Adam Jones didn’t need a long runway to get his point across after the Milwaukee Brewers knocked off the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLCS and punched their ticket to the World Series for the first time in the franchise’s 57-year history.
The former Orioles star saw the moment and went straight to Twitter, where he wrote: “We’re next, d*****,” he exclaimed in the post.
That’s the kind of swagger Jones carried through 11 seasons in Baltimore, and it’s the kind of belief Orioles fans know all too well. The franchise is now 43 years removed from its last World Series title, and yet the hope never really goes away. Jones, still one of the most beloved figures in team history, clearly hasn’t lost the faith.
Baltimore’s drought is one of the sport’s longest, and the numbers behind it are hard to ignore. Since winning it all in 1983, the Orioles have only reached the postseason seven times. They’ve had good teams, too - teams with power, pitching, and enough talent to make you think a breakthrough was finally coming - but they’ve rarely been able to sustain it long enough to make October last.
Jones lived through plenty of that frustration firsthand. He was a key part of the Orioles’ best recent stretch from 2012 to 2016, when the club finished at or above .500 every year but still made the playoffs only three times. That run peaked in 2014, when Baltimore reached the ALCS before being swept by the Kansas City Royals.
Even in more recent years, the promise has been there without the payoff. The Orioles didn’t post back-to-back 90-win seasons again until 2023 and 2024, more than four decades after the last time they’d done it. Since that World Series title in 1983, they’ve flashed greatness but never quite sustained it.
And the last two seasons have shown how quickly momentum can disappear. After consecutive postseason appearances, Baltimore has gone 154-169 combined.
That’s not the kind of record that keeps you in the thick of the race, even in an expanded Wild Card environment. The Orioles have not been able to build rosters that stack up consistently against clubs like the Tampa Bay Rays and the New York Yankees.
Still, the Brewers’ run was a reminder that teams outside the usual heavyweights can break through. Jones’ message may have sounded bold, but it was rooted in something Orioles fans have clung to for decades: the belief that Baltimore can get there, too, if everything finally comes together.
In Other News...
Orioles Suddenly Have A Tough Call On A Pitching Prospect
After missing time to a torn UCL and Tommy John surgery, some encouraging news has started to pile up around Orioles pitching prospect Kyle Bragg in the Arizona Fall League. The 2023 eighth-round pick has returned to game action and, in his brief Fall League work, has been sharp enough to remind the organization why he was worth developing in the first place, showing both strike-throwing ability and the kind of velocity that stands out this time of year.
Now the Orioles have to weigh the bigger-picture roster question that comes with a healthy Bragg. Because he is Rule 5 eligible, Baltimore has to decide whether to protect him with a 40-man roster spot, and those choices can get tricky fast when a pitcher is coming off surgery but also performing like someone other clubs might be tempted to grab. For a farm system that is always trying to balance depth against upside, Braggs progress has made this one worth watching. [Read more 🡒]
Orioles Have A Christian Encarnacion-Strand Question Fans Should Watch
Christian Encarnacion-Strand gave the Orioles a useful glimpse of what he can still be after arriving in Baltimore, flashing the kind of offensive production that made him such an intriguing young hitter when he first reached the majors with Cincinnati in 2023. After injuries slowed him down in 2024 and 2025, the change of scenery helped him settle in with Baltimore, where his bat played especially well against left-handed pitching and added another layer to an already deep lineup.
The challenge now is less about whether Encarnacion-Strand can hit and more about where he fits. Baltimores infield is crowded, and that makes his role for the 2027 season far from settled, even after the strong showing he delivered once he got into games for the Orioles. For a club trying to balance present production with long-term roster fit, he has become one of those players whose value is obvious, but whose usage still needs sorting out. [Read more 🡒]
Former Orioles Lefty Finds A New Chance After Brutal Setback
Nick Raquet has landed a new opportunity with the Tigers, who signed the left-hander to a two-year minor league contract as he works his way back from Tommy John surgery. For a pitcher looking for stability during a long rehab, the deal gives him that breathing room, with Detroit planning to keep him in the fold until he is ready to pitch again.
For Orioles fans, the name still carries some familiarity, since Raquet was let go in early September before this move to Detroit. The recovery timeline is a long one, and the Tigers are essentially betting on his health for 2028, but the contract at least gives him a clear path and a place to aim while he grinds through the comeback. [Read more 🡒]