The Baltimore Orioles were the best team in the American League last year — at least in the regular season. The Orioles finished the year with a 101-61 record, and that was 11 games better than the Houston Astros (90-72), who finished with the second-best record in the American League.
The Texas Rangers emerged from their Wild Card spot with the same record as the Astros, and they went on to win the World Series. On the way to the World Championship, the Rangers swept the Orioles in a three-game division series and also were undefeated on the road throughout the postseason.
While it's certainly possible for another team to get hot like the Rangers did last year, they idea of a team going undefeated on the road is unlikely. However, the idea of the team with the best record in the American League winning the World Series is certainly within the realm of possibility — and perhaps probability.
Orioles have exceeded expectations each of the last two seasons
The Baltimore Orioles were perennial losers and cellar dwellers through the 2021 season. They were unable to compete with the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox and Tampa Bay Rays, and their biggest weakness was having a pitching staff that gave up long home runs and was unable to stop opponents' rallies.
However, the Orioles accumulated top draft picks and stockpiled elite talent. They brought up a superstar catcher in Adley Rutschman and followed that with shortstop Gunnar Henderson. Those two are present and future stars for the Orioles.
Rutschman was elevated to the Orioles fairly early in the 2022 season, and he looked like he belonged from the start. The Orioles started playing winning baseball with Rutschman in the lineup, and they went 83-79. It was the first time the Orioles had a winning record since 2016.
They were fighting for a Wild Card spot during the summer, and their improvement was eye catching since they had a 52-110 record the season before. Rutschman finished second in Rookie of the Year voting. He had a slash line of .254/.362/.445 while belting 13 home runs,scoring 70 runs and driving in 42.
Henderson was the featured rookie star last year, and he won Rookie of the Year honors as the Orioles dominated the American League East. He played both shortstop and third base last year, and he finished the season with a slash line of .255/.325/.489 with 28 home runs, 100 runs scored and 82 RBI. Henderson oozed confidence from the time he made his first appearance and as long as he stays healthy, he should have a brilliant run with the Orioles.
Key players and solid pitching
The Orioles had a fine lineup in addition to their two young superstars. Manager Brandon Hyde had a well-rounded batting order that included power from outfielder Anthony Santander and first baseman Ryan Mountcastle. Another key spark has come from centerfielder Cedric Mullins, who has shown the ability to run into the alleys and make challenging catches while also providing clutch offensive production.
As the Orioles improved their batting order, they also made significant upgrades among their pitchers. Kyle Gibson, Dean Kremer and Kyle Bradish all manned key positions in the starting rotation in 2023, and each of them were double-digit winners.
Gibson was 15-9 with a 4.73 earned run average and a WHIP of 1.318 while pitching 192.0 innings. Kremer was 13-5 with a 4.12 ERA and a 1.309 WHIP while 172.2 innings. Bradish had a 12-7 record with a razor sharp 2.83 ERA and a 1.043 WHIP in 168.2 innings.
In addition to the starting pitching, the Orioles got excellent production from a talented and deep bullpen.
Orioles have made improvements in 2024
The starting pitching figures to be improved in 2024 as the Orioles added former Brewer starter Corbin Burnes to the front of their rotation.
Burnes was a National League All-Star for three consecutive seasons, and he won the Cy Young Award in the 2021 season. Burnes has had double-digit victories each of the last three seasons, and he comes to the Orioles with excellent ERAs in each of the last three years.
He had a National League-leading 2.43 ERA while making 28 starts in 2021. His ERA was 2.94 in 2022 while making 33 starts in 2022 and he had a 3.39 ERA in 32 starts during the 2023 season. He has struck out 200 or more batters in each of the last three seasons.
The starting rotation in 2024 will include Burnes, right-handed pitcher Grayson Rodriguez, right hander Tyler Wells, Kremer and left hander Cole Irvin.
The other big addition the Orioles are expected to make at some point fairly early during the 2024 season is the promotion of Jackson Holliday to the parent club.
Many Orioles fans were disappointed to learn that Holliday will start the season in the minor league. The 20-year-old is considered the No. 1 prospect in the sport, and the son of former Major League star Matt Holliday has a brilliant swing and remarkable athletic ability.
Competition will test Orioles, but they appear to have the advantage
The Orioles play in the American League East, and that has been the best division in Major League Baseball for multiple years.
However, the Orioles have become the leaders and while teams like the New York Yankees, Toronto Blue Jays and Tampa Bay Rays have impressive players on their roster, they are not the complete teams the Orioles are as the 2024 season gets underway. The Boston Red Sox appear to be significantly below the Orioles and the other American League East teams, and are not considered serious contenders.
The primary competition could come from the Astros and the Rangers once again, although the American League Central champion Minnesota Twins have enough talent to push Baltimore, Houston and Texas.
The National League is sure to put a powerful representative in the World Series, with the Atlanta Braves or Los Angeles Dodgers serving as the favorites, and teams like the Philadelphia Phillies, Arizona Diamondbacks and Chicago Cubs attempting to move into the top spot.
The Orioles have to respect all of their competition, but they don't have to fear any of those teams. They have a powerful roster, and it will only get better when Holliday gets his opportunity. Expect that to happen before Memorial Day.
Look for the Baltimore Orioles to win the World Series for the first time since the 1983 season when Cal Ripken and Eddie Murray led the team to a 4-1 triumph over the Philadelphia Phillies.
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