Where did Orioles land in non-playoff team rankings from ex-MLB executive?

With some uncertainty surrounding the franchise, it comes as no surprise that they landed in the middle of the pack of the non-playoff team power rankings that Jim Bowden of The Athletic (subscription required) put together.

The former MLB executive put them at No. 8 out of 18 teams that didn’t make the postseason. They are ahead of their American League East rivals, the Tampa Bay Rays, who won 77 games and are ranked 10th.

The first order of business for Baltimore is to find a general manager to work under Mike Elias, who was quietly promoted to president of baseball operations over the past winter. After that, the brain trust needs to be completed by figuring out who will be the manager, whether it is Tony Mansolino having the interim tag removed or someone else being brought in.

Once those positions are filled, the main area on the roster to address is the starting rotation. How things were handled last offseason cannot be repeated, given how disastrous the outcome was.

Orioles starting rotation has legitimate depth

The Orioles are in a better position heading into the winter, looking to have an ace in Trevor Rogers. Knowing they have Kyle Bradish and Tyler Wells back in the mix is also reassuring.

Dean Kremer was serviceable, and anything provided by Grayson Rodriguez at this point should be considered a bonus. Chase McDermott and Cade Povich provide some youthful insurance as well.

Bringing in a true front-end starter to anchor the rotation along with Rogers would solidify this group. However, the bullpen also needs some help after trading away several veterans ahead of the this year's trade deadline and losing Felix Bautista to a long-term injury.

Lineup-wise, Baltimore will be relying on their young core taking that next step. After some regression in 2025, there is a lot of hope and optimism that the group can get back on track in 2026.

Gunnar Henderson, Jackson Holliday, Jordan Westburg, Adley Rutschman, Samuel Basallo, Dylan Beavers, Colton Cowser and Coby Mayo all had obstacles to overcome this year. Injuries were a big challenge, and better luck in that department would help immensely.

The lineup reaching its potential, with a few tweaks to the pitching staff, should have the Orioles right back in the playoff mix in the AL as soon as next year.