The glory days of the once-dominant Baltimore Orioles franchise are a distant memory. The hapless St. Louis Browns relocated to Baltimore in 1954, but it would take another 10 years before the Orioles became, for at least several years, the class of the American League.
In 1966, Baltimore won its first World Series led by the great Frank Robinson who, in his first AL season after a trade from the Cincinnati Reds, immediately won the triple crown with a .316 batting average, 49 home runs and 122 RBIs, as well as the AL MVP. The upstart Orioles then swept the Los Angeles Dodgers four straight in the Fall Classic.
The Baltimore club then won the AL pennant — in the days before divisional play and postseason playoffs — three straight years from 1969 to 1971. They got two World Series losses — to the “Amazin'” New York Mets in 1969 and Pittsburgh Pirates in 1971 — around another victory in 1970, this one over the Reds, to show for it.
Two more World Series followed over the next 12 years, another loss to the Pirates in 1979, and a victory over an aging Philadelphia Phillies team that featured Hall of Famers Joe Morgan, Mike Schmidt, Tony Pérez and Steve Carlton, as well as a would-be Hall of Famer, the all-time hits king Pete Rose.
Orioles Hope New Generation Will Restore Former Glory
And then — nothing.
Now, the Orioles, who have not won a playoff game since 2012 and have lost 11 straight in the interim, are trying to recapture their former glory with a new generation of young talent, mixed in with a few seasoned veterans.
Unfortunately, after winning 101 games in 2023 and 91 last year, 2025 is off to a painful start with a rash of injuries — including an intercostal muscle strain to MVP candidate Gunnar Henderson that has put the 23-year-old shortstop’s Opening Day in doubt.
On Friday, the Orioles received their worst news yet, with injuries to two crucial members of a pitching staff that will attempt to overcome the losses of 2024 15-game winning All-Star Corbin Burnes to free agency as well as John Means and Tyler Wells to Tommy John surgery (Means then signed a one year deal with the Cleveland Guardians).
With Burnes now pitching for the Arizona Diamondbacks, the Orioles were ready to hand the No. 1 starter’s job to their 2018 first round draft pick — 11th overall, out of Central Heights High School in Nacogdoches, Texas — Grayson Rodriguez.
Pair of Key Pitchers Could Be Out For Lengthy Periods
With a 13-5 record and 3.86 ERA, striking out 130 in 116 2/3 innings last season, the 6’5″, 230-pound righty appeared poised to step into the role — until he reported “soreness” in the triceps of his pitching arm and said he felt “sluggish” and “flat” after his most recent spring training start.
In an update to the media late Friday afternoon, Orioles mananger Brandon Hyde announced that Rodriguez will start the season on the Injured List. No date was given for his return — though Hyde added that there appeared to be no issues with the ligaments in the 25-year-old’s elbow.
But that wasn’t the extent of the bad news for the Baltimore pitching staff. In January, the O’s signed veteran righty reliever Andrew Kittredge to a one-year, $10 million contract, after one season with the St. Louis Cardinals in which Kittredge recorded a 2.80 ERA in 70 2/3 innings over 74 games.
He spent the first seven years of his career with the Tampa Bay Rays, with his peak year coming in 2021 when he struck out 77 in 71 2/3 innings while posting a sparkling 1.88 ERA.
But to start 2025, Kittredge will undergo arthroscopic surgery on his left knee and will miss, according to Hyde, “many months.”
Infielders Jorge Mateo (elbow surgery recovery) and Jordan Westburg (back spasms), as well as $49.5 million free agent outfield acquisition Tyler O’Neill (ribcage soreness) have resumed baseball activities though their availability to start the season has not yet been determined.
Orioles Get Worst Bad News Yet as Spring Training Disasters Just Keep on Coming