The Orioles shocked the baseball world by finishing with the best record in the American League, and they can do it again.
The Baltimore Orioles (101-61) earned the AL East division title in stunning fashion for 2023, taking with it the best record for the No. 1 seed in the American League. Baltimore relied on its rising young core of stars to surge past the juggernaut Rays, Blue Jays and Yankees a year ahead of schedule.
In this in-depth review and preview piece, we will look back on the highs and lows of the 2023 Orioles season, while projecting the path forward for 2024 and beyond.
To get us started, let’s take a look at how the AL East was won by using StatMuse for month-to-month data and results.
Month By Month
Spring Training and March:
The Orioles finished off Spring Training with a 16-13 record in the Grapefruit League. Baltimore then compiled a 1-0 record in regular season play across the month of March with an Opening Day win against the Boston Red Sox.
April:
The Orioles got off to a fast start, going 18-9 in the month of April to catapult into the early postseason mix. A series win over the Texas Rangers where SP Grayson Rodriguez debuted highlighted the month for the Birds, which also included a seven-game win streak in the back half of the month.
May:
Baltimore maintained its winning ways throughout the month of May, finishing with a 16-12 overall record. The Orioles came painstakingly close to a road series win in Atlanta, but still recovered to finish above .500 on the month. That series against the Braves included two games on national TV, a rarity for a smaller-market team.
June:
Early summer saw the Orioles return back down to Earth a bit, as the team compiled a 13-11 record across a month of play. Baltimore did not pick up any standout series victories but did enough to maintain pace behind the Tampa Bay Rays in the AL East standings.
July:
Baltimore returned to form in the month of July, notching a stellar 17-9 record to gain ground on Tampa Bay in the standings. The Birds surged following the All-Star break, leaving many pundits wondering if the division was now a 2-team race. They won eight straight games sandwiched around the festivities.
August:
The Orioles followed their impressive July performance with an even better August, going 18-9 on the month to take first place in the AL East. Baltimore catapulted itself atop the standings while Texas and Tampa Bay faded, setting itself up for a bye in the postseason.
September:
Many expected Baltimore’s youth to falter down the stretch, but that just did not happen. The Orioles posted an 18-10 record in the month of September to finish off one of the best seasons in franchise history with a No. 1 seed and an AL East crown. Baltimore held off Tampa Bay for the division, earning its first postseason trip since 2016. Baltimore finished with its best record since 1980, when the Birds last won 100 games in a single season.
Postseason:
Despite a storybook 101-win regular season, the Orioles got swept out of the ALDS by the Texas Rangers in just three games. Baltimore’s young core fell victim to the big stage, proving this franchise still has a way to go before challenging the big boys for a ring.
To Baltimore’s credit, the team lost to the eventual World Series Champions in Texas. The Rangers did not drop a single postseason road game across 11 contests, two of which came against the Orioles.
As long as Baltimore avoids a scorching-hot wild card team early in the 2024 postseason, I fully believe the Birds have what it takes to make a run through October next year.
Analysis
Baltimore outperformed all expectations in 2023, after doing so the year prior in 2022 as well. The fact that a 52-win team in 2021 won 83 games in 2022 and 101 in 2023 is simply remarkable. With the team’s young core locked up for several years and continuing to develop, this team is only going to get better. I expect a slight drop-off in regular season wins next season but believe this team will be primed and ready for October play. Baltimore is going to be in the mix for years to come, having the best roster in the AL East and so much room for growth.
Leading the charge is a dynamic duo, as OF Heston Kjerstad and SS Gunnar Henderson emerge as linchpins of the Orioles’ resurgence. Kjerstad’s powerful bat and defensive prowess complement Henderson’s agility and versatility, laying the foundation for a formidable tandem. This youthful synergy extends to the pitching mound, where flame-throwing hurler Grayson Rodriguez headlines a cadre of promising arms.
Managerial acumen melds with raw talent as skipper Brandon Hyde navigates the delicate balance of nurturing young talent while instilling a competitive edge. With a blend of seasoned veterans providing guidance, the Orioles’ young core symbolizes a franchise renaissance, rekindling the flame of optimism among Baltimore’s fervent fanbase. As the 2024 season unfurls, all eyes are on the Orioles’ youthful vanguard, eager to witness the metamorphosis of potential into palpable success.
The Orioles have grown farm talent as well as anybody over the last several seasons, proving a full-scale rebuild paid off at Camden Yards.
I fully expect the Birds to win the AL East again next season, which leads to my prediction below. Give me Baltimore to retain the AL East crown, fending off a resurgent New York Yankees team with a healthy OF Aaron Judge and DH Giancarlo Stanton duo. The East is the Orioles’ division to lose.
2024 Prediction: Baltimore (94-68, AL East Champions, lose in ALCS)
