The Orioles of 2024 will be very different in many ways. The squad and their supporters will have great expectations, which can be the most significant factor.
Not even the most ardent Orioles supporter imagined the 2023 squad would win the American League East and 101 games.
It is impossible to match the incredible 49-game gain in wins from 52 in 2021 to 101 in 2023. There have only been six 100-game winning teams in franchise history, including the one from last season.
The Orioles won three American League pennants between 1969 and 1971. They had two more victories in 1979 (102 games won) and 1980 (100 wins) but were not eligible for the postseason due to the pre-wild-card era.
As he did last year when the 83-win team of 2022 was forecast to tumble back below.500, perhaps manager Brandon Hyde will take inspiration from the oddsmakers if they predict the Orioles’ win total to drop back into the 80s.
Though it’s unlikely that they will match or exceed last year’s victory total, the majority of baseball fans think the Orioles will be a force for years to come. In 2024, at the very least, a postseason berth will be anticipated.
There is still work to be done on the Orioles roster. The Orioles still have Kyle Bradish, Dean Kremer, John Means, Grayson Rodriguez, and maybe DL Hall, Cole Irvin, Tyler Wells, and Bruce Zimmermann in place of starting pitcher Kyle Gibson, who led the team in wins and innings in 2023.
Being the second-healthiest major league club in 2017 helped the Orioles. They had the second fewest days (912) lost to injury compared to Cleveland, which had 15 players on the disabled list.