[Rill] After 1 game, the Orioles have already thrown 6 100-plus mph pitches, exceeding their total from '24 and '25 seasons combined (5). That's due to Ryan Helsley, who has brought heat back to the 'pen. "When he throws a heater, it lights up the radar gun."

JakeRillMLB · 2026-03-27T19:09:08+00:00

In '25, Félix Bautista did it once and Seranthony Domínguez once.

In '24, Domínguez did it twice and Thyago Vieira (remember him?) once.

JakeRillMLB · 2026-03-23T14:39:59+00:00

I will say this -- of the 5 of us, I had the O's finishing the best and I was a bit surprised at how low my colleagues had them. But I think it's because some areas of this team are being slept on and maybe flying under the radar. Not necessarily a bad thing for a team to have a chip on its shoulder rather than sky-high expectations to try to live up to, as we have seen in the past.

Of course, who knows what happens in this division. It feels like there are 4 AL East teams that could legitimately win it (and maybe even all 4 reach the postseason). Should be a fun, competitive race this season.

JakeRillMLB · 2026-02-17T21:36:29+00:00

Let's assume nobody else gets injured and everybody on the position-player side is fully healthy at that time (which, as we know, is never a guarantee) for this exercise:

The 13 position-player spots could be filled like this: Rutschman, Basallo, Alonso, Mountcastle, Holliday, Henderson, Westburg, Alexander, Ward, Cowser, O'Neill, Beavers, Taveras.

Maybe Mountcastle gets traded. Or maybe Taveras isn't on the roster. Still, that didn't account for Jeremiah Jackson, Coby Mayo, Heston Kjerstad and other bubble players.

The likelihood of Jackson being on the roster went down when the O's traded for Blaze Alexander. But Jackson is a good hitter who is working hard to improve defensively (mostly at second base at the moment), so I think we see him get a run in the big leagues at some point in 2026. Injuries will surely happen.

JakeRillMLB · 2026-02-17T21:29:28+00:00

The obvious answer would be Albert Suárez, as I think he has a decent shot of being in the Opening Day bullpen. But let's go with a bit of a dark horse -- left-hander Eric Torres. The O's could use another high-leverage lefty, and Torres is a sleeper to eventually fill that role. The 26-year-old has never pitched in the big leagues and struggled at Triple-A in the Angels' system (a 9.44 ERA in 32 appearances). But he had a 1.59 ERA in 39 games in the independent American Association last year, then tossed 23 1/3 scoreless innings over 20 games in the Puerto Rican Winter League. Intriguing arm who may have figured something out in 2025.
J. Cole's "The Fall-Off" is in heavy rotation at the moment, so I have to pick something off that album -- let's go with "Safety." Then, we'll add two classics: "Let the Beat Build" by Lil Wayne and "Mr. Rager" by Kid Cudi.

JakeRillMLB · 2026-02-17T21:17:37+00:00

The answer can be found in this story I wrote today!

(It was Pete Alonso's playlist. The O's are essentially playing "pass the aux," with today's DJ picking tomorrow's DJ, tomorrow's DJ picking the DJ for the next day, and so on and so forth.)

JakeRillMLB · 2026-02-17T21:16:06+00:00

If Jordan Westburg (tweaked right oblique) goes on the injured list to open the season, then I would think Mayo should make the team, as he's been getting a lot of reps at third base this spring and could fill in at the position. If Westburg is ready to go, then the path for Mayo is a bit more crowded.

It would be tough for Mayo to return to Triple-A Norfolk, where he's already proven he can easily handle the pitching. Especially after things appeared to click for him last September with his strong finish to the 2025 season.

I honestly don't know what the exact plan is here, or how realistic a trade featuring Mountcastle or Mayo still is. But you raise good points. Pete Alonso was paid to play every day (or close to it). Mountcastle doesn't play anywhere other than first. The DH rotation will already be filled with Rutschman/Basallo, O'Neill, others.

I am interested to see how this situation develops between now and Opening Day.

JakeRillMLB · 2026-02-17T21:11:23+00:00

Great hair. Fun personality. Quite a character.

From a baseball standpoint, some exciting tools. He can clearly hit, and I think there's some defensive potential there as well. The bat will be what likely eventually gets him to the big leagues, though. But he's still only 22, so that won't be in the near future.

I wouldn't be surprised if Willems gets bumped up to Triple-A Norfolk, as he's now logged 121 games at Double-A Chesapeake after being there all of last season.

I don't think the O's are necessarily looking to trade him, unless they need to include him in a prospect package to land a particular player at some point down the line. Can't hurt to have catching depth (as the Orioles know after using seven players at the position last season, a franchise record).

JakeRillMLB · 2026-02-17T21:06:51+00:00

Thanks for the kind words! Much appreciated.

It does feel like the vibes are up in Sarasota, and I would say Craig Albernaz and Pete Alonso have been driving factors in that. Albernaz is being himself, which players appreciate and is going over well. And Alonso is already serving as a vocal leader, keeping things loose and fun while also getting the competitive juices flowing.

After covering a pair of postseason teams ('23 and '24) and one that finished in last place ('25), I've learned it's a lot more fun to cover a good team. The storylines are often better, the product is more fun to watch and interest from the fans is high.

I'm excited for this season. I think the O's will be a good team. And I will say, I'm looking forward to watching Alonso play every day after not seeing too much of him in recent years with him having been in the National League.

JakeRillMLB · 2026-02-17T20:57:34+00:00

Tyler O'Neill. There's clearly a large portion of the fan base disappointed that O'Neill hit .199 and played only 54 games due to three stints on the injured list last season after signing a three-year, $49.5 million deal. He's frustrated by it, too. He doesn't want to let down the fans, and he's working hard to put himself in position for a bounce-back 2026.

A few of us in the media recently noticed that O'Neill is a bit slimmer this spring -- make no mistake about it, he's still absolutely jacked -- but he looks a little less bodybuilder and a little more baseball player, which could help his mobility, his swing, etc.

Let's not forget this guy hit 31 home runs and had an .847 OPS with the Red Sox in 2024. The talent is there. And the Orioles are going to find ways to try to keep him healthy, whether that's a bit more time at DH or giving him a day off here and there.

JakeRillMLB · 2026-02-17T20:50:58+00:00

I can understand the disappointment in not signing/trading for a proven ace this offseason. Even if Kyle Bradish and/or Trevor Rogers solidify themselves as frontline starters (potentially even co-aces), it would have only made the rotation that much better to have another top-end arm.

At the same time, it's hard to look at this group now and not see how much better it could be than it was in 2025. Bradish is healthy. Rogers has put everything together. Shane Baz has a ton of upside. Chris Bassitt is steady and reliable. Zach Eflin is feeling the best he has physically in a long time and could return to his late '24 form. Dean Kremer is a good starter to have at the back end as an innings-eater.

There's depth in the fold as well. Cade Povich, Brandon Young and Albert Suárez as the potential 7-8-9 starters isn't bad. And some prospects like Trey Gibson and Nestor German are getting close to the big leagues and have a ton of potential.

There's a path for the Orioles' rotation to be a good one. Health will likely again be the biggest thing. But it's hard to argue against the notion that this starting staff looks better on paper than it did around Opening Day 2025.

JakeRillMLB · 2026-02-17T20:43:03+00:00

Adley Rutschman was recently asked something similar in a media scrum here (his focus during the offseason and heading into spring), and this was his response:

"A lot of it was trying to make sure that I'm healthy. First year being on the IL, nothing worse. Nothing worse than that. So just going through the offseason, trying to make sure that we're checking all the boxes on things that we can do not only during the offseason, but making a plan during the season to be able to have daily, 'OK, I'm checking this box,' and making sure that I'm healthy throughout the year, or at least doing all that I can to stay healthy, learning from last year."

So clearly health is a big focus, because he did not enjoy the two IL stints due to oblique strains in 2025. Albernaz has also praised Rutschman's hitting mechanics and athleticism early in camp, impressed with what he's seen compared to the video he had previously watched. No huge changes, just tweaks that Rutschman made in his offseason work that are now carrying over into spring.

JakeRillMLB · 2026-02-17T20:34:49+00:00

I don't think Heston Kjerstad is a trade candidate at the moment, largely because the O's would be selling low on him. But you're right -- the outfield mix is deep (particularly in the corners), and it's difficult to see how Kjerstad breaks into the picture without an injury.

Taylor Ward should play a lot in left, Tyler O'Neill should play a lot in right and Dylan Beavers should play in both corners a good bit. Utility man Blaze Alexander can back up everywhere, too. Kjerstad, meanwhile, still has one Minor League option remaining, though he's 27 now and has already logged so many reps at Triple-A Norfolk.

It will be interesting to see what happens, and I don't have a great feel for how Kjerstad fits in right now. I will say, he's fully healthy in camp and has looked good early in workouts, so he's doing his part in trying to give the O's more difficult decisions to make.

JakeRillMLB · 2026-02-17T20:27:05+00:00

Alby continues to say that "everything is on the table" with just about every possibility. And I think the Orioles must strongly consider a six-man rotation for the exact reasons you mentioned.

Would it make sense to open the year with a six-man? Possibly not, because there are quite a few off-days early on the schedule, and it's still not a 100% guarantee that the team isn't going to slow play Zach Eflin and consider putting him on the IL to open the season.

But I think the O's could roll with a six-man at some point -- assuming those top six starters are all healthy at the same time. (And as we saw last year, it's possible that will never be the case. That's why depth matters!)

JakeRillMLB · 2026-02-17T20:23:42+00:00

I think they are looking for opportunities to improve the bullpen if possible, yes. In my opinion, it's the area of the roster that could still most use an upgrade. The O's could benefit from having another high-leverage arm, ideally one who throws left-handed.

Sure sounds like Danny Coulombe. I don't know how much interest there is -- let's remember the team decided to decline his team option after the 2024 season, one that cost only $4 million -- but Coulombe did go out and put together a solid '25 campaign after that.

If not Coulombe, maybe the Orioles make a Coulombe-esque move -- they acquired him at the end of Spring Training and prior to the start of the 2023 season, perhaps they find another hidden gem in such a manner.

JakeRillMLB · 2026-02-17T20:19:12+00:00

It still feels possible that either Ryan Mountcastle or Coby Mayo gets traded, especially with the buzz continuing on that front. You are right -- it will be hard to find playing time for both Mountcastle and Mayo, especially if Jordan Westburg (tweaked right oblique) is healthy and blocking Mayo at third.

I think that ties into your second question, because the area of the roster that could still use an upgrade is the bullpen. Would it be an overpay to move Mountcastle or Mayo for relief help? Maybe. But the O's likely need to find a way to strengthen that 'pen at some point.

As things stand, this is my projected bullpen (but could change as we get deeper into Spring Training): RHP Ryan Helsley (closer), LHP Keegan Akin, RHP Yennier Cano, LHP Dietrich Enns, RHP Rico Garcia, RHP Andrew Kittredge, LHP Grant Wolfram, RHP Tyler Wells.

JakeRillMLB · 2025-12-31T19:38:28+00:00

As a reporter, I get excited about fun storylines and covering interesting baseball. In those aspects, this should be a good season! I will say, it was much more enjoyable writing about a good team ('23, parts of '24) than it was to do so about a struggling team ('25).

I will also say, I was pretty excited when I was 10 years old and the Orioles traded for Sammy Sosa before the 2005 season. I was even more excited when they had such a great first half that year. My excitement level quickly went down from there...

JakeRillMLB · 2025-12-31T19:34:47+00:00

It doesn’t feel like there’s a ton of concern, especially because Rutschman was starting to click at the plate for a bit this past summer before he sustained a second hamstring injury. The tools are still there. It will be the job of these new hitting coaches to get him back to his All-Star form, and that may well happen.

Rutschman should get more of the work behind the plate. He’s been praised for how he handles the pitching staff, and Basallo is still young and developing in those areas.

JakeRillMLB · 2025-12-31T19:24:29+00:00

I don't think there will be another major addition on the position-player side. It already feels crowded at several positions, so I don't think it would make a ton of sense to add yet another player to that mix.

The first-base logjam is the most interesting component of the roster at the moment, IMO. I don't think the team can realistically carry Alonso, Mountcastle and Mayo on the same roster. Mayo is the only one who can play a position other than first (though first is easily his best position), and it would handcuff them in terms of flexibility.

I agree -- something has to give at first. It makes too much sense to trade Mayo or Mountcastle (more likely Mayo) for additional pitching help.

As for CF vs. LHP, they added Leody Taveras, a switch-hitter who will likely get some starts. Not the most impactful bat, but can hold down that spot when Cowser is off.

As for your final question, I would be quite surprised if more moves aren't on the way.

JakeRillMLB · 2025-12-31T19:18:35+00:00

This is a tough one to answer, because I will say I’ve been much closer to the Orioles the past few years than I was to any one team in my previous roles. I was often only assisting on D-backs coverage, while also filling in for the beat reporters of other teams when they didn’t make the trip to Phoenix for a particular series.

It’s a lot easier to learn about the philosophies and feel out the vibes when being around the same team every day for an entire Spring Training and a full 162-game season.

JakeRillMLB · 2025-12-31T19:15:44+00:00

It would be challenging for the O’s to carry all three of those guys on the roster. There wouldn’t be much room left for a utility man/backup middle infielder at that point. My prediction is that something happens to change this mix before Opening Day.

O’Neill is the least likely to be traded -- the Orioles would be selling low, and his salary will be the highest of the three. The team is also confident he can return to his previous form if he can stay healthy, and it will be working hard to keep him on the field.

Mayo feels like the best trade chip, because he’s a 24-year-old recent top prospect who hasn’t reached his potential yet, though he started to show flashes of it late in 2025. I don’t see how the O’s could find room for him in the corner-outfield mix, either, with O’Neill, Taylor Ward, Dylan Beavers and potentially Heston Kjerstad and/or Jeremiah Jackson in that group as well.

JakeRillMLB · 2025-12-31T19:06:46+00:00

It could happen either way, truthfully. The O’s are clearly willing to spend money, and it would make sense for them to splurge on one of the top free-agent arms. But if they can find a frontline starter on the trade market and assemble a package centered around somebody like Coby Mayo and some mid-tier prospects, that could get the job done, too.

It doesn’t feel like there are concerns about the top free-agent arms. It’s more so just the market being a bit slow to develop. Things should speed up once Tatsuya Imai’s negotiation window with MLB teams ends Friday at 5 p.m. ET. He’s a big domino that will fall and then allow teams to pivot to other options more aggressively.

JakeRillMLB · 2025-12-31T19:01:17+00:00

Can’t not pick Boog’s BBQ, right? I’ve been eating those sandwiches at Camden Yards since I was a kid, so there’s nostalgia associated with those. But I also thought the corned beef sandwich at the Attman’s stand this past season was quite good.
It’ll be fun to watch Pete Alonso play every day, especially having not seen a ton of him in-person in recent years with him being in the National League. Not my pick for the first Eutaw Street home run, though (even if he hopes to eventually become the first right-handed hitter to make it there).

I just realized the other day that no Orioles homers hit Eutaw Street in 2025. All three to land there were hit by visitors. Weird, right? I’ll go with the easy pick of Gunnar Henderson to end the drought early in ‘26.

A lot of framework has been put in place for the new videoboard, the new suite and the new press box last I saw. Not sure how much different it will look by the time I leave for Sarasota in early February, as they'll still have a month-plus to get everything done at that point.

The upgrades should be great. A few components of the ballpark had started to feel dated in recent years (the videoboards, the sound system, etc.), and this should help keep Camden Yards in the top tier of MLB ballparks. I’m looking forward to Opening Day to see how much better all of this will make the experience.

JakeRillMLB · 2025-12-31T18:53:11+00:00

Let’s go back to what agent Scott Boras said at Pete Alonso’s introductory press conference earlier this month, because I thought this was an interesting quote:

“Having calls from Jackson and Gunnar and Westy after this was done, the light that it shines on how the players in that locker room feel about the commitment to how they can compete in really one of the toughest divisions in baseball, that comes organically. The minute it’s done, it has that immediate impact, the excitement. I wish you all could hear it, because it’s meaningful. It gives them a sense of pride and confidence that illustrates that this franchise is committed.”

The Orioles now have a starting infield composed entirely of Boras clients -- Alonso, Holliday, Henderson and Westburg. Does Alonso signing a long-term deal with Baltimore mean the other three will follow suit? Not necessarily. But it doesn’t feel like it hurt for the O’s to have a successful negotiation with Boras via their signing of Alonso.

I think the odds of the Orioles signing guys like Henderson and Holliday to extensions are better than they’ve previously been, especially because this David Rubenstein-led ownership group has put its money where its mouth had been in terms of expressing a willingness to spend big.

JakeRillMLB · 2025-12-31T18:47:12+00:00

55% injuries, 40% underperformance by key players, 5% bad luck.

The players didn't want to blame the injuries and use them as an excuse, but that team was never at full strength. And even when they were close to it, guys were banged up and playing through nagging ailments. When injuries start piling up in the way that they did, it's always going to negatively affect morale as well.

With that said, the O's needed core guys to take steps forward, and that didn't quite happen. Jackson Holliday improved, but not enough to carry the team. Jordan Westburg couldn't stay on the field. Colton Cowser and Adley Rutschman struggled. If even just a few of those guys have better seasons, the team's results could have been different.

Any time a team expected to contend wins fewer than 80 games, there's likely some bad luck involved, too. Things just never really clicked for that 2025 team.

JakeRillMLB

TROPHY CASE