After the Orioles were swept out of the playoffs without a win for the second straight year, many baseball mavens expected the team to make aggressive off-season trades or free agent signings, especially to help replace departing ace Corbin Burnes and hard-hitting Anthony Santander.

But General Manager Mike Elias didn’t do that. Instead, he continued a conservative strategy of developing minor-league players and signing a few lesser-known veterans to short-term contracts. It’s unclear whether such temporizing will be enough for the 2025 Orioles to win the division or another wildcard, let alone finally make a deep playoff run. Disappointing performances last year after the All-Star break and into the post-season by young players like Adley Rutschman and Jackson Holliday cast some doubt on this deep reliance on very young talent.

Nonetheless, this Orioles squad of Baby Birds exudes sky-high potential. In fact, last season started remarkably well, with the O’s 36-19 through May, but then only three games over .500 for the rest of the season after they were crippled by injuries to everyday players like Jordan Westburg, Ryan Mountcastle, Ramon Urias, Heston Kjerstad and Rutschman himself. All will be back healthy this year.

The 2024 injury bug was even more devastating to the pitching staff, with essentially every starter except Burnes spending part or all of the season on the injury list, along with dominant closer Felix Bautista, who is now back from Tommy John surgery.

Unfortunately, injuries are already a story from spring training with starter Grayson Rodriguez again on IR with an elbow injury to start the season. And without a premier new signing, Baltimore’s 2025 rotation will be relying on a combination of well-aged finesse hurlers and unproven youth. Older pitchers include free agent acquisition Charlie Morton, who is 41, Japanese standout Tomoyuki Sugano (35) and 2024 surprise Albert Suarez (also 35), joining Opening Day starter Zach Eflin and pitcher Dean Kramer. The O’s hope to develop young starters like lefty Cade Povich and Chayce McDermott, along with lackluster trade acquisition Trevor Rogers.

Luckily, the bullpen will continue to be the strength of the staff. “The Mountain” Batista will likely again be one of MLB’s premier closers, supported by often outstanding set-up men Yennier Cano, Bryan Baker and Keegan Akin. More recent additions include Seranthony Dominguez and new signing Andrew Kittredge.

Still, fundamentally, Mike Elias is rolling the dice that the core of young position players — the “Baby Birds” — will carry the club. These include perennial MVP candidate Gunnar Henderson at short, Westburg at third, Holliday at second, Mountcastle and Ryan O’Hearn platooning at first, and Rutschman behind the plate with Cowser in left, $49.5 million free agent signing Tyler O’Neill in right, and Kjerstad backing up the outfield. A sprinkling of veterans remain, with Cedric Mullin at least beginning the season in center, and Urias, Jorge Mateo and Ramon Laureano among those off the bench. Former Yankee Gary Sanchez will start the season as backup catcher but look for young slugging catcher Samuel Basallo to get called up soon.

Overall, four or five of these young players must have breakout or career years for the Orioles to not simply make the post-season again but finally advance in the playoffs. And that will be harder this year, since the Red Sox, Blue Jays and Yankees have all opened their wallets and splurged on big-name players.

Toronto improved by inking Santander to a $92.5 million five-year contract, to complement returning power hitters like Vladimir Guerrero and Bo Bichette and a stronger pitching staff centered around free agent Max Scherzer. Boston was also aggressive, adding marquee talent like Alex Bregman and pitchers Walker Buehler and Aroldis Chapman.

And while the Yankees lost both the World Series and the Juan Soto sweepstakes, they added additional firepower with the signings of Cody Bellinger and Paul Goldschmidt, along with truly elite pitcher Max Fried.

If second-year owner David Rubenstein has not been asked to spend too much, he’s still been very busy. Rubenstein sensibly ended the decades-long contretemps with the Washington Nationals over Mid-Atlantic Sports Network TV rights so that, after this year, MASN will just cover the Orioles.

Meanwhile, the popular Rubenstein joined a few other owners confronting Commissioner Rob Manfred with the suggestion that MLB consider salary caps like the NFL so the smaller market teams like the Orioles can better compete against high-spending big market teams. Unfortunately, the MLB brass and players union both appear immune to common sense and oppose a salary cap.

The flaw in the MLB position (and of elite baseball writers in New York) became clear when the #1 2025 payroll Dodgers (spending well over twice what the Orioles will) used the off-season to sign yet more first-rate players. Having already won the World Series last year rather easily over the Yankees (who have the fourth-highest 2025 payroll), the Dodgers are prohibitive favorites to win the NL again, with the Braves, Phillies and Mets (all with high payrolls) contesting.

Happily, the American League is more open, with as many as seven teams including the O’s potentially reaching the Fall Classic. And who knows? This could be the year Baltimore flies into the World Series. But a large flock of Baby Birds will have to carry them there.

Paul Bledsoe (@paulbledsoe) is an Orioles fan from Arlington, Virginia.