The Baltimore Orioles haven’t made a Christmas Day roster move in their entire franchise history, but that could change this year as Mike Elias continues building toward 2026.
It’s been a busy winter for Baltimore, with the front office finally opening up the checkbook after years of rebuilding. Orioles fans have already gotten plenty of early Christmas presents with the team’s recent additions.
According to Baseball Reference, no major league team has been particularly active on Christmas Day historically. But Christmas Eve? That’s a different story for the Orioles.
The most recent Christmas Eve signing came in 2014 when Baltimore picked up Cesar Cabral as a free agent. The left-handed reliever made exactly two appearances in 2015, throwing one perfect inning. Not exactly a franchise-altering move, but hey – a 0.00 ERA is a 0.00 ERA.
Before that, you have to go all the way back to 1997 when the Orioles signed utility infielder P.J. Forbes on Christmas Eve. Forbes appeared in nine games the following season, hitting .100 with a .200 OPS. Let’s just say that wasn’t the Christmas gift Orioles fans were hoping for.
A Chance to Make History
With Baltimore’s recent willingness to spend and their clear intention to compete in 2026, Elias has a golden opportunity to be the first GM in franchise history to pull off a Christmas Day transaction.
Any move – whether it’s a signing, trade, or even a minor roster adjustment – would be a franchise first. But given how active they’ve been this offseason, why not make it count?
Names like Tatsuya Imai, Ranger Suarez, or Framber Valdez would certainly qualify as Christmas presents worth unwrapping. The Orioles rotation could use another frontline starter, and landing one of these arms on Christmas Day would be the kind of move that gets fans talking.
It’s not exactly far-fetched either. Teams have been willing to conduct business throughout the holidays this winter, and Baltimore’s shown they’re serious about making moves.
After years of modest Christmas Eve signings that didn’t pan out, the Orioles could flip the script in a big way. Sometimes the best gifts come when you least expect them.
