Can the Orioles follow the Dodgers' World Series roster blueprint in 2025?

The Los Angeles Dodgers rallied in dramatic fashion in Game 5 of the World Series to stun the New York Yankees and win the 2024 crown.

Meanwhile, the 2024 Orioles failed to win a postseason game and were eliminated in the first round
for the second straight season.

So, in terms of building a championship roster, do the Dodgers provide a blueprint for the Orioles to follow?

Yes and no.

The Los Angeles Dodgers' championship roster is headlined by players acquired from other teams

The Orioles and Dodgers' rosters have one key similarity: talent. The difference is how the talent was acquired. The Dodgers acquired their best players from other teams. NL MVP favorite Shohei Ohtani was signed away from the Angels. Mookie Betts was acquired from Boston (in a deal that sent Alex Verdugo, who made the last out in the World Series to the Red Sox).

The Dodgers lured Freddie Freeman away from the Braves with a lucrative deal, while signing slugging outfielder Teoscar Hernandez away from Seattle this past offseason. The Dodgers acquired their two best starting pitchers -- Jack Flaherty and Yoshinobu Yamamoto -- via trade and a mega free agency deal. respectively. The Dodgers' payroll reflects their bevy of acquired talent, standing at over $324 million.

The Baltimore Orioles' roster contains mostly homegrown players and players who have spent their entire MLB career in Baltimore

Not so for the Orioles, who had a 2024 payroll less than 1/3 of that of the Dodgers. The Orioles built their core from the ground up, with stars Gunnar Henderson, Adley Rutschman, Ryan Mountcastle, Grayson Rodriguez, Colton Cowser, Cedric Mullins, and Jordan Westburg spending the entirety of their careers with the Orioles.

Similarly, while Kyle Bradish, Dean Kremer, Anthony Santander and Felix Bautista started in different organizations, the Orioles plucked them away before they became Major League contributors. Potential big-time contributors in 2025 Jackson Holliday, Coby Mayo, and Samuel Basallo were all drafted by the Orioles.

In short, it is unlikely that the Orioles will -- or should -- follow the Dodgers blueprint of forming a roster comprised almost entirely of pricey free agents and expensive trade acquisitions. Indeed, contributing, homegrown Dodgers are few and far between on the World Series roster: catcher Will Smith, infielder Gavin Lux, and pitcher Walker Buehler are the only Dodgers who have spent the entirety of their MLB career with the team.

However, the Orioles should follow the Dodgers' blueprint to an extent. With few exceptions, World Series teams typically have at least some good, established players signed away from other organizations, and the Orioles would be wise to focus on adding such players (even if it means increasing payroll) this offseason.

Indeed, it is a combination of the Dodgers' approach and the Orioles' approach over the last few years that should produce the winning formula for the O's. Build a young core with homegrown players. Supplement that core with shrewd trades and free agent signings. Combine the youth with the experienced to win a championship.

Despite losing the World Series in 5 games, the Yankees actually provide a perfect example of this strategy. They are anchored by homegrown talent Aaron Judge. Judge is flanked by young talent in catcher Austin Wells, pitcher Luis Gil, and shortstop Anthony Volpe. But the Yankees did not rely solely on this young, homegrown talent, as evidenced by their acquisitions of superstars Juan Soto and Gerrit Cole, among others.

Now, the Orioles do not need to spend over $300M on a pitcher like Gerrit Cole, and there roster will contain more homegrown stars than New York's. But the Yankees' idea is correct; start building from within, and supplement. The Orioles have done a great job building from within. Now, with a new owner at the helm, it is time for them to supplement, starting this offseason.