Lackluster Baltimore Orioles Offseason Could Make Them 'Long-Shots' in AL East

Will the Baltimore Orioles struggle in a challenging AL East in 2025?

Sep 26, 2024; Bronx, New York, USA; Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Corbin Burnes (39) delivers a pitch during the first inning against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium. | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

With pitchers and catchers set to report for the Baltimore Orioles, the 2025 campaign is quickly approaching.

After being one of the most successful teams in the Majors during the regular season the past two years, the Orioles have yet to get over the hump in the postseason. While the team was inexperienced in 2023, there wasn’t a valid excuse to not win a game in the Wild Card round against the Kansas City Royals last year.

This winter, Baltimore finally started to spend some money on free agents, yet they still lost the ace of their staff, Corbin Burnes, and their leading home run hitter, Anthony Santander, in free agency.

That has left them with a worse team on paper.

Considering the offseasons other teams in the AL East had, this could end up being a significant issue for the Orioles.

Zachary D. Rymer of Bleacher Report recently spoke about the lackluster winter Baltimore had and how it might result in a disappointing regular season from them in 2025.

“Their replacements for free agent departees Corbin Burnes (Charlie Morton and Tomoyuki Sugano) and Anthony Santander (Tyler O'Neill) are underwhelming. As a result, them winning the AL East this year feels like a borderline long-shot.”

While the Orioles should be able to replace a good chunk of the production from their All-Star slugger, the loss of Burnes is impossible to replace.

The former Cy Young award winner was the ace of the staff that Baltimore was seeking in 2024. He totaled a 15-9 record and a 2.92 ERA. Despite being credited with the loss in the Wild Card, he pitched extremely well for the Orioles.

Now, Baltimore is heading into the season without a true No. 1 in a division that has a lot of talented lineups and starting rotations.

After winning the division in 2023, the Orioles took a noticeable step back last year.

Unfortunately, based on their moves this winter, it doesn’t look like they did much to improve and they could be a touch worse because of it.

While the New York Yankees will be the team to beat in the AL East, the Boston Red Sox and Toronto Blue Jays have both had good offseasons as well.

It certainly won’t be a cakewalk for Baltimore in 2025, and barring major upgrades before or during the campaign, winning the division might end up being a long shot.