The Baltimore Orioles have had one of the most disappointing seasons after last year’s success, and it may cost them. With no clear direction for the team, a lot of players may want out.
Fansided’s Christopher Kline believes that one of Baltimore’s star pitchers, Tomoyuki Sugano, will be one of those to walk.
“Sugano won’t pile up strikeouts, but he can pitch to contact and eat innings, with a varied pitch arsenal at his disposal. He also plans to pitch in 2026, although it’s probably not with the Orioles for… reasons. Sugano is a 35-year-old rookie. He’s on an accelerated competitive timeline in MLB and he won’t want to stick around a losing situation unless there’s a hearty contract on the table,” Kline wrote.
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Kline continued, listing AL East rivals such as the Boston Red Sox or the New York Yankees as possible places Sugano may want to go.
“Baltimore would probably regret letting Sugano walk to a nearby rival like New York or Boston, which feels distinctly plausible, as his ceiling is higher than his numbers suggest. Sugano was putting up ace-like numbers for a solid stretch before the All-Star break,” Kline concluded.
This season, Sugano posted a 10-9 record with a 4.54 ERA, 103 Ks, and a WHIP of 1.336 in 151 innings pitched. He could be a solid end of the rotation guy for any team, and eats up innings with a chance to dominate.
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Hopefully, the Orioles do something to show that they have a competitive vision this offseason. Otherwise, Sugano is definitely going to hit the road.
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