This holiday-season deep dive takes a playful look at the Baltimore Orioles—a Christmas wish list for a franchise on the rise and a fan base still pinching itself. From new stars already under the tree to individual wishes for everyone from Pete Alonso to Jackson Holliday, it mixes sharp baseball analysis with a wink to classic Christmas songs, all while grounding the optimism in one simple hope: health, growth, and maybe just a little more kindness around the game.
Orioles Fans Already Unwrapped Some Big Gifts
Before scribbling out a wish list, let’s pause and admit what the Orioles and their fans have already gotten. This isn’t a rebuilding club begging Santa for relevance anymore; it’s a contender adding finishing pieces.
The offseason haul reads like a front-office fantasy:
The Orioles’ Christmas morning started early. Mike Elias has shifted from architect of a rebuild to an executive who can spend, and that changes everything about what this franchise can realistically hope for.
From Holiday Carols to Clubhouse Needs
The wish list unfolds with a humorous spin on seasonal staples, poking fun at “The Twelve Days of Christmas” and side-eyeing the dated charm of “Baby It’s Cold Outside.” Underneath the jokes, the focus stays the same: health, consistency, and opportunity for a roster that suddenly feels built for the long run.
Individual Wishes for the Orioles’ Core and Newcomers
Every successful season is less about miracles and more about the everyday grind going right. For Baltimore, that starts with keeping key pieces on the field and unlocking the full value of their prime years.
Tyler O’Neill and Colton Cowser: Health and Contact
Tyler O’Neill might be the easiest wish to write: a fully healthy season. After 17 stints on the injured list, his power-speed combo has never been in question—just his availability.
A year without medical setbacks could make him one of the sneakiest impact players on the roster. That’s a wish worth making.
Colton Cowser already flashes loud tools and raw power. The wish for him is simple but pivotal: better contact rates.
If he trims the swing-and-miss without dulling the thunder in his bat, he becomes a long-term lineup fixture instead of a matchup-dependent option.
Adley Rutschman and Pete Alonso: Stability Behind and Beside the Plate
Adley Rutschman gets a wish for a mental and physical reset after a difficult season and a half. The talent and leadership are still there; what he needs is a clean slate and a season where the grind doesn’t overshadow the joy—or the production.
Pete Alonso gets something old-school: a full 162-game campaign. The Orioles don’t need him to reinvent himself; they just need him present, durable, and doing what he does best—anchoring the lineup with reliable, top-tier power.
Westburg, Mountcastle, Bradish: Health at the Heart of the Roster
Jordan Westburg and Ryan Mountcastle both get the same universal gift: good health. Their value really comes from everyday availability.
When they’re on the field, the lineup lengthens, and the club’s depth looks formidable instead of fragile. That’s not something you can take for granted.
Kyle Bradish gets a two-part wish: a clean bill of health and an All-Star nod. His upside is that significant.
If his arm holds up, he’s got the stuff and command to emerge as one of the American League’s premier starters.
Prospects and Young Talent: Pathways, Not Pressure
The organization’s transformation is built on the farm system. The wish list reflects a nuanced understanding of how young talent should be nurtured—not rushed, and not blocked without purpose.
Mayo, Kjerstad, Holliday, Basallo, Bradfield Jr.
Coby Mayo and Heston Kjerstad are wished clear opportunities to seize roles rather than getting lost in the shuffle. Their bats deserve real auditions, not just cameo callups.
Jackson Holliday gets the gift of stability—the chance to settle into the big leagues without the weight of being the savior. Let him grow into his role, not be crushed by expectations.
Samuel Basallo receives a wish for a smooth developmental arc, especially given the challenges of growing as a young catcher with big-league expectations attached.
Enrique Bradfield Jr. is wished a straight, uncluttered path to becoming the disruptive, game-changing presence his speed and defense promise.
Pitching Staff: Durability, Roles, and a Dominant Back End
Contending windows are often defined by pitching health. The Orioles’ wish list reflects that reality, from the rotation to the last man in the bullpen.
Wells, Rogers, Helsley, Bautista, Kremer
Tyler Wells and Trevor Rogers are both tied to durability and definition. The hope is that they stay on the mound and carve out reliable roles, whether as starters or multi-inning weapons.
Ryan Helsley just needs to keep doing what he did in 2024: locking games down with elite stuff and poise in the ninth. If Félix Bautista gets healthy, the dream is a back end that can shorten games to six or seven innings come October.
Dean Kremer receives a quieter, but vital wish: steady, mid-rotation reliability. On a club with star power, he can be the innings-eating glue that keeps the staff from fraying.
Front Office, Dugout, and a Bigger Picture Wish
The wish list zooms out beyond the field as well. Mike Elias deserves credit—and hopefully continued freedom—to spend like a big-market decision-maker.
That shift from austerity to ambition is the backbone of the club’s current momentum. New manager Craig Albernaz gets his own nod: a wish for a smooth debut season as an MLB skipper, earning respect in a clubhouse with real aspirations and pressure for the first time in a decade.
Kindness, Civility, and a Quieter News Cycle
The column wraps up with a wish that goes beyond Camden Yards. It’s a call for more civility and kindness, not just in baseball but everywhere.
Honestly, wouldn’t it be nice if the news cycle slowed down a bit, too? Orioles fans might just want that final gift—a chance to enjoy great baseball in a warmer, friendlier atmosphere.
With the holidays here, maybe there’s a little more hope than noise in the air.
Here is the source article for this story: An Orioles Christmas wish list
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