SARASOTA, Fla. — If spring training is the time for optimism and a fresh outlook on a ballclub’s future, the Orioles are meeting the moment.
Coming off back-to-back quick playoff exits, the Orioles entered spring training without the obvious No. 1 starter that has been a key part of their success the past two years. Corbin Burnes, their ace of last season, is an Arizona Diamondback. Kyle Bradish, who finished fourth in American League Cy Young Award voting in 2023, will be out until at least the second half as he recovers from Tommy John surgery. Neither will be on their opening day roster.
However, it’s not dampening the club’s expectations for itself in 2025. The Orioles have World Series aspirations, hopes anchored by one of the best young lineups in the major leagues.
“No, it’s not necessary,” Elias said Thursday of having an ace atop the rotation. “I said it at the time [the Orioles traded for Burnes], it’s nice if you have one. But it’s not something you’re going to have all the time. There are other strengths and weaknesses of rosters. The important thing for us is putting together a team that projects as playoff-caliber, championship-caliber, and that can come in different shapes and sizes.”
The Orioles do have candidates to rise to the title of an ace. Former top prospect Grayson Rodriguez has shown tremendous upside with lofty strikeout totals and, at 25 years old, could be on the cusp of a breakout season if he can manage to stay healthy. The veteran Zach Eflin is also only two years removed from receiving down-ballot Cy Young votes of his own and he’s coming off a strong second half that included a 2.60 ERA in nine starts with Baltimore.
“Obviously, you go out and attack every game like it might be your last,” Rodriguez said. “You want to leave everything you have on the field and you want to be able to handle the pressure. I think that’s something that I’m ready for.”
The club won’t know if Rodriguez — or Eflin, who hasn’t yet reported to Sarasota after his wife had a baby — can rise to that occasion until the games begin to count. They won’t know if Dean Kremer can shake the inconsistencies he’s dealt with in the past or how well Tomoyuki Sugano will adjust from the Japanese style of pitching to that of the majors, nor do they have a crystal ball that will tell them whether 41-year-old Charlie Morton can keep churning out innings.
What the Orioles do know is that roster improvements can be made in-season. Bradish would present a massive boost to the rotation if he can pick up where he left off in 2024. Tyler Wells, also coming back from Tommy John, could factor in as either a starter or reliever. But even if neither of them make much of an impact, the trade market will churn enough for new names that might not yet be available to be floated in future talks.
“I think we’ve put ourselves in a really good position to continue to play towards the top of our division,” Elias said. “Obviously, the competition’s really stiff, and Major League Baseball, we all know what the landscape looks like. But we’re really excited about where the team’s at, where the organization’s at, where the franchise is at. I think we’re going to have a great season.”
It might require the offense to shoulder a greater responsibility for producing wins early in the season, but the Orioles believe they have a rotation that can surprise people. And if they don’t, they still have five and a half months until the trade deadline.
“Burnesy was a true No. 1 for us last year and he pitched like it,” manager Brandon Hyde said. “It was great for Dean and Grayson to see what that looks like. I got some high expectations for those two guys this year. I think that they’re really, really ready right now. They look great and the improvement that Dean showed every single year and what’s been able to do, unfortunately Grayson got hurt last year, but I think both those guys have established themselves as good major league pitchers and continue to get better.”
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