Twelve Orioles Thoughts midway through 2024 schedule

With the Orioles reaching the halfway point of the 2024 schedule and sporting an excellent 51-30 record entering Friday, I’ve offered a dozen thoughts, each in 50 words or less:

1. Despite 15 combined appearances from Kyle Bradish, John Means, and Tyler Wells before each underwent season-ending elbow surgery, Baltimore is on track to win one more game than last year and ranks third in the majors in ERA. Pitching upgrades are needed, but this club deserves major credit.

2. The league average is .393 for slugging percentage and .704 for on-base plus slugging percentage. The Orioles have eight regulars slugging at least .448 with an OPS of .729 or higher. This offense isn’t perfect, but it’s superb when acknowledging how depressed baseball’s overall run-scoring environment is.  

3. “I’m running out of things to say about him,” remarked Brandon Hyde about Gunnar Henderson recently. Twenty-six home runs. A 1.002 OPS. Thirteen stolen bases. Excellent defensive metrics. Six wins above replacement. In a world without Aaron Judge, Henderson is the runaway AL MVP. He’s still my choice. Extraordinary talent. 

4. I haven’t viewed pitcher win-loss records with any meaning for years, but Corbin Burnes and Grayson Rodriguez are both on pace for 18 wins. Burnes has been every bit the ace for which the Orioles hoped while Rodriguez remains more important than any starter Mike Elias is likely to acquire. 

5. Wednesday marked one year since Jordan Westburg debuted, and he’s already blossomed into an All-Star-caliber player. He had 11 extra-base hits and an .880 OPS in April, 11 extra-base hits and an .835 OPS in May, and now 13 extra-base hits and an .841 OPS in June. Mr. Consistent. 

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6. The catching split between Adley Rutschman and James McCann has garnered attention, but Hyde wants Rutschman’s bat in the lineup daily and doesn’t want to run him into the ground. Yes, you’d like more offense from your backup, but how many quality starting catchers are out there, let alone backups?

7. While many continue clamoring for bullpen reinforcements, Yennier Cano hasn’t come close to duplicating his 2023. A 2.97 ERA has masked inflated walk and homer numbers and a below-average rate of stranding inherited runners. Per FanGraphs’ version of WAR, he’s been below replacement level. The Orioles need better from him.

8. A year ago at this time, Rodriguez remained in the minors after being demoted Memorial Day weekend. He’d go on to be Baltimore’s second-best starter after the All-Star break. In other words, there’s still plenty of time for Jackson Holliday to make a meaningful impact. Same goes for Coby Mayo. 

9. How the outfield picture unfolds in the second half will be interesting to watch. Some veterans have regressed while younger options have yet to make the kind of leap to fully seize a starting job. No one beyond Anthony Santander has played so consistently well to warrant everyday playing time. 

10. Speaking of Santander, you have to wonder if the cloudy outfield picture has prompted Elias to more strongly consider a reasonable contract extension, especially with the switch-hitting 29-year-old on a 40-homer pace. You can love prospects all you want, but that’s still a lot of production to replace.

11. Henderson, Rutschman, Westburg, Santander, Ryan Mountcastle, and Ryan O’Hearn are All-Star voting finalists at their respective positions, and Burnes is a slam dunk to make the AL pitching staff. Orioles fans made their voices heard, but you have to be happy for O’Hearn receiving such recognition. What a good story.

12. The honeymoon for David Rubenstein has been warm fuzzies, but important business decisions and projected payrolls will impact how Elias attempts to augment this roster. Elias isn’t going to torpedo the future at the deadline, but a higher spending threshold makes it easier to trade prospects and assume veteran contracts.