Despite the Orioles’ rough first quarter, the mood inside the clubhouse remains measured rather than desperate.
For the second straight year, Baltimore has limped to the quarter mark of the season while dealing with injuries to several key contributors.
The lineup has missed Jordan Westburg (elbow), while Jackson Holliday’s development has been slowed as he continues rehabbing from a fractured hamate bone suffered in early February. In the bullpen, the absence of Ryan Helsley (elbow) has thinned out the team’s late-inning options. The rotation has felt the losses of Zach Eflin (elbow), Dean Kremer (quad) and Trevor Rogers (illness).
Simply put, the team’s roster construction and depth have been tested in ways few envisioned before spring training.
For example, Blaze Alexander and Jeremiah Jackson have been thrust into regular roles, while instability in the rotation forced both Brandon Young and Cade Povich into early-season starts.
Even so, players insist there is no benefit to overreacting this early in the season. With roughly three-quarters of the schedule remaining, the focus internally has remained on staying steady rather than dwelling on the standings.
“I know it’s a lot harder looking at it from the outside, but within, we know that there’s a lot of games left, and you never want to hit the panic button,” Jackson said.
While it’s prudent to avoid panicking this early in the season, it’s also difficult to ignore the parallels with Baltimore’s 2026 campaign and the way last year unfolded.
With a 20-24 record, the Orioles are off to another sluggish start. And just as they did a year ago, they’ve been forced to rely heavily on inexperienced players while waiting for healthier, more complete stretches from the roster.
The Orioles have looked wildly different from series to series, making it difficult to pin down exactly what kind of team they are through the first quarter of the season.
Inside the clubhouse, though, the team’s outlook has remained consistent. While Baltimore has struggled to consistently stack wins, Jackson said the club still believes its overall play has been better than the record suggests.
“Obviously, there’s been a couple of mess-ups, a couple of boneheaded plays, but all in all, I like where the defense is, and hopefully we build off that and just get better as the season continues to go,” Jackson said.
Reliever Rico Garcia said maintaining confidence has been one of the biggest priorities for the pitching staff as the Orioles work through an uneven start.
With injuries forcing Baltimore to constantly reshuffle both the rotation and bullpen, Garcia said the key has been maintaining the same mindset regardless of circumstance or role.
“It’s kind of just having a steady, steady mindset throughout the whole season,” Garcia said. “Just trusting in our ability and just going out there every single day with a ‘Day One’ mentality.”
That approach has become increasingly important for a pitching staff that has leaned heavily on unseasoned arms and frequent roster movement.
Garcia said one of the biggest lessons for him personally has been learning to embrace opportunities whenever they come. The right-hander has gotten the bulk of the save opportunities with Helsley on the shelf.
“Whether it’s up or behind in the game, I’m just going out there and controlling what I can control,” Garcia said. “Then, everything else will kind of follow after that.”
Right-hander Jose Espada echoed a similar sentiment prior to being optioned to Triple-A Norfolk, emphasizing his focus has simply been on maximizing every opportunity he receives at the major league level.
Espada added that improving his ability to get ahead in counts with first-pitch strikes has been one of his biggest developmental focuses this season.
“Every time I got the opportunity to be here, I’m going to do my best,” Espada said. “[I’m] trying to throw zeroes so I can at least stay here.”
For now, the Orioles are left trying to balance patience with urgency. Injuries, roster turnover and inconsistency have resulted in a frustrating first quarter. But internally, belief has not disappeared. Players continue to point to the talent in the clubhouse, stressing that a healthier roster could completely change the trajectory of the season.
Whether that optimism ultimately proves justified remains to be seen. But for now, Baltimore is choosing steadiness over panic. With plenty of season left to play, the Orioles remain convinced the version of the team they expected to be entering spring training is still somewhere ahead of it rather than behind it.
“[A turnaround is] bound to happen,” Jackson said. “So I think for us, we’re just being professionals about it and staying ready to go. We’re keeping our heads on straight and just grinding and coming to the field every day, ready to work.”
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