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Top 10 Baltimore Orioles moments from 2023

These were the 10 best moments for the Baltimore Orioles this year

By Brian Barr |
Baltimore Orioles 2023 American League East Champs
Baltimore Orioles 2023 American League East Champs / Rob Carr/GettyImages
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The end of the year is a time that many people use to reflect on the events of the past year. What went right, what went wrong and how can I do better? I have decided to take a similar approach to the Baltimore Orioles season.

I don't believe Mike Elias is interested in my talents as a former little league baseball player (with plenty of position versatility I might add) so I can't do much to help better the team, and I'd rather not dwell on things that went wrong, so here's my list of the Orioles top ten moments from this year.

#10: The return of John Means

Just two weeks into the 2022 season, Orioles ace John Means went down with an elbow injury that required Tommy John Surgery. Means was the team's ace and a fan favorite that had been forced to be little more than a spectator as the Orioles transformed from one of baseball's worst teams, to one of the best. After almost a year and a half, Means finally made his return to the Orioles with a clean bill of health. Means pitched well in his appearances and O's fans are excited to have him back at full strength in 2024.

#9: All sorts of debuts

This is actually a series of moments but it's moments O's fans have been waiting for. Several homegrown future stars made major league debuts for the Orioles this year including Grayson Rodriguez, Jordan Westburg, Heston Kjerstad and Colton Cowser. Ironically, it was Joey Ortiz, who spent the least time in the majors, who had the best debut game with three RBI's, tying Don Baylor's team record. All of these players have long major league careers ahead of them.

#8: Gunnar Henderson's 462 foot blast

On June 11 the Orioles were hosting the Kansas City Royals in the third game of the series when Gunnar Henderson stepped to the plate with two runners on and two outs in the bottom of the seventh. Henderson took a 3-2 offering from Royals righty Jackson Kowar and planted it on Eutaw St 462 feet away, the longest homerun ever hit to Eutaw St in a game, leading the O's to an 11-3 blowout over the Royals.

#7: Heston Kjerstad's first hit

Heston Kjerstad had a remarkable year. He missed his first two years of professional baseball after being diagnosed with myocarditis but broke out this season. He finally made it to the majors in September and debuted as a pinch hitter on September 14. His first hit in the majors came the next day in his first big league start when he crushed a sixth inning home run in front of the home crowd. This kid has already come a long way and he's just getting started.

#6: Ryan Mountcastle's nine RBI game

Every O's fan knows how well Ryan Mountcastle played after he came back from vertigo, but people should also remember how good he was playing before vertigo. On April 11, Mountcastle had his biggest game of the year, going 3-4 with two home runs (a three run and a grand slam) and he tied an Orioles single-game record with a whopping nine RBI's helping the Orioles beat the Oakland A's 12-8.

#5: Four Orioles make the All-Star team

The Orioles were a surprise team to many this year as most experts expected them to regress from their breakout 2022 season. The Orioles had other plans and showed the baseball world they were the real deal. They were rewarded for their efforts mid-season when Adley Rutschman, Felix Bautista, Yennier Cano and Austin Hays were all named to the All-Star team.

#4: Cedric Mullins home run robbery and extra inning homer

Nobody could stop Cedric Mullins from being the hero in a game in Seattle against the Mariners on August 13. With the O's clinging to a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the ninth innings, Mullins made an incredible catch over the wall in center field on a ball off the bat of Ty France that would have tied the game. After Seattle later tied the game in the ninth, Mullins came to the plate in the tenth and hit a two run homer that was the difference in the O's 5-3 win.

#3: Cedric Mullins cycle

The story the Orioles were pushing going into May 12 was the introduction of the bird bath, but Cedric Mullins stole the show. Mullins became just the seventh player in Orioles history to hit for the cycle when he hit a three run homer in the eighth inning to extend the Orioles lead over the Pittsburgh Pirates and help secure the win.

#2: Adley Rutschman's Opening Day

Adley Rutschman set the tone for the Orioles season in his first Opening Day in the majors. After homering in his first at-bat, he finished the day 5-5 with a walk and four RBI's, leading the Birds to a thrilling 10-9 victory over the rival Boston Red Sox in Fenway Park.

#1: The Clinch game

How could the best moment of this season be anything but the game the Orioles clinched the American League East Division Title? After suffering through the rebuild, the Orioles have finally reclaimed the top spot in the best division in baseball.

Bonus moment: Norfolk Tides win AAA National Championship

This didn't make the list because it is not technically an Orioles moment but it is part of the Birdland family. The Norfolk Tides were the best team in AAA all season long and the organization had the talent to replace stars that were called up to the big league club.

I hope you enjoyed these moments as much as I did. Opening Day 2024 is March 28 and it can't come soon enough. Have a happy new year.

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