The 2026 regular season is in the books, and for Baltimore that means the wait goes on. The Orioles are still searching for their first World Series since 1983, a drought that now sits at 43 years and counting.
There have been a few stretches that felt close enough to touch. The best shot Baltimore had before the current era came in 1996 and 1997, when Pat Gillick and Davey Johnson were running things on the field. Then came a long spell with little reason to believe a breakthrough was coming until 2012.
That changed in 2014, at least for a moment. Stan ‘The Fan’ Charles says he believed the Orioles would beat the Tigers in the ALDS, and they did.
He also admits that his confidence got the better of him after that, when he thought Baltimore would “blow the Royals away.” Instead, the Orioles were swept out of the ALCS.
Those Dan Duquette-Buck Showalter teams won a lot of games, but the ultimate prize never arrived. Even so, Charles makes clear those were some of the most enjoyable Orioles seasons he has seen.
He also notes that during Mike Elias’ rebuild, there was a point when he believed Elias might finish the job. By 2023, the Orioles had won the AL East with 101 victories and were powered by Gunnar Henderson, Adley Rutschman and Anthony Santander, along with a wave of rising prospects. The future looked bright.
New ownership has since stepped up financially in a way that should help Baltimore compete for a World Series again, but Charles says he is not sure Elias will be the one to get the club all the way there. He closes by hoping baseball is back in 2027 on time, and that the front office does a better job this offseason of building a balanced roster with enough depth to matter.
For now, the final 2026 MLB power rankings are out.
- Milwaukee Brewers (103-59, No. 1 last week)
- Los Angeles Dodgers (100-62, No.
Tampa Bay Rays (98-64, No. 3)
- Atlanta Braves (94-68, No.
San Diego Padres (91-71, No. 5)
- New York Yankees (93-68, No.
Cleveland Guardians (85-77, No. 10)
- Boston Red Sox (87-75, No.
Chicago Cubs (89-73, No. 7)
- Philadelphia Phillies (88-74, No.
Houston Astros (81-81, No. 13)
- Chicago White Sox (84-78, No.
Arizona Diamondbacks (86-76, No. 14)
- Pittsburgh Pirates (82-80, No.
Texas Rangers (80-82, No. 12)
- Baltimore Orioles (79-82, No.
Toronto Blue Jays (79-83, No. 16)
- Miami Marlins (80-82, No.
Minnesota Twins (77-85, No. 19)
- Detroit Tigers (76-86, No.
Washington Nationals (77-85, No. 23)
- St.
Louis Cardinals (77-85, No. 22)
- Seattle Mariners (76-86, No.
Cincinnati Reds (75-87, No. 25)
- New York Mets (74-88, No.
Kansas City Royals (69-93, No. 26)
- San Francisco Giants (65-97, No.
Athletics (64-98, No. 28)
- Los Angeles Angels (62-100, No.
Colorado Rockies (58-104, No. 30)
In Other News...
Orioles Face A Samuel Basallo Decision That Could Reshape Their Offseason
Samuel Basallos future has become one of the more intriguing questions hanging over the Orioles as the offseason approaches. The 22-year-old has long been viewed as a potential part of Baltimores next wave, but injuries have repeatedly interrupted his progress, and his time behind the plate has been limited by concussions and shoulder issues.
What makes the decision especially delicate is that the Orioles still have to figure out how best to use him if they want to get the most out of his bat without putting his body in the same spot again. His major league offense has not yet matched expectations, and Baltimore is expected to look at other catching options this winter, leaving Basallos role very much in play as the club weighs whether he can still be a catcher or needs a different path. [Read more 🡒]
Kyle Bradish Offseason Update Matters More Than Orioles Fans Expected
Kyle Bradishs offseason health check ended up carrying more weight than Orioles fans might have expected. Team president Mike Elias said the right-hander will undergo hernia surgery, a necessary step after Bradish dealt with the issue in his final starts of the season and then landed on the injured list in mid-September because of abdominal discomfort.
For Baltimore, the important part is the longer view. The surgery is not expected to affect Bradishs readiness for the 2027 season, and that matters for a pitcher the club has under contract through 2031. It is the kind of update that can quiet some worry now, even if the real test is how Bradish comes back once he resumes a normal offseason and begins building toward the future. [Read more 🡒]
Trey Gibson Just Put The Orioles On Notice For 2027
Trey Gibsons latest outing was the kind that tends to linger in a front offices memory. On Sept. 23, the 24-year-old right-hander carved through the Toronto Blue Jays for 6 scoreless innings, a sharp snapshot of the kind of starter the Orioles have been hoping he could become as he worked through a season that had plenty of bumps along the way.
Gibsons 2026 season was not a straight line, with a rough June and a return trip to Triple-A Norfolk before he settled in and began showing better control and more swing-and-miss stuff late in the year. The Orioles do not need to crown him based on one start, but the ingredients are there for cautious optimism, and his September work gave the organization a reminder that he could still factor into the rotation picture down the road. [Read more 🡒]