Reflecting on 2023 O's: The good & the growth

This story was excerpted from Jake Rill’s Orioles Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

BALTIMORE -- When Brandon Hyde sat down for his end-of-season press conference last Thursday, the Orioles manager hadn’t quite gotten over his team’s brief postseason showing. The wounds from Texas’ American League Division Series sweep of Baltimore -- which concluded two days prior with Game 3 at Globe Life Field -- were still too fresh.

“The way it ended was awful and sucked. And we’re wearing that still,” Hyde said. “But it was a really successful season. Overcoming so many odds and obstacles that are against us and so many people thinking that we weren’t going to be a playoff team, and all of a sudden, we win 101 games and win the American League East.

“That says a lot about a lot of people in the organization, a lot of guys in that clubhouse. So I’m really proud of that.”

Here’s a 2023 season in review for the Orioles, who reached the postseason for the first time since ‘16 and won their first division crown since ‘14.

Defining moment: 100th win and an AL East title
On Sept. 28, Baltimore wrapped up a tight AL East race vs. Tampa Bay with a 2-0 victory over Boston at Camden Yards. It was also the 100th win for the O’s, who finished at 101-61 and two games ahead of the second-place Rays (99-63).

The Orioles hadn’t reached the century mark since 1980 (100-62). They ended up having the fifth-best regular season in team history (since ‘54), and their best since going 102-57 in ‘79.

What we learned: The Orioles’ window of contention has opened
The O’s flashed their potential during their 83-win 2022 campaign, creating optimism for the future. In ‘23, they proved they’re now ready to compete for World Series championships.

The 19 players on Baltimore’s roster who had never previously played in the postseason prior to the ALDS should learn from their first three-game taste of playoff baseball.

“These guys are going to experience a lot of this coming up,” said right-hander Kyle Gibson, a pending free agent. “They’ve got to remember these experiences, understand how much fun it is, and they’ll be back.”

Best development: Kyle Bradish’s breakout
It had been a while since the Orioles had a starting pitcher fare as well as Bradish did in 2023. Over 168 2/3 innings spanning 30 starts, he recorded a 2.83 ERA, becoming the first qualified Baltimore starter with a sub-3.00 ERA since 1992, when Mike Mussina posted a 2.54 mark.

Bradish, a 27-year-old right-hander, made huge strides from his 2022 rookie campaign to his ‘23 sophomore breakout. He could be a key member of the O’s rotation for many years, especially if he continues to improve.

Area for growth: The top spot in the starting rotation
Although Bradish and several other young Orioles starters could have bright futures, the team is still lacking a top-of-the-rotation ace. That was apparent in the postseason, when Baltimore got only eight total innings from its three starters during the ALDS.

The past two offseasons, the O’s have signed veteran starters to one-year deals -- Jordan Lyles for 2022 and Gibson for ‘23. Those righties pitched well, but the club may want to try acquiring a true No. 1 starter (either via free agency or trade) this winter to help it take the next step.

On the rise: Grayson Rodriguez
At some point, Rodriguez could become an ace, as the 23-year-old right-hander flashed potential during his impressive second half. After recording a 7.35 ERA during his first 10-start stint in the big leagues between April and May, he rejoined the Orioles’ rotation on July 17 and pitched to a 2.58 ERA over his final 13 outings of the regular season.

A 2018 first-round Draft pick and Baltimore’s former top pitching prospect, Rodriguez should keep getting better, and it’ll be exciting to see how he improves during his ‘24 sophomore campaign.

Team MVP: Gunnar Henderson
Henderson, a 22-year-old rookie infielder, was voted 2023 Most Valuable Oriole by the local media. He slashed .255/.325/.489 with 29 doubles, nine triples, 28 homers, 82 RBIs and 100 runs scored in his first full big league season (150 games) while playing strong defense at both shortstop and third base, leading the O’s with a 6.3 bWAR.

“Keep Gunnar Henderson healthy, and you’re going to see a lot of special things,” fellow infielder Adam Frazier said. “The amount of growth that happened for him the past five, six months has been exponential. He’s a really good baseball player.”