With the Orioles entering the All-Star break with a 43-52 record and in last place in the American League East, I’ve offered a dozen thoughts, each in 50 words or less:
1. Three weeks ago, we pondered a scenario of the Orioles going 12-6 over their final six pre-break series to get to five games under .500. The last two blowout losses to Miami left them 10-8 and nine under. A disastrous 16-34 start has simply been too much to overcome.
2. Baltimore has improved since May, but a 9-2 stretch through June 5 needed to be the springboard to really taking off. Instead, the Orioles have gone 18-16 since. Eliminating the early-season 7-23 collapse and that 9-2 run, you’d have a mediocre .500 team, which essentially matches the recent eyeball test.
3. Kyle Stowers hitting three home runs and collecting five hits Sunday was a fitting conclusion to the first half for this very disappointing 2025 Orioles club. However, Trevor Rogers continuing to pitch anywhere close to the way he has this last month would ease the sting of that trade considerably.
4. What’s paramount is learning from the Stowers trade, which is what’s made the recent handling of Coby Mayo so puzzling. It’s not as though this lineup is firing on all cylinders, and it’s tough to say you’re in “win-now” mode while leaving Samuel Basallo at Norfolk despite multiple catcher injuries.
5. Expectations should be tempered in regards to what Mike Elias will fetch in trade deadline deals, but a byproduct is creating more opportunities for the likes of Mayo, Basallo, and Triple-A outfielder Dylan Beavers with eyes toward 2026. Prioritizing at-bats for low-ceiling veterans over such prospects would be unwise.
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6. Ryan O’Hearn deserves every bit of the spotlight as he’s the first Oriole to be an All-Star designated hitter since Nelson Cruz. He’s a terrific story, but he turns 32 later this month and has a .210/.325/.324 slash line since the start of June. Don’t overthink dealing him.
7. The Bryan Baker trade was an easy value decision, and it also brings the possibility of dealing other veterans carrying club control beyond 2025 into sharper focus. While I’m not actively trying to trade the likes of Ramon Laureano, Dean Kremer, and Ramon Urias, I’d certainly listen to offers.
8. What happens with the starting rotation will be interesting with Charlie Morton pitching the best out of their trade candidates, Tomoyuki Sugano coming off his first quality start in more than a month, and Zach Eflin nearing a return from injury. Meanwhile, Kyle Bradish will start his rehab assignment soon.
9. Cedric Mullins will still draw interest and has been better in July, but this hasn’t been the contract year many were anticipating after his red-hot opening month. He owns a .185/.234/.354 slash line since the start of May, and his throwing arm is an increasing concern.
10. The Tyler O’Neill deal has obviously been a nightmare thus far, but Anthony Santander has been out with a shoulder injury since late May and wasn’t performing before getting hurt. Letting Santander walk wasn’t the problem, but you hope O’Neill rebounds for 2026 since he obviously won’t be opting out.
11. Drafting catchers with their first two picks was surprising, but taking the best player available is more critical in baseball when considering development time. The pundits loved the Day 1 value Baltimore fetched, and drafting two pitchers in the top 70 was an encouraging step philosophically. We’ll see what happens.
12. My concerns are more about player development and coaching than identifying draft talent with an example being the adjustments Stowers made in Miami. The inordinate number of soft-tissue injuries for even young players also calls the strength and conditioning programs into question. These departments need to be examined thoroughly.
