This story was excerpted from Jake Rill's Orioles Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center has been filled with baseball executives, agents and media members since the Winter Meetings got underway Sunday. But the buzz heading into the four-day event hasn’t translated to a ton of moves being made by MLB’s 30 clubs.

Before the Winter Meetings conclude Wednesday, here are six things we’ve learned about the Orioles, who have been represented in Nashville by general manager Mike Elias, manager Brandon Hyde and various members of the front-office staff.

1. The O’s are still seeking pitching, but the market is developing slowly
Elias shared at last month’s GM Meetings that Baltimore is targeting a starter who can upgrade its rotation and a reliever (preferably one with closing experience) who can help offset the loss of All-Star closer Félix Bautista (out for the 2024 season after Tommy John surgery).

At the Winter Meetings, Elias restated those objectives for his club. However, the free-agent and trade pitching markets are both off to relatively slow starts this offseason.

“Obviously, there are a ton of free agents still on the market, and things really haven’t broken loose. It’s a little bit of a surprise, but every Winter Meetings is different,” Elias said. “But it makes for a lot of possibilities still out there, both trade and free agent, and we’re working on it.”

2. The position-player side of the roster may already be set
Don’t expect any major free-agent signings or trades that feature Baltimore acquiring position players this winter. The majority of that side of the roster is already set, although Elias said the Orioles could bring in another outfielder to offset the loss of Aaron Hicks (now a free agent). It would make the most sense for that player to be a right-handed hitter to balance the roster.

Elias named Colton Cowser (Baltimore’s No. 2 prospect per MLB Pipeline), Heston Kjerstad (No. 3), Ryan McKenna, and Kyle Stowers among the internal candidates to join starters Austin Hays, Cedric Mullins and Anthony Santander in the big league outfield mix.

3. The pain of getting swept by the Rangers in the ALDS remains
It’s been nearly two months, but neither Elias nor Hyde have gotten over this year’s American League Division Series, when the 101-win Orioles were swept in three games by Texas.

“There was a lot of disappointment,” Hyde said. “I’m really proud of our season; I don’t want to take that for granted. ... But you do that and you fall short like we did, it takes a while to go away, and so, it hasn’t gone away for me yet.”

4. Tyler Wells and DL Hall don’t yet have defined roles for 2024
Wells and Hall could both be relievers, one could be a starter and the other a reliever or both could be starters -- although Elias said that final occurrence would likely only happen if the O’s lose other starting pitchers to injuries.

For now, it remains unknown how Baltimore will deploy either Wells or Hall.

“I think that we won’t know until we get into Spring Training, and even into next season,” Elias said. “But I’m happy about the fact that we’re able to talk about both guys in a starter context and also a reliever context.”

5. Jackson Holliday might actually be a big leaguer on Opening Day
At 20 years old -- and with only 145 games of Minor League experience under his belt -- Holliday is already on the cusp of the big leagues. In fact, MLB Pipeline’s No. 1 overall prospect could even make the Orioles’ 2024 Opening Day roster.

Elias said on Tuesday it’s “a very strong possibility” Holliday breaks camp with the O’s this spring.

6. The Orioles feel they already have a team that can repeat as AL East champions
The 2024 season doesn’t start today. But if it did, the Orioles feel they’re in a good spot to contend for a second consecutive AL East championship even before making any moves.

“I think we're really talented, and I think our guys are going to continue to get better,” Hyde said. “I'm excited about the talent we have on the mound, and we're really, really athletic position-player-wise. If we started tomorrow with what we have right now, I'd be more than happy with it."

Added Elias: “It would not be ideal for us to be totally dormant all winter, and we’re going to do our best to avoid that. But we’re viewing this as a winter to augment this group and to reinforce it and supplement it and not reinvent it or supplant this group.”