The Baltimore Orioles could’ve had it all.
After accruing an impressive level of young talent during their rebuilding years in the late 2010s and early 2020s, the Orioles finally broke through in 2023. They won 101 games — their most wins in a season since 1979 — and won the AL East.
While they fell short in the playoffs, they looked like a team that was poised to dominate the American League for the rest of the decade. With their young core in place and one of the best farm systems in baseball, all they had to do was add the finishing touches to put them over the top and turbocharge a potential dynasty.
Instead, Baltimore’s front office has been too conservative, failing to make the kind of bold, win-now moves that could have turned the team into a superpower.
The last few years have seen countless missed opportunities for the Orioles, especially on the pitching side. They only got one year out of Corbin Burnes but failed to re-sign him in free agency, losing him to the Arizona Diamondbacks. They also failed to swing trades for premier arms like Dylan Cease, Tarik Skubal and Garrett Crochet when they had the chance. MLB Network’s Mark DeRosa clearly believed the O’s should have traded for Crochet.
Instead, Baltimore has settled for second-tier players like Charlie Morton, Kyle Gibson and Trevor Rogers, and it’s gotten second-tier results. Entering play on Thursday, the Orioles have the second-worst starting pitcher ERA in baseball (5.29), ahead of only the abysmal Colorado Rockies (5.73).
That’s inexcusable for a team that’s in its championship window and should be trying to win now. Baltimore doesn’t even have an ace, despite having plenty of opportunities to acquire him.
The Orioles have been taking half-measures and aiming for depth rather than meaningful upgrades, and they’ve stagnated as a result. They dropped to 91 wins last year and are 7-10 this season, so they’re trending in the wrong direction.
Baltimore is squandering precious time with its young stars, none of whom have been extended. General manager Mike Elias failed to build a competent starting rotation last winter, and now it’s threatening to derail the entire season.
While the Orioles have been hit hard by injuries this year and their manager is incompetent, that doesn’t excuse their underwhelming offseason. They have great prospects, rising stars and an owner who’s willing to spend, so they have everything they need to build a powerhouse. They just haven’t done it.
There’s no reason Baltimore can’t be like the 2016 Chicago Cubs or 2018 Boston Red Sox — juggernauts built around a nucleus of young position players that aggressively added pitching talent through trades and free agency.
Given that the Orioles haven’t drafted a starting pitcher in the first round since 2019, their pitching depth is underwhelming. They need to add pitching talent externally, even if it means parting with promising prospects or young stars.
Until they do, they’re likely stuck.
Baltimore could and should be one of the best teams in baseball by now. It’s incredibly frustrating that they’re not.
