Here’s what The Baltimore Sun sports staff had to say immediately after the Orioles’ 12-2 win over the Toronto Blue Jays in Thursday’s season opener at Rogers Centre:
Matt Weyrich, reporter: If there were any lingering effects from the way last season ended, the Orioles put them to rest and buried the coffin in cement with their opening day performance.
Adley Rutschman, whose second-half slump was a microcosm of the Orioles’ overall offensive struggles, recorded three hits and left the yard twice. Zach Eflin, the de facto No. 1 starter after Corbin Burnes’ departure, notched an efficient quality start. Tyler O’Neill, the replacement for lineup fixture Anthony Santander, put his eye-popping power on full display.
The lineup’s 12 runs and 14 hits came from all over the lineup. All nine members of the Orioles’ starting lineup reached base at least once, and Cedric Mullins was an unlikely force launching two home runs from the No. 7 spot.
If there was one area of concern from this game, it was Seranthony Domínguez’s shaky performance after he struggled in spring training. But at least on Day 1, the Orioles don’t have too many concerns. Their quest to bounce back in 2025 is off to a strong start.
Jacob Calvin Meyer, reporter: There was no shortage of critical takes about the Orioles’ offseason. General manager Mike Elias let Corbin Burnes walk and didn’t bring in an ace to replace him. He extended a contract to fan-favorite Anthony Santander that the slugger felt was a low-ball offer. He dished out $73.25 million to eight free agents, but none of them were the type of splash signing that many in the fan base expected in David Rubenstein’s first offseason as Orioles owner.
In a vacuum, all those critiques are fair, and they could certainly result in the club not taking the next step. But what was often downplayed this winter — and at times flat-out ignored — is how elite this offense could be this season, and opening day Thursday in Toronto was perhaps an appetizer.
The Orioles wasted no time pounding Blue Jays starter José Berríos and later his bullpen, setting a franchise-record with six home runs on opening day. It started with Adley Rutschman continuing his opening day dominance with a solo shot in the first inning, and the offense never let up. Cedric Mullins singled home a run in the second, homered in the fourth and blasted a second long ball in the seventh. With Santander watching from left field, his replacement in Tyler O’Neill reached base in all five of his plate appearances, including a three-run homer in the third. And, as if all that didn’t make enough of a statement, Rutschman and Jordan Westburg smacked back-to-back jacks in the eighth.
This team is not perfect. The starting rotation is ace-less and maybe too old. The bullpen looks shaky. Injuries are already a concern. But the offense’s performance Thursday provided a loud reminder that Baltimore’s bats are not to be taken lightly.
C.J. Doon, editor: MASN play-by-play announcer Kevin Brown summed it perfectly in the eighth inning: “What more could you possibly want?” Adley Rutschman returned to form with two long home runs, igniting his AL MVP campaign in a hurry. New outfielder Tyler O’Neill went deep in his native Canada to extend his MLB record with a home run on a staggering sixth straight opening day. Cedric Mullins reminded everyone that he’s still a standout player when healthy and swinging a hot bat, crushing two homers to get a potential bounce-back season started. Jordan Westburg added a nice little reminder that he’s an All-Star with a home run of his own, too. Zach Eflin looked more than capable of being the go-to guy at the top of the rotation, flirting with a perfect game and showing some sharp action on his sweeper. And the bullpen? Seranthony Domínguez and Keegan Akin didn’t look sharp, adding even more anxiety about how this group of relievers will perform coming off a disappointing season. But the offense was so good that we didn’t even need to see Félix Bautista pitching in a big spot. This could be a really, really fun year.
Tim Schwartz, editor: An opening day blowout, just what Orioles fans needed after mixed feelings at best about their offseason. We can question their decisions this winter, but you can’t question how good this lineup has the potential to be. There are no holes. Tyler O’Neill turning into Babe Ruth every opening day is a fun story, but he’s got some serious pop and will do some significant damage all season (assuming he stays healthy, which is not a given) in the heart of the order. Cedric Mullins and Adley Rutschman appear to be in midseason form, and Zach Eflin was his usual steady self. I am excited to see how good this lineup can be. If the starting pitching comes around, the Orioles’ bullpen woes can be overlooked since they might be playing with leads often.
Bennett Conlin, editor: As far as opening day statements go, the Orioles made a loud one. Zach Eflin looked in control on the mound, stifling a division rival’s lineup, and the bullpen looked fine closing out the victory. Baltimore’s bats had no issues, hitting six home runs in the win. Cedric Mullins and Adley Rutschman — it’s safe to say the star catcher is officially back in form in my book — both hit two. Offseason acquisition and opening day legend Tyler O’Neill blasted one, while former Orioles slugger Anthony Santander went hitless in his Blue Jays debut. It’s only the first game of 162, but there’s plenty to like about Baltimore’s opening day triumph over Toronto.
Have a news tip? Contact sports editor C.J. Doon at cdoon@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/CJDoon.