Another Orioles offseason has arrived.

The Royals swept the Orioles in the Wild Card Series, ending Baltimore’s season just like that. Now the Orioles must focus on how to avoid the same fate next year.

Last offseason, the Orioles were quiet, signing just one free agent — Craig Kimbrel, who did not even make it through the season — and making one trade, acquiring Corbin Burnes.

New ownership, led by David Rubenstein, has been in place for a full season. This winter will be its first test, and Rubenstein said on Tuesday at iMPACT Maryland that he “probably will have to spend some money.”

But will that money be spent on bringing back players? Here’s a look at the decisions the team needs to make, including the impending free agents, players with team options and the players in arbitration.

Free agents

Corbin Burnes: Will the Orioles make a run at Burnes? This will be Rubenstein’s first offseason as owner, and this is his first big test. Burnes, acquired from Milwaukee in February, excelled as the Orioles’ No. 1 starter, pitching to a 2.92 ERA in the regular season. He’ll likely be seeking a deal worth over $200 million. At minimum, he should warrant a contract similar to that of Aaron Nola, who signed a seven-year, $172 million contract with the Philadelphia Phillies last season. At only 29, Burnes figures to have some of his best years in front of him.

Anthony Santander: Another test for Rubenstein. Santander has been with the Orioles since 2016, when they selected him in the Rule 5 draft. He’s been a staple over the past few seasons and this year had a career-high 44 home runs, the third most in MLB behind only Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani. His lack of defensive skills could hold him back from getting a major deal, but he will be one of the top hitters on the market.

James McCann: McCann’s numbers aren’t flashy, but he had his best season at the plate since 2020 and got hotter as the year went on, hitting .234 for the season and .324 with a 1.087 OPS in September. His value is also felt behind the plate as a veteran catcher and leader in the clubhouse. The Orioles could bring him back on a one-year deal, biding time until No. 2 prospect Samuel Basallo is ready.

Austin Slater: A trade deadline addition, Slater filled a right-handed-bat spot in the lineup as the Orioles dealt with injuries. He did fine as a platoon outfielder, but the Orioles likely have no need to bring him back.

John Means: Means has pitched only 52 1/3 innings in the last three seasons as he’s had not one but two Tommy John surgeries. He won’t be able to pitch until June at the earliest, but I could see the Orioles offering him a small contract — maybe $1 million — with innings incentives and a team option for 2026.

Team options

Eloy Jiménez, $16.5 million: This is a pretty obvious no. Acquired at the deadline from the White Sox, Jimènez had a hot two weeks, then teetered off. By mid-September he had no place on the team, and he was optioned last week. The Orioles will be on the hook for $1.5 million of his $3 million buyout.

Seranthony Domínguez, $8 million. The Orioles should do this, especially given the uncertainty of Félix Bautista. Bautista is expected to be ready for opening day after getting Tommy John elbow surgery last year, but the recovery is never a guarantee. Domínguez took over the closer role from Kimbrel, who was designated for assignment in September, and did not blow a save.

Ryan O’Hearn, $8 million: The Orioles start him only against right-handed pitchers, and he is hitting .264 against them. But is $8 million too much to pay for a platoon first baseman? Or do they trust that Coby Mayo’s defense will come along and Jackson Holliday can fill a lineup spot as a left-handed hitter.

Danny Coulombe, $4 million: This should be a given. Coulombe missed half the season after getting elbow surgery in June but pitched to a 2.12 ERA in 29 2/3 innings. He’s a key left-handed reliever who can be trusted in high-leverage innings.

Cionel Pérez, $2.2 million: In the grand scheme of things, $2.2 million is nothing. He issued a career high in walks and had a 4.53 ERA this season, but for $2.2 million they should keep him for pitching depth.

Arbitration-eligible players

The Orioles will have 16 arbitration-eligible players, with Dean Kremer, Emmanuel Rivera and Adley Rutschman entering the process for the first time. The others are Keegan Akin, Matt Bowman, Kyle Bradish, Dean Kremer, Jorge Mateo, Ryan Mountcastle, Cedric Mullins, Trevor Rogers, Burch Smith, Gregory Soto, Ramón Urías, Jacob Webb and Tyler Wells.

Last year, the Orioles offered contracts to all of their arbitration-eligible players. This does not mean that all have to make the opening day roster. They can be optioned (if they have options remaining), designated for assignment, placed on waivers or traded even if they are offered contracts.