Orioles Opening Day Predicted Starting Lineup

First-year Orioles manager Craig Albernaz has toyed with several lineup combinations in Grapefruit League play, but more often than not, Ward has been penciled into the leadoff spot.

Ward, 32, offers more leadoff experience than anyone on Baltimore’s roster. In 174 career games (169 starts) batting first, the right-handed slugger has posted a .259/.326/.456 slash line with 32 home runs, 81 RBIs and 108 runs scored.

While Ward is not much of a threat on the basepaths due to his 45th-percentile speed, his ability to reach base consistently should make him an effective table-setter for Baltimore.

2. Gunnar Henderson, Shortstop

After returning from the World Baseball Classic, Henderson batted behind Ward in his first spring game back with the Orioles. The lefty-hitting shortstop has made just 39 starts from the No. 2 spot in his first four seasons, but in that sample, he has produced a .293/.335/.506 slash line.

Henderson, 24, spent much of the 2025 season battling a shoulder impingement, which he said affected his ability to leverage the ball like normal. Now fully healthy, he will aim to recapture the power he showed during his 37-homer season the year prior.

3. Pete Alonso, First Base

Entering the first year of his $155 million contract, Alonso will be counted on to help transform the heart of Baltimore’s lineup. The Orioles ranked 11th in home runs and 24th in runs scored last season — two areas the 31-year-old slugger was brought in to improve.

Since Alonso entered the league in 2019, only Aaron Judge (285) and Kyle Schwarber (268) have hit more home runs than his 264. He also ranked second in MLB with 126 RBIs in 2025.

With Ward and Henderson batting in front of him, the five-time All-Star should have plenty of opportunities to drive in runs.

4. Adley Rutschman, Catcher

During Thursday’s spring game against the New York Yankees, Rutschman hit cleanup behind Alonso. The 28-year-old switch-hitter has moved around the lineup this spring, but if a right-hander is on the mound, his left-handed swing helps balance the middle of the order.

Rutschman posted a career-worst .673 OPS last season as a pair of oblique injuries limited him to 90 games. He has performed well in Grapefruit League play this spring, slashing .289/.341/.500 with two home runs and five RBIs in 38 at-bats.

5. Tyler O’Neill, Right Field

The 2025 season was a lost one for O’Neill, who played in just 54 games due to neck, shoulder and wrist injuries. But when healthy, he has shown he can be a force in the middle of the order.

In 2024, O’Neill posted an .847 OPS with 31 home runs in 113 games for the Boston Red Sox. The veteran right-handed slugger has also homered on Opening Day in each of the past six years, an AL/NL record.

6. Samuel Basallo, Designated Hitter

Continuing the righty-lefty trend, Basallo offers significant upside to the bottom half of the lineup. The 21-year-old is MLB Pipeline’s No. 8 overall prospect and is widely considered one of the frontrunners for the American League Rookie of the Year Award in 2026.

So far this spring, Basallo has slashed .375/.444/.781 (1.225 OPS) with three home runs and 10 RBIs in 32 Grapefruit League at-bats. He should see time at catcher this year, but when Rutschman is behind the plate, the designated hitter spot will be his more often than not.

7. Coby Mayo, Third Base

With Jordan Westburg (partial UCL tear) sidelined through at least the end of April, Mayo will get an extended run at third base. Defense remains a question mark for the 24-year-old, but he has had a stellar spring at the plate.

In 12 Grapefruit League games, Mayo has produced a .452/.441/.742 slash line with two home runs, three doubles, 12 RBIs and only one strikeout.

8. Colton Cowser, Center Field

Like Rutschman and O’Neill, Cowser is looking to bounce back from an injury-plagued 2025 season. In 92 games last year, the left-handed hitter slashed .196/.269/.385 with 16 home runs, 40 RBIs and 14 stolen bases.

According to Statcast, Cowser ranked in the 64th percentile in outfield range last season. The 25-year-old is set to open the year as Baltimore’s primary center fielder after Cedric Mullins was traded last summer.

9. Blaze Alexander, Second Base

Initially, Alexander was acquired from Arizona with a super-utility role in mind. That versatility will eventually come into play, but with Jackson Holliday (hamate fracture) expected to begin the season on a minor league rehab assignment, Alexander will likely handle second base in the short term.

In 13 games this spring, Alexander has gone 9-for-32 (.281) with one double and four walks. The 26-year-old owns a .237/.322/.366 slash line with 10 home runs and 49 RBIs in 135 career MLB games.

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