Orioles Officially Eliminated From 2025 Postseason
The Orioles’ postseason hopes came to an end Tuesday night. Despite defeating the Chicago White Sox, 8-7, Baltimore was officially eliminated after wins by both the Seattle Mariners and Houston Astros sealed their fate.
At 71-80 with 11 games remaining, the Orioles sit at the bottom of the American League East and are on track to finish below .500, a sharp fall after back-to-back playoff appearances in 2023 and 2024. Their season will conclude Sept. 28, the final day of the regular season.
“They’re not happy,” interim manager Tony Mansolino admitted. “The core group is miserable right now. Being eliminated is a failure in a lot of ways, but there’s plenty of motivation going forward. I promise you that.”
Back in spring training, expectations were high. Baltimore kept most of its core, signed veteran starters to bolster the rotation, and entered the year talking openly about a World Series run. By late March, however, cracks appeared. The Orioles never climbed more than one game above .500 and stumbled to a 12-18 start in April — a hole they never escaped.
A midseason shake-up followed: longtime manager Brandon Hyde and catching instructor Tim Cossins were fired in May, with Mansolino stepping in on an interim basis. Injuries piled up, sidelining stars such as Grayson Rodriguez, Adley Rutschman, and Tyler O’Neill. Meanwhile, healthy pitchers underperform, the rotation’s 5.16 ERA at the break was second-worst in baseball.
Since July, the Orioles have steadied somewhat, playing .500 ball and lowering their starter ERA to 3.86. Young talent has also emerged. Trevor Rogers has posted a 1.43 ERA across 16 starts, while Kyle Bradish and Tyler Wells returned strongly from elbow surgeries. Prospects Samuel Basallo and Dylan Beavers have impressed, with Basallo signing a long-term extension and Beavers hitting .275 with a .420 OBP.
Still, Baltimore enters a pivotal offseason. The team must decide whether to retain Mansolino or hire a new manager, potentially add a new general manager, and rebuild a depleted bullpen. With closer Félix Bautista recovering from shoulder surgery and four relievers dealt at the deadline, several spots remain open. A center fielder and another starting pitcher are also on the wish list.
To fill those holes, the Orioles may need to spend more aggressively than ever before — or trade core pieces like Ryan Mountcastle, who is entering his final year of team control.
The season may be ending in disappointment, but with a strong September finish and a wave of promising talent, Baltimore’s front office faces an offseason of big decisions to ensure this year’s setback doesn’t become a trend.
Orioles Officially Eliminated From 2025 Postseason was originally published on wolbbaltimore.com
