What could change for O's offense?: Coach Cody Asche on that and Rutschman on radio show

We got more evidence last night that while the Orioles are very aware that their offense fell off big late last season, they still see an overall good offense and one that does not need a major change or overhaul.

We are talking about individuals working to make their own improvements, helping the team improve.

A Baltimore offense that ranked fourth in the majors in 2024 scoring 4.85 runs per game is not going to undergo massive alterations.

On the first edition for this winter of the Orioles “Hot Stove Radio Show” last night on WBAL Radio in Baltimore, O’s hitting coach Cody Asche was a guest.

He knows the offense was part of the blame for the team going 26-27 from Aug. 1 on. The Orioles scored one run in two playoff games.

I asked Asche during the show if some major philosophical changes are needed for the Baltimore lineup?

“I don’t think anything major philosophically,” said Asche. “Health is a big thing for us. When our team is healthy, we’re really, really good. We are not using injuries as an excuse for anything. But the youth of our team, there are a lot of guys going through the same thing. You are learning how to play a 162-game season. Not only that, you are learning to play the back-half of that season where these games are just so high leverage. Whether it might seem like it or not, just the effort level and the focus that you have to have in those types of games – it takes a toll on you.

“You know, as you play and go through your career, all those times you go through, you learn from them and build from them. Think that experience, growing together as a group and bringing that group back, they can rely on each other when things go that way again. Can understand what’s happening and help each other through it better. The hallmark of a good team is they help coach each other, they coach themselves. They hold themselves accountable to approaches, to their work, to their energy, their effort.”

Since the start of the 2023 season, the Orioles have scored the fourth-most runs in MLB.

“At the end of the day, I think our offensive philosophy has been really, really good the last three years. I’d hate to overanalyze a couple of weeks at the end of the season and make wholesale changes. Especially with some of the profile hitters that we have. Just the overall youth in their career where you probably can project them to continue to get better and better. Hopefully the highs are a little higher next year, and the lows are a bit higher as well,” said Asche.

Asche was asked last night on WBAL about catcher Adley Rutschman, who had a poor second-half and saw his season OPS drop from .809 in 2023 to .709 last season. Rutschman’s wRC+ was 127 in 2023, but 104 this year and his fWAR dropped from 5.4 to 2.8.

Rutschman started the All-Star game in July and in 79 games through June 30 he hit .294/.350/.471/.821 with 15 homers and 55 RBIs. He was on a 30-homer, 100-RBI pace. He was doing exactly what the team hoped he would.

But, in 69 games from July 1 through the end of the regular season he batted .194/.278/.286/.564 with four homers and 24 RBIs.

“You feel for players that good that have such a bright spotlight on them," Asche said. "Good or bad, everything they do is magnified. Probably wears on you a little bit. I think it’s good for Rutch to get home, reset, clear his mind and just come with the same attitude he’s always had.

“There will be minor things we work on swing-wise, approach-wish, but nothing crazy. You’re just not that good and forget how to hit. If there is trust in the world in one guy that I have to come back and be himself, it’s Adley Rutschman. Mentally, he is as strong as they come. He is so gifted with a bat in his hands, he knows what he’s doing.

“I think it is just one of those things that happens in baseball. Things start to snowball a little bit. If it’s the first time or second time when you are young in your career, you get caught in a spot you don’t like to be at, either swing-wise or mentally. And that is why offseasons are so great. You get time to reflect on the season and then once you think you’ve found a path to move forward, you just get to work. And no one works harder than Rutsch, I can guarantee that. There is not one person more ready to show the world who he is than Adley Rutschman right now."

In the next week I'll have more from the show and interviews of manager Brandon Hyde and Asche.