MLB insider pinpoints exactly what 2025 Orioles are lacking

The Baltimore Orioles have found themselves back in the headlines early in the 2025 season — and not for reasons they'd prefer. After entering the year with deep postseason aspirations, the Orioles are facing critical early-season crossroads. Just weeks into the campaign, concerns are mounting about whether this team has the leadership, depth, and pitching necessary to sustain a postseason push. And it’s not just about what’s happening on the field — it’s about what’s missing in the clubhouse.

During a recent segment on Foul Territory, MLB insider Ken Rosenthal peeled back the curtain on what he believes is a deeper issue brewing in Baltimore. While much of the discourse around the Orioles’ struggles has been focused on their lackluster pitching — a staff ranked near the bottom in many statistical categories — Rosenthal pointed to something more intangible, yet just as important. The absence of a long-term veteran presence to anchor the team’s culture.

Baltimore is missing a long-term plan and a clubhouse leader

Rosenthal may be on to something. The Orioles are rich in talent — there’s no denying that. Their roster is flush with promising young stars like Gunnar Henderson, Adley Rutschman, and Jackson Holliday, and the pipeline continues to flow with top-tier prospects. But as Rosenthal noted, the lineup is primarily built around players with limited MLB service time. These are exciting names — but few have had the chance, or the tenure, to emerge as true clubhouse leaders.

Complicating this further is the Orioles’ hesitancy to commit long-term to any of their core players. Gunnar Henderson, who looks every bit the future face of the franchise, is a Scott Boras client — making a pre-free agency extension highly unlikely. Rosenthal suggested that locking up a player like Henderson could help solidify a cultural foundation in Baltimore, a window that may already be closing.

Veteran center fielder Cedric Mullins is another name Rosenthal hinted to as a potential leader. With years of service and on-field consistency, Mullins seems like a logical choice to take the reins. But again, Baltimore has yet to commit to him long-term, and with Mullins now crossing into his 30s, the front office is more than likely reluctant to make that kind of investment — even if it could provide much-needed stability.

Perhaps the best candidate to emerge as the steadying force Baltimore needs is Adley Rutschman. The 27-year-old backstop is already one of the premier catchers in baseball, he’s not a Boras client, and he’s still within his prime. A long-term deal for Rutschman could secure a cornerstone player and establish a vocal, everyday presence to lead both on and off the field.

But so far, that hasn’t happened. The Orioles' reluctance to invest long-term in their core players raises an uncomfortable question. What exactly is the plan? With no clear direction from the front office, no established locker room leader, and a pitching staff struggling to keep its head above water, this team — as talented as it is — risks falling short of the potential dynasty many envisioned.

A team this rich in talent is faced with an identity crisis. But without clarity, commitment, and leadership, Baltimore’s championship window could slip away before it ever fully opens.