Welcome to another edition of the Orioles Beat newsletter. Spring Training is now taking place, and I’ll be in Sarasota, Fla., through the end of camp on March 24. Make sure to follow along on Orioles.com for coverage all spring, while this newsletter will continue to land in your inbox twice a week ... 

SARASOTA, Fla. -- As successful as Baltimore’s 2023 season was, some of the lasting images came from the disappointing, shocking conclusion.

Orioles players stood along the railing of the third-base dugout at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, stunned after getting swept out of the postseason by the Rangers in the American League Division Series. Texas players celebrated in a swarm of jubilation.

The 101-win AL East champions had World Series aspirations. Instead, they went 0-3.

“It doesn't really feel real right now,” catcher Adley Rutschman said the night of Oct. 10, only minutes after the ALDS-ending Game 3 loss.

The O’s don’t want to feel like that again. Four months later, they’re using that as motivation.

Baltimore opened Spring Training in Sarasota earlier this week, with pitchers and catchers holding their first workout Thursday. The report date for position players isn’t until Monday, but nearly everybody is already in camp.

The focus is on 2024, but no one is forgetting what happened at the end of ‘23.

“That’s something that sticks with you for a long time,” Rutschman said. “It’s tough to put a definitive time period on [moving past] something like that, because I think you’re always going to be thinking about that. You’ve got to put in the work for this next season, though, and I think we’ve got high goals and aspirations for this year, and I think we just try and focus on that now. 

“You learn from last year, and that’s never not going to sting.”

It may have hurt, but it could end up being a beneficial experience. The majority of the Orioles’ 26-man ALDS roster had never played in the postseason prior to that point, including the entirety of their young core.

The O’s don’t want to erase the visions of the eventual World Series champion Rangers hooting and hollering, surrounded by more than 40,000 Texas fans doing the same. While Baltimore is now at the Ed Smith Stadium complex preparing for another season, those tough mental images have been filed in the back of the O’s minds.

“You just use it for fuel for the next year,” said infielder Gunnar Henderson, the reigning AL Rookie of the Year. “You don’t necessarily have to stop thinking about it. Don’t let it eat you. But I just use it for fuel for this year and, hopefully, a longer postseason push.”

That’s the expectation for Baltimore. The Orioles could even be better set up for a deep October run this time around. Their rotation now features ace Corbin Burnes at the top, while more highly ranked prospects (most notably infielder Jackson Holliday, No. 1 overall per MLB Pipeline) are on the cusp of joining the budding big league core.

The O’s would love to win 101 (or more) games this year and capture a second straight AL East title. But their primary objective is postseason success.

“We’re just looking to go to that next step,” Rutschman said, “because you think about [last year’s ALDS], and it’s not a great memory.”

With Spring Training in full swing, the work has begun to ensure there will be better lasting memories for the Orioles at the end of 2024.

How many pitchers in Orioles history (since 1954) have hit a postseason home run?

A) 0
B) 1
C) 2
D) 3

The landscape of the Orioles’ projected rotation changed this week due to two new pieces of information. Right-hander Kyle Bradish has a right UCL sprain and will open the 2024 season on the injured list, while lefty John Means is likely to hit the IL as well due to a month-late start to his offseason throwing program after extended rest for his surgically repaired left elbow.

That leaves only three locks for the rotation: Burnes and fellow right-handers Grayson Rodriguez and Dean Kremer.

Entering Spring Training, it seemed likely that righty Tyler Wells and lefty Cole Irvin could shift to the bullpen with seemingly no available rotation spots for either. Now, they appear to have the inside track to fill the two openings -- right?

“Definitely,” manager Brandon Hyde said on Friday. “We’ll see what happens here in the next month, but definitely give those two guys every opportunity.”

During the early weeks of Spring Training, I’ll be using this space to highlight some of the new players in Orioles camp this year. In this edition: Jonathan Heasley.

Who is he? Heasley is a 27-year-old right-hander acquired via a trade with the Royals on Dec. 18. A 13th-round pick of Kansas City in the 2018 MLB Draft and a native of Plano, Texas, Heasley has a 5.45 ERA in 36 games (24 starts) over three big league seasons (2021-23).

What should you know? Prior to 2023, Heasley had only been a starter. He transitioned into a relief role last year, when he had a 6.85 ERA in 32 games (15 starts) for Triple-A Omaha and a 7.20 ERA in 12 appearances out of Kansas City’s bullpen.

If Heasley has a strong spring for the O’s, he could break camp with the team. (Plus, he’s already on the 40-man roster.) But he has a Minor League option remaining, so he might get sent to Triple-A Norfolk to serve as valuable pitching depth -- whether that’s as a starting option or as additional bullpen help.

What did he say? “Obviously, I want to be flexible, do whatever I can to help. I think having the ability to be able to do both is definitely beneficial. But ultimately, at the end of the day, I don’t think I have a 100% clear answer. Just whatever they need me to do, I’ll be ready for it. ... Whatever can get me on the field is what I want to do.”

C) 2

Dave McNally hit two postseason homers (one in the 1969 World Series and another in the ‘70 World Series), while Mike Cuellar hit one in the ‘70 AL Championship Series.

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