Andy Kostka
@afkostka.bsky.social
Orioles beat reporter for the Baltimore Banner
First turns of the ski season — Mont-Tremblant in Quebec
December 20, 2025 at 4:08 PM
First turns of the ski season — Mont-Tremblant in Quebec
I’m sure this has been noted somewhere, but the Rays sent the Orioles a competitive balance round A pick. That pick turned into Slater de Brun. Then de Brun helped the Orioles acquire Shane Baz
December 19, 2025 at 11:29 PM
I’m sure this has been noted somewhere, but the Rays sent the Orioles a competitive balance round A pick. That pick turned into Slater de Brun. Then de Brun helped the Orioles acquire Shane Baz
Orioles acquire Shane Baz from Rays, sending 4 prospects in return
www.thebanner.com/sports/oriol...
www.thebanner.com/sports/oriol...
Orioles acquire Shane Baz from Rays, sending 4 prospects in return
Baz, 26, is under team control for three more seasons. He returned from Tommy John elbow reconstruction surgery in 2024 and did well, but he regressed some in 2025.
www.thebanner.com
December 19, 2025 at 6:36 PM
Orioles acquire Shane Baz from Rays, sending 4 prospects in return
www.thebanner.com/sports/oriol...
www.thebanner.com/sports/oriol...
An important note:
Shane Baz in 2025 at Steinbrenner Field: 5.90 ERA in 82 1/3 innings
Baz on the road in 2025: 3.86 ERA in 84 innings
Shane Baz in 2025 at Steinbrenner Field: 5.90 ERA in 82 1/3 innings
Baz on the road in 2025: 3.86 ERA in 84 innings
December 19, 2025 at 6:36 PM
An important note:
Shane Baz in 2025 at Steinbrenner Field: 5.90 ERA in 82 1/3 innings
Baz on the road in 2025: 3.86 ERA in 84 innings
Shane Baz in 2025 at Steinbrenner Field: 5.90 ERA in 82 1/3 innings
Baz on the road in 2025: 3.86 ERA in 84 innings
The Orioles are acquiring right-hander Shane Baz from the Rays, source confirmed, as @Ken_Rosenthal said. Outfield prospect Slater de Brun is part of the return for the Rays, source said, as @JeffPassan said.
Baz, 26, had a 4.87 ERA last year in Tampa
Baz, 26, had a 4.87 ERA last year in Tampa
December 19, 2025 at 6:20 PM
The Orioles are acquiring right-hander Shane Baz from the Rays, source confirmed, as @Ken_Rosenthal said. Outfield prospect Slater de Brun is part of the return for the Rays, source said, as @JeffPassan said.
Baz, 26, had a 4.87 ERA last year in Tampa
Baz, 26, had a 4.87 ERA last year in Tampa
On the bad news front: John Means announced on Instagram that he has suffered a ruptured Achilles. He said he was set to sign with a team
December 19, 2025 at 12:31 AM
On the bad news front: John Means announced on Instagram that he has suffered a ruptured Achilles. He said he was set to sign with a team
I’m on an Amtrak for a couple hours. Ask me anything:
December 18, 2025 at 10:01 PM
I’m on an Amtrak for a couple hours. Ask me anything:
Shoutout Union Station
December 18, 2025 at 9:06 PM
Shoutout Union Station
Read @jonmeoli.bsky.social: Hitting coach Dustin Lind is new to the Orioles, but his ideas have been here for years
www.thebanner.com/sports/oriol...
www.thebanner.com/sports/oriol...
Jon Meoli: Hitting coach Dustin Lind is new to the Orioles, but his ideas are not
COLUMN: Lind's friendship with Anthony Villa, the Orioles’ director of player development, helped inform the team’s hitting philosophies. Now they’ll work together in Baltimore.
www.thebanner.com
December 18, 2025 at 5:01 PM
Read @jonmeoli.bsky.social: Hitting coach Dustin Lind is new to the Orioles, but his ideas have been here for years
www.thebanner.com/sports/oriol...
www.thebanner.com/sports/oriol...
Albert Suárez is back with the Orioles on a minor league deal. It includes an invite to spring training: www.thebanner.com/sports/oriol...
Orioles re-sign Albert Suárez to minor league deal
Even after the Orioles <a href="https://www.thebanner.com/sports/orioles-mlb/orioles-make-albert-suarez-a-free-agent-tender-contracts-to-others-including-ryan-mountcastle-LDB6MRQYUJHQ3DSSQ2Q2TBSDO4/" ...
www.thebanner.com
December 17, 2025 at 8:23 PM
Albert Suárez is back with the Orioles on a minor league deal. It includes an invite to spring training: www.thebanner.com/sports/oriol...
The Orioles have agreed to a minor league deal with right-hander Albert Suárez, they announce. Baltimore non-tendered him last month but have him back in the system.
And catcher Maverick Handley cleared waivers and heads to Triple-A
And catcher Maverick Handley cleared waivers and heads to Triple-A
December 17, 2025 at 7:57 PM
The Orioles have agreed to a minor league deal with right-hander Albert Suárez, they announce. Baltimore non-tendered him last month but have him back in the system.
And catcher Maverick Handley cleared waivers and heads to Triple-A
And catcher Maverick Handley cleared waivers and heads to Triple-A
The Orioles invited infielder Willy Vasquez to major league camp, according to his agent, Alex Cotto, on Instagram. A source said it’s a minor league deal.
Vasquez reached Double-A in 2025, where he hit .256
Vasquez reached Double-A in 2025, where he hit .256
December 17, 2025 at 7:12 PM
The Orioles invited infielder Willy Vasquez to major league camp, according to his agent, Alex Cotto, on Instagram. A source said it’s a minor league deal.
Vasquez reached Double-A in 2025, where he hit .256
Vasquez reached Double-A in 2025, where he hit .256
Trey Mancini on the Pete Alonso signing: “This signing brings a lot of excitement for this upcoming season, and I think this past year can be forgotten about pretty quickly in the grand scheme of things if things turn around, and you would think that they would, with the team being put together.”
December 17, 2025 at 2:50 PM
Trey Mancini on the Pete Alonso signing: “This signing brings a lot of excitement for this upcoming season, and I think this past year can be forgotten about pretty quickly in the grand scheme of things if things turn around, and you would think that they would, with the team being put together.”
Pete Alonso brings more to the Orioles than home runs — although he brings plenty of those, too.
On Baltimore’s multi-dimensional basher:
www.thebanner.com/sports/oriol...
On Baltimore’s multi-dimensional basher:
www.thebanner.com/sports/oriol...
Pete Alonso brings more to the Orioles than home runs
Pete Alonso arrives at the right time, joining a young team that underperformed in 2025. With his presence, the atmosphere around the club is higher than it has been in some time.
www.thebanner.com
December 17, 2025 at 2:41 PM
Pete Alonso brings more to the Orioles than home runs — although he brings plenty of those, too.
On Baltimore’s multi-dimensional basher:
www.thebanner.com/sports/oriol...
On Baltimore’s multi-dimensional basher:
www.thebanner.com/sports/oriol...
Reposted by Andy Kostka
This moment very nearly cost Navy big. Blake Horvath said he only had time to think, “Oh crap.”
Saturday’s effort was uneven by Navy’s star QB. But ultimately the Midshipmen beat Army in part because Horvath kept his cool — and delivered on a huge 4th down play: www.thebanner.com/sports/colle...
Saturday’s effort was uneven by Navy’s star QB. But ultimately the Midshipmen beat Army in part because Horvath kept his cool — and delivered on a huge 4th down play: www.thebanner.com/sports/colle...
December 14, 2025 at 2:34 PM
This moment very nearly cost Navy big. Blake Horvath said he only had time to think, “Oh crap.”
Saturday’s effort was uneven by Navy’s star QB. But ultimately the Midshipmen beat Army in part because Horvath kept his cool — and delivered on a huge 4th down play: www.thebanner.com/sports/colle...
Saturday’s effort was uneven by Navy’s star QB. But ultimately the Midshipmen beat Army in part because Horvath kept his cool — and delivered on a huge 4th down play: www.thebanner.com/sports/colle...
With ‘clutch’ fumble recovery and touchdown catch, Eli Heidenreich caps storied Navy career
www.thebanner.com/sports/colle...
www.thebanner.com/sports/colle...
Navy's Eli Heidenreich caps storied career with fumble recovery, TD catch
Perhaps the bigger contribution was a few moments earlier, when all thought left Eli Heidenreich’s head and instinct took over at the sight of a loose ball. The senior Navy slot back lunged after the ...
www.thebanner.com
December 14, 2025 at 1:46 AM
With ‘clutch’ fumble recovery and touchdown catch, Eli Heidenreich caps storied Navy career
www.thebanner.com/sports/colle...
www.thebanner.com/sports/colle...
Navy quarterback Blake Horvath waved goodbye to the Army bench at the final whistle. Think this game doesn't mean everything?
"The excuse last year was they played in a conference championship game before us. This year, we’ll see what it is."
"The excuse last year was they played in a conference championship game before us. This year, we’ll see what it is."
December 14, 2025 at 12:42 AM
Navy quarterback Blake Horvath waved goodbye to the Army bench at the final whistle. Think this game doesn't mean everything?
"The excuse last year was they played in a conference championship game before us. This year, we’ll see what it is."
"The excuse last year was they played in a conference championship game before us. This year, we’ll see what it is."
Navy beats Army, 17-16, in the 126th edition of America’s Game
December 13, 2025 at 11:18 PM
Navy beats Army, 17-16, in the 126th edition of America’s Game
Big-time play from Blake Horvath and Eli Heidenreich. Navy goes for it on fourth and goal from the 8, and the slant pass to Navy’s all-time receiving leader works.
Navy leads Army, 17-16
Navy leads Army, 17-16
December 13, 2025 at 10:56 PM
Big-time play from Blake Horvath and Eli Heidenreich. Navy goes for it on fourth and goal from the 8, and the slant pass to Navy’s all-time receiving leader works.
Navy leads Army, 17-16
Navy leads Army, 17-16
Phillip Hamilton picks off Cale Hellums on a severely underthrown ball, and that gives Navy a key opportunity midway through the fourth quarter, down 16-10
December 13, 2025 at 10:39 PM
Phillip Hamilton picks off Cale Hellums on a severely underthrown ball, and that gives Navy a key opportunity midway through the fourth quarter, down 16-10
Dawson Jones nails his third field goal of the game, this one from 48 yards. He just squeaked it over the bar. That's his career long, and Army leads Navy 16-7 with under 10 to play in the third quarter
Blake Horvath throws a ball behind Eli Heidenreich, and it goes off his hands into the arms of Army's Justin Weaver. Weaver's knee was down, so it's not a return touchdown. But it's a second Navy turnover and Army has the ball at the plus-32
December 13, 2025 at 10:05 PM
Dawson Jones nails his third field goal of the game, this one from 48 yards. He just squeaked it over the bar. That's his career long, and Army leads Navy 16-7 with under 10 to play in the third quarter
Blake Horvath throws a ball behind Eli Heidenreich, and it goes off his hands into the arms of Army's Justin Weaver. Weaver's knee was down, so it's not a return touchdown. But it's a second Navy turnover and Army has the ball at the plus-32
December 13, 2025 at 10:02 PM
Blake Horvath throws a ball behind Eli Heidenreich, and it goes off his hands into the arms of Army's Justin Weaver. Weaver's knee was down, so it's not a return touchdown. But it's a second Navy turnover and Army has the ball at the plus-32
At halftime, Army leads Navy, 13-7.
A 45-yarder from Dawson Jones as the half ended took advantage of a Navy fumble
A 45-yarder from Dawson Jones as the half ended took advantage of a Navy fumble
December 13, 2025 at 9:30 PM
At halftime, Army leads Navy, 13-7.
A 45-yarder from Dawson Jones as the half ended took advantage of a Navy fumble
A 45-yarder from Dawson Jones as the half ended took advantage of a Navy fumble
One possession each, one score each. Army immediately answers Navy with a score of its own. QB Cale Hellums with the keeper.
Both drives were 13 plays and 75 yards. They chewed up the first quarter.
Both drives were 13 plays and 75 yards. They chewed up the first quarter.
December 13, 2025 at 8:41 PM
One possession each, one score each. Army immediately answers Navy with a score of its own. QB Cale Hellums with the keeper.
Both drives were 13 plays and 75 yards. They chewed up the first quarter.
Both drives were 13 plays and 75 yards. They chewed up the first quarter.
Navy strikes first. Blake Horvath on the keeper to put the Mids ahead of Army with a touchdown on their first drive. Horvath had a sleek cut back through a gap
December 13, 2025 at 8:23 PM
Navy strikes first. Blake Horvath on the keeper to put the Mids ahead of Army with a touchdown on their first drive. Horvath had a sleek cut back through a gap