A 101-win team a year ago, the Baltimore Orioles have shown no signs of slowing down in 2024. The team is off to a 39-22 start — a better winning percentage than in 2023 — but finds itself 4.5 games back in the AL East due to an even better opening stretch from the New York Yankees, who lead Major League Baseball in wins.

The Orioles should still easily make the playoffs, but winning their division for the second year in a row will prove challenging. As Baltimore pursues its first World Series title since 1983, here are four Orioles players that fans are already fed up with in the 2024 season

Cedric Mullins (OF)

Three years ago, Cedric Mullins notched the 21st 30-30 season in MLB history, earning an All-Star Game invitation while finishing ninth in the MVP race. He failed to reach those heights in the subsequent seasons but has been an above-average centerfielder for the O's.

Unfortunately, Mullin has dropped off entirely in 2024. While he does have 11 stolen bases, he is batting just .178 with a .539 OPS and a career-worst strikeout rate of 25.7 percent. His expected batting average of .201 and expected slugging of .312 are just as bad — signs a turnaround is not imminent for Mullins.

Austin Hays (OF)

An All-Star a year ago when he clubbed 35 doubles and finished with an OPS of .769, Austin Hays has hardly looked like the player he was in 2023. The left fielder batted .111 in April with no extra-base hits before finding himself on the IL to end the month.

The 28-year-old has been better since returning to total health, but he is still batting just .202 and has hardly been the extra-base threat he was during his All-Star campaign.

A multihomer game against the Toronto Blue Jays on June 3 — his first home run since September — could be the sign of a turnaround, but Hays has not offered much for Baltimore fans to cheer about in 2024. Add in poor defense, and Hays has the worst WAR (-0.6) of any player on the Orioles' active roster.

Yennier Cano (RP)

Not many teams can criticize an All-Star setup man with a sub-3.00 ERA. But then again, not many clubs are coming off a 101-win season like the Baltimore Orioles. Yennier Cano has been primarily fantastic for the Orioles since the start of the 2023 season, carrying a 2.24 ERA and a 1.073 WHIP across 100.2 innings pitched.

The issue for Cano comes in the ninth inning. Despite being one of the league's elite setup men, Cano struggles with save opportunities. The right-hander is just 10-for-13 in save opportunities during this period and is 2-for-3 during the 2024 campaign.

Cano is still an All-Star-level player, but he will need to be better in the ninth inning when the Orioles call upon him.

James McCann (C)

Not much is expected offensively of backup catchers, but there is the expectation that they should be at least average defenders to make up for their lack of hitting prowess. McCann has produced neither with his glove nor his bat this season for Baltimore.

The 34-year-old is hitting .196 with a .485 OPS and just one walk in 94 plate appearances. Defensively, he ranks in the 9th percentile in framing and blocks above average while also being below average in throwing out potential base stealers. That is hardly the profile of a beneficial player, and with his $4 million salary, the Orioles could do much better.