Who are the last 5 Orioles to hit 30 home runs in a season?

Home run power has not been lacking recently for the Orioles

Aug 18, 2023; Oakland, California, USA; Baltimore Orioles designated hitter Ryan Mountcastle (6) follows through on a swing during a game against the Oakland Athletics
Aug 18, 2023; Oakland, California, USA; Baltimore Orioles designated hitter Ryan Mountcastle (6) follows through on a swing during a game against the Oakland Athletics / Robert Edwards-USA TODAY Sports
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While the Orioles were good in 2022 and really good in 2023, the stretch from 2018 until 2022 is an era that's rather forgettable. Despite the stretch of poor play as the team was deep in a rebuild, the power from some bats on the team was still there.

The 30 home run threshold is a big one for a hitter as it proves a dominant season in the power department. The Orioles haven't been lacking in home run power recently. Here are the last five Orioles with 30 home runs in a season.

Anthony Santander, 2022

Building off a few solid seasons before, 2022 served as Santander's breakout year. He bashed 33 home runs and added 24 doubles for the Orioles, serving as a key cog in the middle of the order. He had a .455 slugging percentage, his third-best mark in a full season.

His power saw him end the year with a .773 OPS and 120 OPS+ as he was one of the Orioles most reliable players in 2022, including some big moments with the glove.

Santander followed that up when he played for Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic in March and had two home runs while boasting a 1.332 OPS over 17 at-bats. He continued showcasing his big hits in 2023 while hitting 28 home runs, just two shy of two consecutive 30 homer seasons. He was an important player in 2022 and figures to be one for a while if he sticks around.

Ryan Mountcastle, 2021

After he made his debut in the 2020 Covid season with a 35 game showing, Ryan Mountcastle burst onto the scene in 2021 with an impressive year that set the tone for the years after for him.

He had a .487 slugging percentage, a career high in a full 162 game season. His 114 OPS+ is the second-best mark in his career, and his .796 OPS is also a career high. Mountcastle also hit 23 doubles and mashed 33 home runs, well ahead of his next highest total of 22 a year later. He also drove in 89 runs, a number that still stands as a career best.

While he dealt with vertigo this season, Mountcastle has remained a productive hitter and had some incredible moments during the year. Just ask the Toronto Blue Jays, who he temporarily took ownership of during the season.

Cedric Mullins, 2021

Another member of the 2021 Orioles who had a stellar season was Cedric Mullins, the heir apparent to Adam Jones in center field. By far his best season, Mullins finished in ninth place in voting for AL MVP, was selected to the AL All-Star team and also won a Silver Slugger.

While his defensive skills have remained elite in 2022 and 2023, he hasn't been able to replicate the big year he had with the bat in 2021. He joined the 30-30 club with exactly 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases, hitting 37 doubles and drawing a career high 59 walks.

Mullins has continued to be a contributor to the Orioles' success in recent years, but nothing has come close to the dominant season he had in 2021 in the middle of the Camden Yards outfield.

Trey Mancini, 2019

Time to fire up the nostalgia and talk about Trey Mancini a little bit. Before he was traded at the 2022 trade deadline, Mancini was a key part of the Orioles both on and off the field, and his 2019 season was something special after a few good years prior.

He had a .291/.364/.535 slash line with a .899 OPS and 134 OPS+ in 154 games, with his slugging percentage, OPS, and OPS+ still serving as career highs. He also drove in a career high 97 runs and hit 38 doubles and 35 home runs, leading the team in long balls.

2019 was also the season before Mancini sat out all of 2020 after his cancer diagnosis. He will always be beloved in Baltimore for everything he meant to the team and the city, but his 2019 season was a gem for both player and team.

Renato Núñez, 2019

While Mancini led the team in home runs with 35, bringing up second place with 31 home runs was Renato Núñez. While mostly a middling player in the majors, 2019 was a bit of an outlier for Núñez as he had a great season of power hitting.

Playing in 151 games, Núñez also contributed 44 walks, 24 doubles, and 90 RBI's. His .771 OPS is a career best in a full season, and he stole the only base of his career in 2019. While the other names might not be surprising, the fact that Núñez is on the list is definitely an eyebrow-raiser, especially since he was on the team during the dark ages and hasn't played in the majors since 2021.

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