Orioles are young, talented and will return to postseason soon

The Baltimore Orioles took it on the chin this week, dropping two wild-card home games to the Kansas City Royals. Their hitting was utterly shut down by the Royals, as the Orioles were only able to produce one lone run during the sweep. 

A slump can happen to any team at any time. The postseason is a particularly tough arena for a team with so much youth. The Orioles, are blessed with many young, talented players and the best thing about younger players is that they will become more experienced over time. 

There may not be a team in the majors that wouldn't like starting pitchers Grayson Rodriguez and Cade Povich, shortstop Gunnar Henderson, infielder Jordan Westburg, outfielder Colton Cowser, catcher Adley Rutschman, infielder Jackson Holliday and outfielder Heston Kjerstad on their roster. And the Orioles still have two more top-13 prospects waiting in the wings in third baseman Coby Mayo and catcher Samuel Basallo. 

Baltimore also several reliable veteran pitchers on the injured list, including starting pitchers Kyle Bradish and John Means and closer Felix Bautista.

The Orioles are just too talented to be ignored in the future. As they gain experience, they will continue to be a force to be reckoned with. They have won 192 games over the last two seasons, which is very impressive considering how many young players notched significant time on the field. 

While the Orioles should be outstanding for the next several years, the team may have difficulty deciding to whom they want to offer lucrative, long-term contracts. Henderson has to be at the top of the list. If Westburg and Cowser play well again in 2025, they must be considered. A year ago, Rutschman would have been a must-sign, but after a down year, he figures to need a big bounce-back season to remain a foundational building block for the organization. 

Baltimore has some big decisions ahead of it, but the core of the team should be in place for at least two or three years. The Orioles still have plenty of opportunity to make it to the World Series and bring home a championship.