Baltimore Orioles Outfielder Shines Amid Team’s Struggles at the Plate

Even though the Baltimore Orioles offense hasn't been good for the most part, one player has performed well.

Apr 26, 2025; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Baltimore Orioles outfielder Cedric Mullins (31) swings and makes contact against the Detroit Tigers in the first inning during game one of a double header at Comerica Park. | David Reginek-Imagn Images

Despite the disastrous start to the season for the Baltimore Orioles, they do have some positives from the first month.

With the Orioles currently residing in last place in the American League East, not a lot has gone right for the team.

Coming into the year, there were concerns about some of the moves made in the offseason, and so far those concerns were valid.

The starting rotation for Baltimore has been one of the worst in the league. While injuries to Grayson Rodriguez and Zach Eflin have contributed to that, newcomer Charlie Morton has been one of the worst starting pitchers in the league this year.

While the rotation has taken a lot of the blame for the team’s struggles this campaign, the lineup has also been underachieving. Currently, Baltimore ranks in the bottom half of the league in both OPS and runs scored, which considering the talent they have in the lineup is a massive disappointment.

However, while most of the offense is underperforming, they do have one player who has been shining so far this year.

Tim Britton of The Athletic (subscription required) recently wrote about the amazing season that center fielder Cedric Mullins is having despite the team struggling.

“Mullins is partying like it’s 2021 when he broke out with a 30/30 season; unfortunately, so are the Orioles, who lost 110 that year. Mullins’ slugging percentage — .574 entering Monday — would be the best by an everyday center fielder since Mike Trout in 2019.”

If not for the production of Mullins, it would be hard to imagine where the offense for Baltimore would be this campaign.

Currently, he is leading the team in nearly all offensive categories, slashing .292/.432/.551 with six home runs, 20 RBI, and five stolen bases. While he may not be the most consistent player throughout his career, he does have a 30/30 campaign not too long ago.

When looking at some of the talent in the lineup, it is shocking to see how poorly they have produced this season. However, some of these struggles date back to last year in the second half, which is a massive concern.

Furthermore, with Mullins being a free agent at the end of the campaign, it will be another significant financial decision for the Orioles to make. Last winter, they let both Anthony Santander and Corbin Burnes walk in free agency, which has hurt the team.

Overall, there is still time to turn things around for Baltimore, but time is running out, and they have a lot of areas to fix. Even though there hasn't been much to be excited about, at least Mullins has been very good this year.