Baltimore Orioles General Manager States Team's Goal Heading Into Upcoming Season

As spring training began for the Baltimore Orioles, general manager Mike Elias gave some insights on the team's plans for this season.

Dec 10, 2024; Dallas, TX, USA; Baltimore Orioles executive vice president and general manager Mike Elias talks on the set of MLB Network at the Hilton Anatole during the 2024 MLB Winter Meetings | Tim Heitman-Imagn Images

Pitchers and catchers have reported to camp as the Baltimore Orioles begin their Spring Training.

The Orioles will attempt to qualify for the playoffs for the third consecutive season and will be trying to win a game in October for the first time since 2014.

General manager Mike Elias shared what the goals for this organization are coming into the campaign.

In an interview with the MLB network he said, "First and foremost we wanna have a great regular season, we're in a very difficult division with a lot of great organizations, everybody went out and proved this winter and we've gotta figure out a way to get back to the playoffs but then if we're able to do that, we want to go further, we want to make a better playoff round, that's evaded us a last couple of years, it's been frustrating,"

Baltimore had a tough time from 2017 to 2021, missing the playoffs in six consecutive seasons during their rebuild. But they won the division in 2023 by winning 101 games after a strong finish to the 2022 campaign.

They retuned to the playoffs in 2024 despite being dethroned in the AL East, but they were swept in back-to-back years, thus making playoff success the one thing that's been lacking from both of those seasons.

Even though they made some additions this summer, the loss of Anthony Santander and Corbin Burnes cannot be minimized since the switch-hitter led the team in home runs and the right-hander was the staff's ace.

In addition to the external free agents brought in to boost the offensive profile of this team, the Orioles also need their young players to take the next steps in their careers.

Elias is confident both Jackson Holliday and Coby Mayo can be impactful this year, saying, "They're still at the age, in their early 20's where they grow physically, in a good way. They both got stronger and bigger, swing looks great and part of a really good group of young talent that we have on this team."

This winter might have been very helpful for Mayo and Holliday.

They've had time to think things through, evaluate their big league performances and prepare for the upcoming season where they could be featured parts of this lineup.

Baltimore and Elias are hoping that helps them accomplish their goals of getting into the playoffs, then finally winning postseason game for the first time in over a decade.