Santander’s birthday, Rubenstein wants to speed up a championship, and first base could see changes.
Good Morning, Birdland!
Both LCS are on the verge of a conclusion. The Mets landed a counterpunch on the juggernaut Dodgers in Game 5, but now the series heads back to Los Angeles on Sunday. The Guardians have been scrappy against the Yankees, but a postseason collapse from closer Emmanuel Clase has been a huge blow to their chances. The Bronx Bombers could punch their ticket to the World Series as early as tonight.
In Baltimore, there’s no big news for the Orioles. They are standing by as they await the start of the offseason in the next week or two. For now, all we have is speculation around what the team might do with their two big free agents and how to get over the postseason hump.
Speaking of the free agents, today is Anthony Santander’s 30th birthday. The slugger is going to get a raise on the open market, but it’s unlikely to be an absurd number. The reality is that the switch-hitter is a bat-only player that is now on the wrong side of 30. Teams don’t tend to over-extend themselves for those types of players anymore. If the Orioles want him, they can afford it. But it will also raise questions about what happens with Heston Kjerstad, who struggled to find playing time in 2024.
Corbin Burnes is a slightly different situation. The team does not have an obvious heir-apparent atop the rotation. Zach Eflin was good after the trade in 2024, but he’s never consistently been more than a mid-rotation type of arm. Grayson Rodriguez has plenty of upside, but still has a lot to prove. Kyle Bradish should be back sometime in 2025, but the timeline is still fuzzy and nothing is guaranteed with Tommy John recovery. The Orioles have a need for a top pitcher.
The question will be around how Mike Elias envisions filling that need. We know he does not love the idea of paying free agent pitchers too much money. And we also know he doesn’t love to gamble with his prospects on the trade market. But with the offensive core largely sorted in the big leaguers for the next handful of seasons, there is some leeway to package the hitters in the upper minors for an impact arm. Or perhaps Burnes would be open to a shorter, higher AAV type of deal? It’s at least worth a conversation.
As we will hear time and time again over the next few months, the Orioles time to strike is now. This team is good and has a high ceiling. But windows like this can be fleeting. Burst through now or risk it closing tomorrow.
Links
Rubenstein: Orioles will ‘speed up the effort’ to get to World Series | Baltimore Baseball
The new owner mentions his age as a reason why he personally wants his team to win a World Series sooner rather than later. That’s valid. It also aligns with where the roster sits. The core of a champion is in place. But clearly there is work to be done.
This, that and the other | Roch Kubatko
Among other things, Roch wraps up all of the moving parts in the Orioles’ front office and coaching staff to this point. It’s been a busy couple of weeks. That feels like a good thing. The team is far from broken, but something had to be shaken up. Getting some fresh voices in the room should have some level of impact.
Why first base might be the position that defines the Orioles’ offseason | The Baltimore Banner
The Orioles have a good first base situation. Ryan Mountcastle and Ryan O’Hearn have worked well together as a platoon that as consistently provided solid production. But it is fair to wonder if there could be a more optimal setup already available to them within the organization.
The O’s fixing their offense will take more than new hitting coaches | The Baltimore Sun
The problems with the offense were not isolated to one player or one coach. There were widespread issues. But you aren’t going to give up on a core like this. Some tweaks need to be made, and perhaps some new voices will help get more consistency out of the roster.
Orioles birthdays
Is it your birthday? Happy birthday!
- Anthony Santander is 30 today. The pending free agent had one heck of a contract year, setting full-season career highs in home runs, RBI, and slugging percentage. After 8+ years in the Orioles organization, he is set to get a nice deal on the open market.
- Jordan Lyles celebrates his 34th birthday. The righty turned in a solid season for the Orioles in 2022, being that dependable veteran in the middle of the rotation.
- José Bautista turns 44. His big league career began in 2004 with the Orioles after they selected him in the Rule 5 draft from the Pirates in December. He appeared in just 16 games for the O’s, then bouncing around the league until blooming with the Blue Jays in 2010.
- Oswaldo Peraza is 62 years old. His big league career lasted one season. He pitched in 19 games for the 1988 Orioles, accumulating a 5.55 ERA over 86 total innings.
- The late Vic Roznovsky (b. 1938, d. 2022) was born on this day. He was a reserve catcher for the Orioles in 1966 and ‘67, meaning he did help the Orioles bring home their first World Series title.
This day in history
Baseball Reference indicates that nothing particularly interesting has ever happened to the Orioles on October 19. So, here are a few things that have happened beyond Birdland:
1943 – The first antibiotic for tuberculosis, Streptomycin, is isolated by researchers at Rutgers University.
1953 – Fahrenheit 451, a now-iconic novel by Ray Bradbury, is published.
1987 – The stock market crashes unexpectedly, costing $1.7 trillion in losses across the world, an event still referred to as Black Monday.