The first major domino of the Orioles' offseason has fallen.
 
On Wednesday, Baltimore announced that it declined right-hander Jordan Lyles' $11 million club option for the 2023 season. The 32-year-old will hit the market when free agency begins Thursday at 5 p.m. ET.
 
It doesn't rule out a potential return to the O's for Lyles, though. According to a team source, the club will remain engaged with Lyles over the winter, but it preferred to decline the option due to the price point at this early juncture of the offseason.
 
Lyles signed with Baltimore last offseason and made $7 million in 2022. He proved to be worth the investment, serving in a valuable workhorse role for the Orioles' rotation.

Over 32 starts, Lyles pitched to a 4.42 ERA and recorded 144 strikeouts over a team-high 179 innings (one shy of his career best, set with the Rangers in 2021). It was one of the better seasons in his 12-year big league career.

At the end of the season, Baltimore general manager Mike Elias praised Lyles’ leadership. But the GM didn’t commit to exercising the righty’s option (which featured a $1 million buyout that Lyles will now receive).

“I think looking at what Jordan did for us this year, it was more than exactly what we hoped for when we signed him, and he was a tremendous influence on our staff this year,” Elias said at his end-of-season press conference.

For now, Lyles is again a free agent. But it's clear he made a strong impression on the Orioles and that he could still be a valuable member of their staff in 2023, should the two sides come to terms on a return.

Whether Lyles comes back or not, Baltimore remains in the market for starting pitching. At the GM Meetings in Las Vegas on Tuesday, Elias said he’s hoping to acquire a proven hurler who can slot into one of the top three spots in the rotation.