The Baltimore Orioles will be looking to build on a 2022 season that saw them finish two games above .500 but see that be good enough for just fourth place in the ultra-competitive AL East. They will begin 2023 on the road with a series against the Boston Red Sox, the only team they finished ahead of last season in the division. This is fooled by a pit stop in Dallas, where they play three games against the Texas Rangers.
The O’s home slate begins on Thursday, April 6, against the defending AL East champion New York Yankees. The Yanks had a 16-game cushion on the Orioles at the end of last season, so it will be interesting to see how much improvement there is early on in the year. The Oakland Athletics are next up for Baltimore before home series later in April against the Detroit Tigers and the Red Sox.
Here are three questions for the Orioles ahead of the 2023 season.
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Three Key Questions
Are slight upgrades enough?
The Orioles didn’t make any monster signings this offseason, but the level of improvement across the board should be enough to see them win more games. Adam Frazier is a nice addition at second base – he will make that position his own in short order – while Kyle Gibson and Cole Irvin will be helpful to the pitching rotation. A couple of former New York Mets will also be important, with James McCann being a veteran catching presence for future star Adley Rutschman to learn from and Mychal Givens providing a solid arm in the bullpen.
Is the youth movement justified?
The O’s were so frugal – comparatively – in free agency because they believe they have enough in-house to compete in the division. The aforementioned Rutschman is a star on the rise, while third baseman Gunnar Henderson is an elite defensive third baseman with enough pop to close in on 30 homers as he develops his swing. If Henderson can hit for average – he is a little too strikeout-heavy right now – and if top pitching prospect Grayson Rodriguez can break into the starting rotation, then the lack of established major league contributors will not be as keenly felt.
Will the Camden Yards noise become a distraction?
The Orioles wouldn’t be the first (or last) team to be waylaid by drama out of the control of the players and coaching staff. The team is desperately looking for upgrades to their 31-year-old ballpark. Still, red tape is causing serious issues in getting the $600 million in funding that should be available per a new Maryland law to upgrade the stadium. This city once saw the Baltimore Colts slip out in the middle of the night to go and play their football in Indianapolis. Las Vegas is actively courting MLB teams to add to its growing sports portfolio, and this distraction needs to be dealt with by the top brass in Baltimore sooner rather than later.
Upcoming Orioles Home Games (Before the All-Star Break)
Thu, April 6 – Orioles vs. New York Yankees
Sat, April 8 – Orioles vs. New York Yankees
Sun, April 9 – Orioles vs. New York Yankees
Mon, April 10 – Orioles vs. Oakland Athletics
Tue, April 11 – Orioles vs. Oakland Athletics
Wed, April 12 – Orioles vs. Oakland Athletics
Thu, April 13 – Orioles vs. Oakland Athletics
Fri, April 21 – Orioles vs. Detroit Tigers
Sat, April 22 – Orioles vs. Detroit Tigers
Sun, April 23 – Orioles vs. Detroit Tigers
Mon, April 24 – Orioles vs. Boston Red Sox
Tue, April 25 – Orioles vs. Boston Red Sox
Wed, April 26 – Orioles vs. Boston Red Sox
Mon, May 8 – Orioles vs. Tampa Bay Rays
Tue, May 9 – Orioles vs. Tampa Bay Rays
Wed, May 10 – Orioles vs. Tampa Bay Rays
Fri, May 12 – Orioles vs. Pittsburgh Pirates
Sat, May 13 – Orioles vs. Pittsburgh Pirates
Sun, May 14 – Orioles vs. Pittsburgh Pirates
Mon, May 15 – Orioles vs. Los Angeles Angels
Tue, May 16 – Orioles vs. Los Angeles Angels
Wed, May 17 – Orioles vs. Los Angeles Angels
Thu, May 18 – Orioles vs. Los Angeles Angels
Fri, May 26 – Orioles vs. Texas Rangers
Sat, May 27 – Orioles vs. Texas Rangers
Sun, May 28 – Orioles vs. Texas Rangers
Mon, May 29 – Orioles vs. Cleveland Guardians
Tue, May 30 – Orioles vs. Cleveland Guardians
Wed, May 31 – Orioles vs. Cleveland Guardians
Fri, June 9 – Orioles vs. Kansas City Royals
Sat, June 10 – Orioles vs. Kansas City Royals
Sun, June 11 – Orioles vs. Kansas City Royals
Tue, June 13 – Orioles vs. Toronto Blue Jays
Wed, June 14 – Orioles vs. Toronto Blue Jays
Thu, June 15 – Orioles vs. Toronto Blue Jays
Fri, June 23 – Orioles vs. Seattle Mariners
Sat, June 24 – Orioles vs. Seattle Mariners
Sun, June 25 – Orioles vs. Seattle Mariners
Mon, June 26 – Orioles vs. Cincinnati Reds
Tue, June 27 – Orioles vs. Cincinnati Reds
Wed, June 28 – Orioles vs. Cincinnati Reds
Fri, June 30 – Orioles vs. Minnesota Twins
Sat, July 1 – Orioles vs. Minnesota Twins
Sun, July 2 – Orioles vs. Minnesota Twins
