 with a career-worst 4.83 ERA, and his elevated home run numbers played a role in that. Gallen conceded 1.5 homers per nine innings, which was a career high.

The longtime Arizona Diamondbacks hurler completed 192 innings, though, and he performed his best against winning teams. In matchups against teams with an above-.500 record, Gallen held a 3.85 ERA and struck out 3.02 batters per walk issued. In games against teams with losing records, Gallen’s ERA shot up to 6.72.

Down the stretch, Gallen was at his best. From July onward, he posted a 3.88 ERA. And, if he winds up in Baltimore, pitching coach Drew French will know what pitch to focus on: Gallen’s knuckle curve. In 2024, Gallen’s curveball produced a run value of 15, according to Statcast. That dropped to minus 4 in 2025. For Gallen to produce a full season of consistency, his knuckle curve will be imperative.

Chris Bassitt, 36

Bassitt is unlikely to lead a rotation. But, on a short-term deal, he would provide stability in the form of an innings eater whose versatility as a postseason reliever could be valuable.

The soon-to-be 37-year-old manufactured three quality seasons for the Blue Jays, which included postseason heroics out of the bullpen during Toronto’s path to the World Series.

Bassitt has pitched 157 1/3 or more innings each of his last five seasons. In 2025, he managed a 3.96 ERA in 170 1/3 frames. Bassitt doesn’t induce many strikeouts, but by limiting walks (2.7 per nine innings) and hard contact (36.6% hard-hit rate) he remains a dependable middle-of-the-rotation arm.

Is that what Baltimore needs? Not exactly. Dean Kremer managed a similar season (4.19 ERA, 171 2/3 innings), Tyler Wells is returning to full health and Baz could reach higher levels than all of them. But, given the injury history of Baltimore’s rotation, Bassitt — who has averaged more than 30 starts each year since 2021 — would be welcome.

Lucas Giolito, 31

The market for Giolito is rising. A source with knowledge of it said the expected length of contract and his track record as an innings eater prior to an elbow surgery that forced him to miss all of 2024 have led to an increase in interest for Giolito.

When Giolito returned in 2025 for the Boston Red Sox, he showed signs that he could be the midrotation starter of old. He recorded a 2.51 ERA from June 10 onward, which was a massive improvement from the 6.40 ERA through his first seven appearances. Giolito finished the campaign with a 3.41 ERA.

There is concern regarding the elbow soreness he felt at the end of the year, which forced Giolito to miss the postseason. But he told WEEI in November that “within three days, my elbow felt 100% fine again” and that he’s ready for 2026.

Trey Gibson, 23

Whether the Orioles add another arm or not, right-hander Trey Gibson is in position to break through to the majors this season. Gibson, signed in 2023 as an undrafted free agent, reached Triple-A last year and simply won’t stop striking out batters. In three levels of the minors, he averaged 12.4 strikeouts per nine innings.

Gibson’s first taste of Triple-A was a challenge. He was hit around in 29 1/3 innings and recorded a 7.98 ERA. But, given half a season at that level, he could prove ready for a midseason promotion. And, should the Orioles acquire any of the non-Valdez starters on this list, Gibson would be a late-season boost to the equation.

Baseball America ranks Gibson, the reigning Orioles minor league pitcher of the year, as the 72nd-best prospect nationally. His slider is a major reason Gibson forces so many whiffs, and he pairs it with a sweeper and a mid-90s fastball.

Gibson, obviously, does not fit the role of an ace. But, between him and left-hander Luis De León, Baltimore could lean on an aggressive promotion system of prospects to supplement its pitching staff as the season goes along. It’s a risky proposition. But acquiring free agents and trading for starters aren’t the only ways to create a strong pitching staff. The Blue Jays, for instance, proved that Trey Yesavage, a rookie, could play a major role in the postseason.