Baltimore Orioles Held in High Regard Despite Questions Heading Into Spring Training

The Baltimore Orioles entered the MLB offseason knowing that there were going to be some major changes with their roster.
Two of their key contributors, right fielder Anthony Santander and starting pitcher Corbin Burnes, were both set to hit free agency after earning spots on the 2024 American League All-Star Team.
Replacing that kind of talent is never an easy task, but in the lineup, the Orioles are covered for the loss of Santander, who ended up signing a massive contract with their AL East rivals, the Toronto Blue Jays.
Early in free agency, the team signed Tyler O’Neill, checking their box for a power-hitting, right-handed outfielder. If he can stay healthy, he is a sizable upgrade on Santander given the defensive acumen he brings and his on-base prowess.
Recently, the team added veteran Dylan Carlson to the mix and they have Heston Kjerstad waiting for his chance at the Major League level as well.
There is more than enough depth to overcome the loss of their slugging outfielder, but the same cannot be said about Burnes.
An ace is tough to replace and Baltimore is finding that out the hard way.
They didn’t seem to be too involved with the high-priced free-agent pitchers, instead opting to sign veterans Charlie Morton and Tomoyuki Sugano to upgrade the overall depth on the mound.
There are legitimate concerns about how they will match up against the top pitchers in the American League. Their rotation is currently headed by Grayson Rodriguez and Zach Eflin, who are undoubtedly solid but fall short of the ace tier.
A trade can still be made to address that need as the Seattle Mariners are still seeking offensive upgrades and have a ton of pitching available to build a trade package around. The San Diego Padres have been involved in plenty of rumors as well, with Dylan Cease being mentioned as a trade chip and Michael King joining him recently.
In addition to the starting pitching, everyone will be keeping an eye on closer Felix Bautista, who is returning to the mound after undergoing Tommy John surgery.
If he returns to form, the Orioles have a bullpen that could be among the most dominant in baseball. Even if he doesn’t they should have enough to compensate until he knocks off the rust and is back on track.
Lineup-wise, the team would love to see former top prospect Jackson Holliday get his professional career on track after a tough debut in 2024. Penciled in as the starting second baseman, it will be interesting to see if he can lock down that job.
If not, they can at least rest easy knowing there are other options to turn to, as Jordan Westburg, an All-Star in 2024, can move over to the keystone with another top prospect, Coby Mayo, taking over at third base.
Despite those question marks, Baltimore is still viewed quite highly with just a few weeks until Spring Training.
Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report has them ranked No. 6, with the New York Yankees as the only AL team ahead of them.