Why Orioles Can't Be Slept On After Rocky Season
The Baltimore Orioles may have faded into the background last season, but an aggressive offseason has them right back into the running this year, and they shouldn't be written off.
The Baltimore Orioles are coming off a rough season that saw injuries to their biggest pieces on offense, the loss of Corbin Burnes in the prior offseason, and the firing of manager Brandon Hyde, but the core of their playoff roster is still intact. Three key players are going to start the season on the injured list, but Jackson Holliday, who suffered a right hamate bone fracture, is expected to make his return in mid-April, according to Jake Rill of MLB.com.
The biggest addition in the offseason was snatching Pete Alonso on a five-year contract, adding another explosive bat to a lineup that, when healthy, can compete with the juggernauts at the top of the division. With Holliday, Gunnar Henderson, Colton Cowser, and the expected emergence of Samuel Basallo, the Orioles desperately needed a consistent right-handed power bat. They found it in Alonso, who has hit 30+ home runs in every season of his career, excluding the COVID-19-shortened 2020 season.
The Lineup Has the Firepower — If It Stays Healthy
Adley Rutschman is one of the most important pieces to the Orioles' puzzle this season. If he can return to form, when Jordan Westburg returns from injury, the top eight hitters for the Orioles could create one of the most underappreciated lineups in baseball.
Hitting was never the caution point last season; the Orioles achilles heel was the lack of strong and consistent starting pitching. After losing the aforementioned Burnes two winters ago, the Orioles countered that loss with additions of Tomoyuki Sugano and Charlie Morton, both of whom had higher than a 4.50 ERA with Baltimore last season. After seeing the failure of last season's pitching staff, the Orioles got aggressive this winter, making a deal with the Tampa Bay Rays for Shane Baz, who had a down season last year but had a 3.06 ERA in 2024, after getting a late start returning from an injury in May.
Fixing the Rotation — and Rebuilding the Back End
The other piece to that is getting a fully healthy Kyle Bradish, who received Cy Young votes in 2023 before his last two seasons were sidetracked by Tommy John Surgery. Bradish has a high ceiling, and in his six starts last season, he pitched to a 2.53 ERA and a 13.2 K/9. If he can continue to carry that momentum into this season, the Orioles could have solved their issues at the top end of the rotation.
Felix Bautista is going to miss a chunk of time this season, and when he returns, he will be a welcome sight in the Orioles bullpen, but in the meantime, they added former National League saves leader Ryan Helsley during the offseason. Helsley should help bear the load for Bautista upon his return and dissolve hope as the two could be one of the most lethal pairings in the late innings.
While the American League East is tough, the Orioles have a roster capable of contending. Last season was filled with instability, but they are not a team to be forgotten about and could sneak up into the playoff race and surprise some people during the final stretch.
Join the Rundown community — free. Jump into the discussion, react to our stories, and connect directly with writers and fellow fans.
Baseball is better when everyone’s in it.
