BALTIMORE ORIOLES
- 2025 finish: 75-87 (5th in AL East)
- Manager: Craig Albernaz (1st season)
- Leading the front office: Mike Elias, president of baseball operations and general manager (8th season)
DOLLARS AND SENSE
- Largest luxury tax hit: 1B Pete Alonso ($31 million)
- Top returning players: SS Gunnar Henderson (4.8 fWAR), 3B Jordan Westburg (1.9), 2B Jackson Holliday (1.2)
- Top returning starting pitchers: LHP Trevor Rogers (3.3), RHP Dean Kremer (2.6), RHP Cade Povich (1.4)
- Top returning relievers: LHP Dietrich Enns (0.4), RHP Tyler Wells (0.3), RHP Andrew Kittredge (0.2)
ROSTER WATCH
- Key additions: 1B Pete Alonso (free agent), RHP Chris Bassitt (free agent), RHP Shane Baz (trade), RHP Ryan Helsley (free agent), RHP Andrew Kittredge (trade), OF Taylor Ward (trade), 2B Blaze Alexander (trade), OF Leody Taveras (free agent), C Sam Huff (minors), 3B Bryan Ramos (waivers), OF Jhonkensy Noel (minors), OF Will Robertson (minors), RHP Jackson Kowar (trade)
- Key losses: RHP Grayson Rodriguez (trade), RHP Tomoyuki Sugano (free agent), C Gary Sanchez (free agent), LHP Cionel Pérez (free agent), OF Dylan Carlson (free agent), INF Jorge Mateo (free agent)
- Baseball America top-100 prospect(s): C/1B Samuel Basallo (9), OF Dylan Beavers (21), RHP Trey Gibson (72), OF Nate George (86), LHP Luis De Leon (95)
KEEP AN EYE ON
- The Orioles won 101 games and the AL East in 2023, 91 games and a wild-card spot in 2024 and then missed the postseason with a 75-win season last year in which they sold off assets and fired manager Brandon Hyde. The ensuing reload has seen Baltimore give 1B Pete Alonso the largest free agent contract in franchise history ($155 million over five years), install RHP Chris Bassitt in the rotation ($18.5 million) and RHP Ryan Helsley in the back of the bullpen ($28 million over two years).
- The infield is already weathering two injuries. 3B Jordan Westburg could be out through at least April with a torn UCL in his throwing elbow and 2B Jackson Holliday will miss several weeks in the regular season after breaking the hamate bone in his right hand.
- Craig Albernaz, 43, was a surprise hire as the manager after serving on the Guardians’ staff the last two years as a bench coach and then associate manager.
Fangraphs projection: 83.9 wins
