Continuing our series previewing the American League East, we have the team we’re sure you’re most excited for, our beloved Baltimore Orioles.
The Orioles were a team many thought would be a big spender in free agency. They were rumored to be in on many of the front-line starters, whether that be in free agency or the trade market.
Orioles GM Mike Elias ended up taking a very different approach, and while it’s fair to say it was incredibly underwhelming, I do believe the O’s offseason was not the disaster it’s been made out to be.
Key Additions: OF Tyler O’Neill, RHP Tomoyuki Sugano, RHP Charlie Morton, RHP Andrew Kittredge, OF Ramón Laureano, OF Dylan Carlson, C Gary Sánchez
Key Subtractions: RHP Corbin Burnes, OF Anthony Santander, DH Eloy Jiménez, LHP John Means, LHP Danny Coulombe, RHP Jacob Webb, OF Austin Slater
While this offseason wasn’t flashy at all, Baltimore quietly checked off all that they needed and are coming into 2025 with a much deeper squad than the year prior.
Even with a depleted squad, the O’s scrapped all year, mustering 91 wins in 2024. While the New York Yankees did beat them out for the top spot in the East, Baltimore did secure its second straight postseason berth in as many seasons, along with its third consecutive winning season.
Offensively, Baltimore is essentially running it back. The core of Gunnar Henderson, Adley Rutschman, Colton Cowser, Jordan Westburg and Jackson Holliday is going to be around for a while and gives the Birds a very high floor at the plate.
Many people will point to the loss of Anthony Santander as a reason that the O’s could take a step back on offense, but that could not be any more wrong.
Tyler O’Neill is a valid replacement of Tony and will cost the team over $40 million less. However, the injury concerns are very real with O’Neill, as he’s played 113 or less games in each of the last three seasons, while Tony Taters has played in 150 or more games in that time frame.
But, the numbers don’t lie. When healthy, O’Neill is flat out a better all-around player. In 2024, O’Neill had a higher batting average, OBP, SLG, OPS, wRC+ and nearly the same fWAR in 42 fewer games than Santander.
A bounce back season from Ryan Mountcastle, who has been tearing it up this spring, would be another huge boost for Baltimore, but with such a plethora of good young hitters, this unit will be amongst the best in baseball once again in 2025.
The pitching concerns have much more validity to them. Unlike Santander, the fanbase is right on the fact that Corbin Burnes was not replaced adequately.
Tomoyuki Sugano and Charlie Morton have both had very good springs, but Morton is in all likelihood a quality back-end starter at best, while Sugano has never pitched an inning in Major League Baseball.
Zach Eflin is a solid starter but lines up more as a three than a two, and Grayson Rodriguez, who the Orioles desperately need to take a step forward, is hurt once again, with a return set for mid-to-late May.
There is reason for optimism, however, as Cade Povich has been lights out this spring, pitching to a 3.07 ERA and a 0.89 WHIP. His command has been much improved, and I think he has a real chance to be a contributor to this rotation from the jump.
As I mentioned with the Toronto Blue Jays, I don’t really look into relief pitching as much as other areas due to its year-to-year volatility. However, I do think Baltimore will have huge improvement in that department.
Replacing Craig Kimbrel with Félix Bautista alone would be worthy of a parade, but moving Albert Suárez to the pen along with Yennier Cano, Keegan Akin, Gregory Soto, Cionel Pérez and eventually Andrew Kittredge should make for a top 12 bullpen.
STRENGTHS
Without being too redundant, the Birds will go as far as their bats will take them this year.
Baltimore was second in team OPS+ in 2024 at 118. Even if Gunnar Henderson takes a small step back from his historic season, improvements from Rutschman, Mountcastle and Holliday, along with the addition of O’Neill, should give the Orioles an even better offense in 2025.
WEAKNESSES
The Orioles don’t necessarily have a glaring weakness. I think the rotation is good enough to give the O’s a chance in most games, but if they were to disappoint this season, my guess is it would be the rotation’s depth that troubles them.
Grayson Rodriguez already struggles to stay on the field, and he’ll be starting the season rehabbing from elbow soreness. That leaves the Orioles with Eflin, Sugano, Morton, Povich, Suárez and Dean Kremer as starters on the roster. There are question marks with many of these guys, and with the nature of pitching in the modern day league, more injuries to the rotation are likely.
Of course, the Orioles have young pieces to move in the event they need to acquire pitching from other clubs, and I think it’s probable Mike Elias does acquire at least one more starter before the trade deadline. However, the O’s will need to hope for better injury luck on the pitching side to have any chance at a deep postseason run. A late-season Kyle Bradish and/or Tyler Wells return would be a huge boost as well.
PROJECTED RECORD: 93-69 DIVISION FINISH: 2nd PLACE
Don’t let anyone tell you different. This is a very good baseball team that should enjoy another 90-win season, as long as things don’t completely spiral out of control.
With all of this being said, The Baltimore Battery’s final projection is for our Baltimore Orioles to finish second in the AL East with a win/loss record of 93-69.
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