O's could face challenges to match their run output from the 2023 season

Through the 2023 year, the Orioles have now played 70 seasons since moving to Baltimore in 1954. In just eight of those seasons, or 11.4 percent of them, have the Birds scored 800 or more runs.

We didn’t know that when the 2004 team scored 842 runs – third-most in club history – that it would not be the 2023 season until another O’s club would top that 800-run mark.

Now offense was up a bit in baseball in 2023 as players got more hits with infield shifts made illegal and the new rules allowed for more stolen bases. The games were shorter and the runs more plentiful.

During the 2022 season, the MLB average by a team was 4.28 runs per game. That shot up to 4.62 last season. It was 4.55 in the AL. The Orioles at 4.98 runs per game ranked fourth-most in the AL and seventh-most in all of MLB.

We know the Orioles offense slumped late in the year and they scored two runs or less in seven of the final 11 regular-season games and then twice more in three postseason games. That dropped that final average under 5.00 runs per game.

And while the Orioles were fourth in the AL in runs per game, they did not rank highly in some other basic offensive numbers.

The Orioles rated sixth in the AL in team batting average (.255), tied for seventh in OBP (.321), seventh in slugging (.421) and eighth in OPS (.742). And they hit 1.13 homers per game to rank only ninth-best in the league. The Orioles were far from a power-laden team.

But while the Orioles were somewhat middle of the pack in team slash line, they still scored a solid total of runs. One area that helped here big time was batting with runners in scoring position. While sometimes we focus on those games where they went 1-for-11 with RISP, for the entire year the club’s .287 team batting average with RISP led all of MLB. So did the O’s .837 team OPS with RISP. I was surprised to note that seven teams had an .800 or better OPS this past year with RISP, but none was better than Baltimore.

And the Orioles scored well in some small-ball stats too, as they tied for the second-most sac bunts in the league and were second in sacrifice flies. They ranked third in stolen-base percentage at 82.6. So, when they had chances to gain 90 feet, they often did it well enough to help the offense overall. Then the clutch hits and runs would come.

And they became one of eight O’s teams in club history to score 800 or more runs.

949 – 1996
851 – 1999
842 – 2004
818 – 1985
817 – 1998
812 – 1997
807 – 2023
805 – 1980

Baltimore’s 807 runs ranked behind these teams from last season: Atlanta (947), Los Angeles Dodgers (906), Texas (881), Tampa Bay (860), Houston (827) and the Chicago Cubs (819).

It could be a challenge to score 800 or more again for the Orioles, as it has been every season outside of the so-called “steroids-era” when they did this four times from 1996-1999.

With some young players still learning and growing as hitters and more on the way in Baltimore, the O’s offense could be in good hands for a while now. They could probably use more homers and young players like Gunnar Henderson and Adley Rutschman could hit more as their careers go on.

But after a year with such good RISP stats and a year when the O’s advanced runners well and took an extra base on the bases when they had a chance, the 2024 team could be challenged to match the 2023 edition in runs scored.

Birdland Caravan info: The Orioles announced Monday that ‘Birdland Caravan,’ a three-day winter tour, that will take place from Thursday, Jan. 25, through Saturday, Jan. 27, at multiple locations throughout the region. 

It's a chance for fans to meet and greet players through various activities at various locations. Designed to take the Oriole Park experience directly to the fans, the 'Birdland Caravan' will make stops throughout Maryland in 14 different cities throughout the three-day winter tour, including Baltimore City, Capitol Heights, Catonsville, Columbia, Frederick, Gambrills, Germantown, Hagerstown, Halethorpe, Havre De Grace, Laurel, and Timonium. Fans in Easton and Westminster will also have the opportunity to meet and take photos with the Oriole Bird and Mr. Splash while holding the American League East Champions flag.

For more click here and here.