Former MLB Executive Predicts Baltimore Orioles Finish Third in AL East

Will the Baltimore Orioles be able to make the postseason in a challenging AL East?

Orioles infielder Gunnar Henderson fields a ground ball during drills on Tuesday. The Baltimore Orioles held their first full-squad workout of the 2025 spring training season on Tuesday, Feb. 18th in Sarasota, Florida. / Mike Lang / Sarasota Herald-Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

With the start of the regular season coming up soon for the Baltimore Orioles, the team will be trying to make it three straight years with a playoff appearance. 

After a long time of rebuilding, the Orioles have been able to find some sustained success in recent years thanks to a lot of great draft picks and developing their young players. 

The core of Baltimore is built within their lineup, and the young group has become one of the best in baseball the last couple of campaigns. Now led by Gunnar Henderson, the unit is capable of scoring five runs or more against anybody in the league. 

That has transitioned to a lot of wins in the regular season the last two years, as no team in the American League has won more games than the Orioles during that span. 

However, this offseason was a pivotal one for the franchise. With two key free agents in Corbin Burnes and Anthony Santander, the franchise saw both leave this winter. 

While they might be able to survive the loss of their leading home run hitter thanks to some more young talent on the way in the lineup, the loss of their ace was a tough blow. 

Baltimore is still very much a team that can contend in 2025. However, how good they will be might have been impacted by their offseason. 

Jim Bowden of The Athletic (paid subscription required) recently predicted that the Orioles would finish third in the American East in 2025, but make the AL Wild Card.  

The American League East is going to be one of the most challenging divisions in baseball with a lot of good talent. 

While the Tampa Bay Rays will likely come in last place, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see any of the other teams make the postseason. 

The New York Yankees are still likely to be the favorite, but that margin has shrunk with the loss of Gerrit Cole for the rest of the year. Both the Boston Red Sox and Toronto Blue Jays had excellent offseasons and should be much improved this coming campaign. 

For the Orioles, they will be leaning on their lineup and likely their bullpen to carry them in 2025. 

Until proven otherwise, the starting rotation for Baltimore is going to be a concern. While the unit might be alright during the regular season, they lack an ace for when it matters most. 

Overall, a third-place finish in the division and making the Wild Card would certainly be considered a good year, but the AL East is certainly up for grabs this season. 

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