Just a few months ago, the Baltimore Orioles looked like World Series contenders. Now, they find themselves stuck in the basement of the American League East. Fans’ frustration has mounted after such high expectations. And in light of the concerning slump, the architect behind the team’s recent rise, General Manager Mike Elias, finally stepped forward to face the media with a blunt assessment of the team’s alarming nosedive.

The fall from grace feels incredibly steep for Birdland. The Orioles blazed to 101 wins and an AL East title in 2023, then followed it up with a solid 91-win Wild Card season in 2024. But entering play on May 3, the O’s sat at a dismal 13-19. This dropped them to last in their division, already 5.5 games back. Even more concerning, their run differential had dropped to a troubling minus-50. It’s a dramatic downturn compared to the early Elias/Hyde years (131-253 from 2019-21).

Amidst this collapse, Elias didn’t mince words while addressing the news media. The Executive VP took the blame squarely on his shoulders. “It’s been really disappointing for all of us in the organization,” he said. “It’s been very difficult and we have not performed to expectations, so we all feel that. I feel that… They’ve had a poor start, and that’s my responsibility, and I’m in charge of baseball operations, and when we have a bad record to start the year, that’s my responsibility.”

It’s fair for the 2023 MLB Executive of the Year to accept responsibility. After all, he built this roster. Elias saw ace Corbin Burnes leave Arizona’s six-year, $210 million deal. His offseason plan involved replacing Burnes with veteran arms on one-year deals costing over $33 million combined. Those bets haven’t paid off. Charlie Morton ($15M) pitched to a disastrous 9.45 ERA (-1.1 WAR) before a bullpen move. Kyle Gibson ($ 5.25 M+) suffered a nightmare debut, surrendering nine runs (22.09 ERA). Only Tomoyuki Sugano ($13M) posted respectable numbers (3.00 ERA).

While taking the blame, Elias preached patience in terms of major roster changes. He’s not considering drastic cuts or demotions just yet. “Obviously, there’s a point for any of those things,” Elias admitted about potential moves. “Sitting here — what is it, May 1, May 2? — the answer is no. But if making changes to the roster, whatever those might be, when we’re confident it’s going to improve the team, we’ll consider those things.” He also strongly endorsed manager Brandon Hyde, calling him “very confident” in the skipper.

Rotation falters, bats go cold, and injuries mount for the Baltimore Orioles

Manager Brandon Hyde echoed the concerns about the rotation’s early struggles. “It’s pretty clear that our rotation had a tough time the first five weeks,” Hyde said after a rare strong start. “When we get some starts like that, it’s easier on the bullpen, it gives guys confidence… You see how we play when we get a good start.” First baseman Ryan O’Hearn also acknowledged the inconsistency, saying, “It’s a different battle every night… Sometimes, the offense needs to pick him up… I feel like we’re never out of it.”

The rotation has been a problem, but it’s far from the only issue; the offense has also underperformed. The team batting average hovered around .224 with a weak .673 OPS in early May. Their April performance ranked near the bottom of the league in several categories. Key hits have disappeared; the O’s batted only. 201 with runners in scoring position (27th in MLB). Key hitters, including Adley Rutschman (.217 BA / .684 OPS) and Ryan Mountcastle (.196 BA / .543 OPS), endured deep slumps. The team also struggled mightily against left-handed pitching (.165 BA).

Injuries have compounded all the Orioles’ troubles. The pitching staff got decimated. Starters Zach Eflin, Grayson Rodriguez, and Albert Suárez land on the IL next to the rehabbing arms of Kyle Bradish and Tyler Wells. Key relievers Trevor Rogers and Cody Poteet were also sent down. The injury bug hit position players, too. Ramón Urías, Jordan Westburg, Tyler O’Neill, and Gary Sánchez all landed on the injured list recently. This wave of injuries crushed the team’s depth early in the season.

And yet, faint glimmers of optimism remain. Dean Kremer recently threw seven shutout innings, showing potential for a turnaround. Outfielder Cedric Mullins leads the team with a 1.2 WAR and .862 OPS. O’Hearn continues hitting well (.940 OPS). Bullpen arms Yennier Cano (0.00 ERA) and Bryan Baker (1.38 ERA) have been dominant. Baltimore even won three of five recently against playoff teams. Elias remains optimistic, but how long can this team afford to wait for things to click?