LAS VEGAS — There’s a familiar refrain going around the Cosmopolitan during each conversation about the Orioles. During the GM meetings, which serve as a kickoff of sorts for Major League Baseball’s offseason, there is no doubt about what Baltimore must do.

“First and foremost, they need an anchor in that rotation,” one National League scout said. “They have forever. This is literally the biggest ‘duh’ in all of baseball, in my opinion.”

The Baltimore Banner spoke with five agents, scouts and executives on the condition of anonymity to gather an understanding of how the industry views the Orioles as free agency begins. The consensus does not come as a surprise, and Orioles president of baseball operations Mike Elias hasn’t shied from Baltimore’s interest in adding to its pitching staff this winter, just as he has acknowledged the aim previous years.

At the GM meetings Wednesday, Elias said a “front-line starter” is a target, along with a late-inning reliever and an impact bat. The industry views those as necessities for Baltimore to return to the postseason. And the Orioles may need more than one of each, according to the sources.

So, while the Orioles’ offseason to-do list begins with starting pitching, that is far from the only item to check off as the club aims to rebound from a last-place finish in the American League East. They mirrored Elias’ spoken goal of adding a veteran bat and a reliever with closing experience.

But there is a range of opinions on whether the Orioles will be in on the top-end candidates, despite owner David Rubenstein saying they do not have financial limitations.

“Unfortunately, no,” one agent who works at a major firm said when asked whether he believed the Orioles will be big spenders this winter. The agent said his caution stems from a lack of history to support the assertion. Even though the Orioles expanded payroll last season, reaching about $160 million, according to Spotrac, they have yet to make a major free-agent signing.

The time has come, however, for such a splash, most of the sources said.

“They need a No. 1 to pair with Kyle Bradish,” the first agent said.

“They need to go out and get a front-line guy at this point. They have plenty of back-end types,” the scout added.

“I feel like they need to make some big moves this offseason to get back to being a legit contender, especially in that division,” a second National League scout said. “The theme is probably going to have to be: spend a lot of money and don’t mess around and not try to get fancy with it like they tried last year. I don’t think they can afford to do that again. So they’re going to have to open up the pocketbooks.”

“They need to add pitching for a variety of roles,” one National League front office executive said. “Obviously, there is a need for upgrades in the rotation, and getting injured arms back will certainly help, but at the same time a rotation upgrade would bolster their postseason chances.”

“They’re going to be one of the more active clubs in free agency, for sure,” added Scott Boras, who represents some of the most notable Orioles players, including Gunnar Henderson.

The second National League scout pointed to several free-agent arms as the kind of starters the Orioles should target, beginning with left-hander Ranger Suárez, who posted a 3.20 ERA in 157 1/3 innings for the Philadelphia Phillies in 2025. The scout also mentioned Framber Valdez (3.66 ERA in 192 innings), Dylan Cease (4.55 ERA in 168 innings), Michael King (3.44 ERA in 73 1/3 innings) and Shota Imanaga (3.73 ERA in 144 2/3 innings) as starters Baltimore should target.

Doing so, the scout said, would be a statement of intent.

The first scout said he would not be surprised to see the Orioles target the trade market rather than free agency to land a starter. That scout picked right-hander Freddy Peralta as a prime candidate for a trade to Baltimore after his 2.70 ERA in 176 2/3 innings with Milwaukee. Peralta will be a free agent after the 2026 season.

What the Orioles can’t afford to do, the first scout said, is to rely heavily on internal options. This scout views right-hander Trey Gibson, who reached Triple-A this year, as more of a bullpen contributor for Baltimore next year. The scout thinks highly of right-hander Michael Forret, but Forret is only in Double-A.

And, although Grayson Rodriguez could be a “real wild card for us talent-wise,” Elias said, it remains to be seen whether the right-hander can maintain his health throughout the season.

“The blunt point here is they just don’t have the rotation to stick up with the AL East, dude,” the first scout said. “I mean, the other problem is, the other three teams in their division [Yankees, Red Sox and Blue Jays] are probably looking for the same exact thing, and they always pay more money than the Orioles. I guess we’ll see if Rubenstein is serious.”

The bigger issue, the executive from a National League club said, is the bullpen. Elias listed a late-inning reliever as a target, but the executive said it likely will take more than one to compete. The reacquisition of Andrew Kittredge was a prudent move, multiple people said, but it shouldn’t end there.

The Orioles need “more than one guy” who can perform in high-leverage moments,” a second agent said. “Right now,” the agent said, “the final two innings are a bit of a mystery.”

A potential solution found internally could be to transition some of the starting depth into relievers, the first scout said. That might include right-hander Tyler Wells becoming a reliever full time. Even Rodriguez, as a three-inning swing man twice a week, could be a coup, if done right.

One of the more incalculable aspects onlookers called for is a veteran figure to join the position-player group. From the outside, there appeared to be issues with a youth-heavy lineup navigating a losing streak. An agent and a scout both mentioned Justin Turner, a 40-year-old first baseman and designated hitter, as the type of player who could make a massive impact off the field, even if his on-field numbers aren’t stellar.

“What they really missed last year was a veteran, anchor bat,” the first scout said. “It doesn’t even need to necessarily be a dude, you know? They don’t have a Justin Turner in their lineup, or somebody who’s productive, a seasoned veteran, and somebody who can show these kids how to do it. They didn’t have it to start the year, and they didn’t have it to end the year. It’s such a ‘duh’ thing, but it really matters, man.”

Elias agreed.

“That was an area that just didn’t happen, the right sort of leadership chemistry, not for any one player’s lack of effort, but it just was a vacancy that we felt,” Elias said.

That veteran presence doesn’t need to be an everyday player. What may be more important, the second scout said, is an answer to the middle of the lineup. Right now, there’s no clear No. 4 hitter. And, although the Orioles are targeting the center-field market, a larger benefit might come from a corner outfielder who can fill the cleanup spot.

It would take considerable financial strength, but signing Kyle Tucker, Cody Bellinger or Kyle Schwarber could unlock the rest of the lineup.

“If you can land Tucker or Bellinger and you want to put Bellinger in the corner, do it, and then [Colton] Cowser in center,” the second scout said. “You might lose some defense in center, but I would do it for the offensive upgrade you’d get from Tucker or Bellinger in the corners. But ideally, for me, Cowser is a left or right fielder. And he’s a six or seven hitter. He needs to bounce back.”

Another consideration, of course, is whether the Orioles will tie down some of their young talent. Henderson and Jackson Holliday are represented by Boras.

When asked if Elias is interested in pursuing long-term extensions for those players, Boras affirmed.

“He’s on it. He’s in there,” Boras said, before adding that there are many considerations ahead of Elias this winter. “I think he’s got really a whole [host] of decisions to make, and he’s got a lot of room to do it.”

Elias did his part Wednesday by emphasizing the willingness Baltimore’s ownership group has to spend what is necessary. But, until the team takes action, some remain skeptical of the all-chips-in nature of conversations in Las Vegas this week.

“I think they will be more aggressive but also will be calculated and won’t reach if they feel a player is overpriced on the market,” the National League executive said. “I could see them taking a balanced approach, signing one bigger free agent and addressing other needs through trades and smaller free-agency signs.”