The 2025 baseball season quickly was derailed right out of the gate for the Baltimore Orioles.
From early injuries to Colton Cowser and Jordan Westburg and the pitching staff playing injury roulette, the Birds got out of the gate extremely slow.
The result ended with long-time manager Brandon Hyde being fired, as the team fell to a season-low 18 games under .500 and realistically ended any hopes of a postseason run.
If remaining in the cellar wasn’t enough to nail the coffin shut, the trade deadline would drive the final nails needed to close the lid.
Orioles general manager Mike Elias would have an active trade season, dealing away nine players for 16 prospects in a fire sale that left the major league team bare of expiring contracts and the minor league system retooled once more.
Birdland was left to slog through the remainder of the season, hoping it passed by quickly and that the offseason would offer some hope for a rebound in 2026.
However, once again, the baseball gods weren’t done picking on Baltimore, as bad news continued to come in from left field and add to the dismay of the season.
Grayson Rodriguez, who had already been out for the entirety of the season, was announced out for the remainder of 2025 with elbow debridement surgery. Joining Rodriguez on the season-ending list was Zach Eflin and former All-Star closer Félix Bautista.
At this point, Birdland was ready to bury its head in the sand and hide just to avoid any more negativity. Then, something happened that made Birdland pop its heads up and peek around the corner.
Rookie right-hander Brandon Young seemed to put things together and flirted with a perfect game against one of the best teams in baseball, the Houston Astros. If not for former teammate Ramón Urías‘ infield single, Young very well could have made history against Mike Elias’ former employer.
The Orioles would go on to win the game, 7-0, giving Young his first victory at the ballpark he saw his first professional game in when he was five years old. The Orioles’ 2024 Minor League Pitcher of the Year showed just how much he has learned during his time in the bigs this season.
The Orioles tried to follow up that amazing performance by bringing up their No. 3 prospect, outfielder Dylan Beavers, and having him make his big league debut on Saturday. Beavers did not disappoint either, as he would pick up his first hit, a double off of one of the best relievers in baseball in Bryan Abreu.
With fellow outfielder Colton Cowser set to return Sunday from the seven-day concussion IL, the O’s outfield could be fun again and provide some excitement going forward.
The Orioles weren’t done there, though, as they called up No. 1 organizational and No. 8 MLB Pipeline prospect, catcher Samuel Basallo, to make his major league debut Sunday while activating Cowser for the series finale against the Astros.
Like Beavers just a day prior, Basallo would collect his first big league hit and collect his first two RBIs in what was a dominating 12-0 shutout victory to claim the series in Houston.
It seems as if the vibes are back in Charm City, as the Birds have now claimed back-to-back series victories against two postseason-bound clubs in the Astros and Seattle Mariners.
As the Orioles head into the final stretch of the season, things are going to be fun and exciting once again. The games might not mean much standings-wise, but for Birdland, it will mean a lot to what the 2026 season could bring and a glimpse of how exciting this O’s team can become once more.
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