Good morning Birdland,
The Mariners/Blue Jays ALCS we are all about the experience is a good reminder of how much things can change in a year. Last season saw the Mariners come up just short of a playoff
appearance (yet again) while the Blue Jays finished at the bottom of the AL East, possibly marking the end of the Vladimir Guerrero/Bo Bichette era of the club.
The path back to contention—and eventually an ALCS appearance—was not terribly different for either club. They simply got more out of the stars they already had in-house. Cal Raleigh and Julio Rodriguez transformed into MVP candidates with Seattle. Meanwhile, Toronto made a statement by rather than trading Guerrero, handing him a long-term contract and splashing some cash elsewhere on the roster. Bo Bichette put together a nice contract year, George Springer had a vintage season, and Ernie Clement made a star turn.
There is something to be learned in there, and it should provide the Orioles with some hope for 2026 and beyond. These two teams did not overhaul their rosters this past offseason. Yes, Toronto spent some significant money, but that was not the main reason for their improvement. They made tweaks, and they worked on improving the approaches of the talent they already had on the team.
Of course, giving your internal players a boost is easier said than done. But you have to imagine that the Orioles front office will have already been hard at work analyzing what went so wrong this past season and how to make sure it doesn’t happen again. Right?
They have plenty to work with. Almost the entire team took a downturn in 2025. That does not sound like a failure of the individual players, but rather a systemic issue within the organization. Perhaps the rumored front office shakeup will produce some new ideas.
Links
Orioles’ Albert Suárez Expected To Avoid Surgery | MLB Trade Rumors
The Orioles would love to have Suárez around as a swingman option in the bullpen. It’s the role that fits his skillset so well, and it puts him in a position to make spot starts. But the team has rarely had an opportunity to actually use him that way. Injuries—to either him or others on the team—have always gotten in the way.
Reviewing Orioles’ 40-man roster | Roch Kubatko
A quick primer on where things stand with the roster as the end of the league year nears. It’s technically full right now, but that will change shortly after the World Series. There are a few pending free agents that will be gone, some easy options to decline, and a few fringy names that will get the boot. It’s necessary in order to re-add the 60-day IL folks, protect a few Rule 5-eligible prospects, and create space to sign free agents.
Jon Meoli: It was fun not taking the Blue Jays seriously. Those days are over. | The Baltimore Banner
It does feel like Toronto has figured something out on the offensive side of things. They do not do three true out come baseball. That trend has been on the way out for a bit now, but a few teams still subscribe. The Blue Jays make contact and don’t strike out. It’s a fun brand of baseball, and it will be back en vogue soon enough.
Orioles’ Westburg eyes full season in ’26; Remembering Craig Heist | Baltimore Baseball
Westburg is so important to the Orioles lineup. He adds length, sneaky pop, and some speed to the bases. His health in 2026 may be as important as any other hitter on the roster not named Gunnar Henderson. And don’t forget about his glove! Westburg does a nice job at the hot corner, and that takes pressure off the pitchers.
Orioles birthdays
Is it your birthday? Happy birthday!
- Tomoyuki Sugano turns 36 today. The Japanese righty just wrapped up his first (and likely only) season with the O’s. He stayed healthy, tossed 157 innings, and accumulated a 4.64 ERA, but also allowed a league-high 33 home runs.
- Ty Wigginton is 48 years old. The utility man spent two seasons in Baltimore, from 2009-10. That included his lone all-star nod in 2010, when he was a beneficiary of each team needing a representative, and (for whatever reason) the league looking past several other better candidates on the Orioles.
- Gregg Olson celebrates his 59th birthday. The Orioles all-time leader in saves was a crucial part of the team’s bullpen from 1988 through ‘93. He collected 160 saves and a 2.26 ERA in those six seasons. The O’s added him to the team Hall of Fame in 2008.
- Mike Fiore is 81 today. He began his big league career with six games on the 1968 Orioles, and was plucked away by the Royals in the expansion draft after the season.
- The late Joe Ginsberg (b. 1926, d. 2012) was born on this day. The catcher spent five seasons with the Orioles from 1956 through ‘60.
This day in O’s history
1971 – Brooks Robinson reaches base five consecutive time against the Pittsburgh Pirates, setting a World Series record. The O’s prevail in the game, 11-3.
2012 – The Orioles even up the ALDS at two games apiece, topping the Yankees 2-1. The game takes 13 innings, the longest postseason game in team history.
2014 – Game 2 of the ALCS goes to the Royals. They score twice in the top of the ninth to prevail 6-4 over the Orioles.
