Orioles Ace Makes Major Declaration for Team's MLB Season Goals

The Baltimore Orioles have failed to win a postseason game in each of the last two years after a surprising run to the playoffs in 2023 and a disappointing 2024 that fell well short of expectations.

The Orioles have not won a game in October since sweeping the Detroit Tigers in the 2014 American League Division Series, but the current group is not letting the past decade-plus of futility cloud their goals.

Speaking with Jake Rill of MLB.com on Saturday, Baltimore ace Zach Eflin delivered a clear message about what the team aims to accomplish this season.

"The goal for every one of us is to win the World Series," Eflin said.

It's a statement that is aligned with the level of talent present in the Orioles' clubhouse, even as outsiders have dinged the team for a winter perceived to not be productive enough for a contender.

Baltimore boasts a loaded lineup led by an MVP candidate in Gunnar Henderson and arguably the best catcher in baseball, Adley Rutschman.

Young players like Jackson Holliday, Colton Cowser and Jordan Westburg look poised to make leaps toward being significant contributors, and veterans like Cedric Mullins, Tyler O'Neill and Ryan O'Hearn provide the lineup with versatile offensive skill sets and depth.

Eflin struggled with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2024, but he looked every bit the part of an ace after being traded to the Orioles, posting a 2.60 ERA over nine starts in orange and black.

He's joined in the starting rotation by returnee Dean Kremer and two key additions, two-time World Series champion Charlie Morton and Japanese veteran Tomoyuki Sugano, both of whom have looked strong in spring training.

The return of closer Felix Bautista will restore Baltimore's status as having one of the best bullpens in the league after the unit struggled during his absence in 2024.

Altogether, the Orioles have the combination of emerging young talent and veteran experience that tends to foster a winning environment.

It does not hurt Baltimore's chances that this is a down year for the American League, either, as the New York Yankees have been ravaged by injuries and the Houston Astros have seen their roster depleted by key departures.

Since it looks like tough sledding for the two typical AL contenders, the door is wide open for a new one to emerge and head to the World Series, much like the Texas Rangers did in 2023 after they took the Orioles out along the way.

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