A common quote in baseball goes “Every end is a new beginning on the diamond”. Baltimore Orioles fans have many fond memories of the 2024 season and the Birds second consecutive playoff appearance, but that was last year.

The 2025 season is officially here with plenty of new faces in new places.

The Orioles lost several key players from last year’s wild card team, but they have added some quality new talent too.

We all wish we could keep certain players forever but inevitably people will leave for various reasons. Money is a common factor in players decisions, but other reasons arise.

Will miss – Corbin Burnes

Probably the second most prevalent reason a free agent will pick a franchise is for family. The Orioles reportedly made a competitive offer to Burnes in hopes of a return, but Burnes ultimately signed the with Arizona Diamondbacks to be close to his family.

It’s reported that Burnes turned down a contract offer that was bigger in both years and dollars.

The O’s brought in some quality starters but failed to land a true MLB ace. The rotation can still be strong and Kyle Bradish will return this season, but an ace can make a big difference.

Sending out a pitcher that you know will be there every fifth game to pitch about seven innings is great for a team’s mentality. Without that the O’s will enter the season hoping someone steps into that role.

Will not miss – John Means

It pains me to say this because he’s one of my favorite players, but statistically speaking the Orioles will not miss John Means.

He had a breakout rookie season in 2019 that saw him go from a guy who barely made the team as a reliever to an All Star starter that was the team’s ace just a few months later. Means remained the Birds’ ace for several years and pitched one of the best games in franchise history.

Unfortunately injuries derailed his career. Repeated elbow injuries have lead to multiple Tommy John surgeries and limited Means to just 10 total games over the last three seasons.

Means recently signed a contract with the Cleveland Guardians and I know all of Birdland joins me in wishing him the best of luck.

Will miss – James McCann

It’s strange to say the a backup catcher with less than stellar production will be missed by a playoff team, but McCann was so much more than that. He was recognized by many as the clubhouse leader which is a difficult role to replace. The O’s are a young team that has experienced quick success but the second half of last season did not go as planned.

It would have been very easy for things to blow up (in a bad way) when the team struggled and lost the division lead.

A veteran leader is the glue that holds the team together and keeps them moving forward in the face of adversity.

McCann unforgettably caught eight innings in game one of a double header after having his face shattered by a fastball. There isn’t an athlete in the world that wouldn’t get behind a guy like that.

Will not miss – Jacob Webb

Acquired during the 2023 season, Webb quickly became one of the most called upon names in the Orioles bullpen. He was fourth on the team in 2024 with 60 appearances, two of which were saves. At a time when the O’s bullpen was struggling, it was Webb that was able to help steady the ship.

This season the bullpen is in much better shape.

Felix Bautista is returning from his Tommy John surgery, Seranthony Dominguez proved himself to be a reliable late inning reliever and the addition of Andrew Kittredge will fill the void left by Webb.

Kittredge tied for ninth in baseball with 74 appearances last season, has similar strikeout numbers to Webb and a much better walk rate. That’ll help alleviate the potential pain of losing Webb.