Andy Kostka
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afkostka.bsky.social
Andy Kostka
@afkostka.bsky.social
Orioles beat reporter for the Baltimore Banner
Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times is reporting Cedric Mullins is in agreement on a one-year deal with the Rays
December 3, 2025 at 10:50 PM
Ryan Helsley had options. The Orioles won out. And now here, both he and his team are aiming for a bounce back year:

www.thebanner.com/sports/oriol...
Ryan Helsley explains why he signed with the Orioles
“I think we’ll have a good bullpen, and hopefully we’ll keep adding and make our team a little stronger," Helsley said. "We’re in a tough division, so it’s going to be a lot of fun this year with a lo...
www.thebanner.com
December 3, 2025 at 7:37 PM
December 3, 2025 at 2:28 AM
This deal is now official, the Orioles announce
The Orioles are signing left-hander Andrew Magno to a minor league deal with a spring training invite, per source.

Magno, most recently with the Tigers’ organization, pitched for Double-A Erie in 2025. He posted a 2.31 ERA in 66 1/3 innings
December 2, 2025 at 7:36 PM
Former Orioles manager Brandon Hyde joins Rays as senior advisor of baseball operations

www.thebanner.com/sports/oriol...
Former Orioles manager Brandon Hyde joins Rays
Hyde saw losing seasons turn into a division title in 2023, for which he earned the American League Manager of the Year Award.
www.thebanner.com
December 1, 2025 at 7:52 PM
Reposted by Andy Kostka
Jon Meoli: How Ryan Helsley’s signing sets the standard for the rest of the Orioles’ winter deals www.thebanner.com/sports/oriol...
Ryan Helsley’s signing sets the standard for the rest of the Orioles’ winter deals
Even with Helsley having the ability to opt out of the second year of his two-year, $28 million deal after the 2026 season, we’re still talking about a significant investment in a reliever — and a...
www.thebanner.com
December 1, 2025 at 6:10 PM
The Orioles are checking a key winter wish list item by agreeing to a deal with right-hander Ryan Helsley, a source confirmed. www.thebanner.com/sports/oriol...
Orioles agree to deal with late-inning reliever Ryan Helsley
The Orioles are checking a key winter wish list item by agreeing to a deal with right-hander Ryan Helsley, a source confirmed.
www.thebanner.com
November 29, 2025 at 9:04 PM
The Orioles land a late-inning arm. They have an agreement on a two-year deal with an opt out after the first for Ryan Helsley, source confirms, as Jeff Passan reported. Pending physical
November 29, 2025 at 8:22 PM
Dylan Cease sets the market early, as Jon Heyman reports it’s a 7-year, $210-million deal. It’ll be a pricey class of starting pitchers and the latter half of the contracts may not age well. But that’s the going rate
November 26, 2025 at 11:21 PM
The Orioles are signing left-hander Andrew Magno to a minor league deal with a spring training invite, per source.

Magno, most recently with the Tigers’ organization, pitched for Double-A Erie in 2025. He posted a 2.31 ERA in 66 1/3 innings
November 26, 2025 at 9:36 PM
Mike Shildt and the Orioles go way back. His mother worked for their Double-A affiliate, and a young Schildt shined Cal Ripken Jr.'s cleats when Cal was a prospect. Cool look from MLB . com a few years ago: www.mlb.com/news/mike-sh...
Shildt mesmerized by Ripken's work ethic
On Sept. 6, 1995, the night that Lou Gehrig's all-time record for consecutive games played was broken, 27-year-old Mike Shildt watched as the numbers on the warehouse behind right field were changed f...
www.mlb.com
November 26, 2025 at 6:57 PM
Orioles hire former Padres manager Mike Shildt to help with player development: www.thebanner.com/sports/oriol...
Orioles hire former Padres manager Mike Shildt for coordinator role
The Orioles are bringing former Padres manager Mike Shildt aboard in a minor league player development role, a source confirmed. Shildt, who recently departed San Diego after two seasons with 90 wins ...
www.thebanner.com
November 26, 2025 at 6:31 PM
The Orioles are hiring former Padres manager Mike Shildt as their upper level minor league coordinator of instruction, source confirms. And Samuel Vega is the lower level coordinator.

@rochkubatko.bsky.social had both of these first
November 26, 2025 at 6:06 PM
After the Tomoyuki Sugano experience, Orioles are ramping up efforts to sign Japanese players.

“We’ve demonstrated we can be a destination, and we’re going to keep working on that.”

www.thebanner.com/sports/oriol...
Mike Elias says Orioles are ramping up efforts to sign Japanese players
“Last year was a start, but we have scouts in the front office who are experienced in Asia,” Elias said. “They make multiple trips a year.”
www.thebanner.com
November 26, 2025 at 3:13 PM
Sonny Gray for, essentially, $21 million is a very good deal
Just to clarify on Gray -- he and the Red Sox reworked his contract, so that he'll earn $31 million in 2026 with a $10 million buyout of his mutual option for 2027. The Cardinals are sending $20M towards his salary for 2026. So: The Sox pay Gray $11M in 2026, then $10 million for the buyout.
November 25, 2025 at 5:03 PM
“I’m looking for pitches in the heart of the plate,” Taylor Ward said. “I think that gives me the best chance to have the most success.”

That approach worked.

Ward hit .395 when swinging against middle-middle pitches with a 1.123 slugging percentage.
www.thebanner.com/sports/oriol...
Taylor Ward’s prowess for punishing mistake pitches will translate well to Orioles
When Taylor Ward described his hitting philosophy on a video call with reporters Monday, the newly acquired Orioles outfielder recited almost word for word a staple of Baltimore’s hitting program for ...
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November 24, 2025 at 7:36 PM
Geoff Arnold, TV and radio play-by-play announcer, to leave Orioles coverage team

www.thebanner.com/sports/oriol...
Broadcaster Geoff Arnold to leave Orioles coverage team
Arnold has been part of Baltimore’s announcing crew since 2020.
www.thebanner.com
November 24, 2025 at 5:05 PM
Taylor Ward came up as a catcher before switching to the outfield. Asked if he could play as a third catcher for the Orioles, he said he could, but "I think if that is something that they were interested in, I feel like they would have told me that by now."
November 24, 2025 at 4:32 PM
Taylor Ward: "This team [the Orioles] is definitely capable of making a deep playoff run, and I'm excited to join that."
November 24, 2025 at 4:12 PM
Taylor Ward, the new Orioles outfielder, is on a video call with reporters. He said he knows Zach Eflin and asked him plenty of questions about the Os.

Ward has also talked with Craig Albernaz and Dustin Lind, who he called "fiery guys." Ward is excited to play for them
November 24, 2025 at 4:10 PM
Orioles play-by-play announcer Geoff Arnold is departing Baltimore's coverage team ahead of 2026, source confirms, as @brittghiroli.bsky.social reported. Arnold did TV and radio
November 24, 2025 at 4:02 PM
Close your eyes and pretend you just transported to 1965, although it’s a 21-year-old in Chicago cranking out throwback gems. Sharp Pins’ latest: open.spotify.com/track/2fLhiv...
Talking In Your Sleep
open.spotify.com
November 23, 2025 at 7:57 PM
This graphic from @invisibae.bsky.social puts into perspective the Orioles’ poor run of first-round pitching since 1991. Only three teams have generated less WAR from first rounders, and one of them didn’t begin as a team until 1998. Another, the Braves, built one of the best rotations via trade
November 22, 2025 at 3:26 PM
Let’s get this straight. I pay for Fubo to have cable channels. I pay for Peacock to get 75% of Premier League games. The one match I want is West Ham, which is on cable, and Fubo and NBC are fighting, so all of this money spent = I can’t watch West Ham
November 22, 2025 at 3:05 PM
Since 1991, the year after Baltimore drafted Mike Mussina, the Orioles have taken 20 first-round pitchers. They’ve generated 19.9 WAR combined when pitching for the Orioles — 27th out of 30 MLB teams.

From @invisibae.bsky.social
and me, the long run of bad luck:

www.thebanner.com/sports/oriol...
Grayson Rodriguez trade highlights Orioles’ inability to develop pitching
Before Rodriguez, there were Cody Sedlock, Matt Hobgood, Adam Loewen and more.
www.thebanner.com
November 22, 2025 at 2:52 PM