Throughout the season, as the Orioles have racked up impressive win after impressive win, their players have remarked at what they view as the main reason for their success.
“Every game, it’s a different person,” catcher James McCann said. “It’s a different hitter, a different pitcher, a different guy stepping up every night. We have a group of guys that truly believe in each other.”
That balanced approach has led them to a 95-59 record, the best in the American League. It will also make voting for Most Valuable Oriole more difficult than in recent years.
When local media votes later this month for MVO, there are plenty of candidates who have cases to land on the top three of ballots. Compare that with the rebuild years, when either one player was an obvious choice (Cedric Mullins in 2021) or there were no standout options (pandemic-shortened 2020 season).
Ahead of next week’s voting, here are 10 players who could receive MVO consideration and the cases for them.
Hitters
Gunnar Henderson: The 22-year-old rookie doesn’t just deserve consideration; he likely deserves to win the award. Henderson entered the season as the favorite to win the AL Rookie of the Year Award, and despite a slow start, he’s now a shoo-in to become the first Oriole to do so since Gregg Olson in 1989. He ranks second on the club in OPS (.827) and RBIs (81) and is tied for the team lead in home runs (27) while also playing plus defense at both shortstop and third base after a rough start with the glove. His 5.9 wins above replacement on Baseball-Reference ranks ninth in the sport, behind only these stars: Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Ronald Acuña Jr., Marcus Semien, Matt Olson, Corey Seager, Gerrit Cole and Freddie Freeman.
Adley Rutschman: Can Rutschman become the first player to win MVO in back-to-back seasons since Adam Jones in 2011-12? He’s the biggest face on the best team in the AL. While other hitters have gone through lengthy slumps, he’s been a steadying force throughout the season, both at the plate and behind it. His .367 on-base percentage is by far the best on the team, and he ranks second on the club in WAR, according to FanGraphs. The word “valuable” in the MVO award could help Rutschman, whose value goes beyond the statsheet as one of the few above-average hitting catchers and as the backstop of an improved pitching staff.
Anthony Santander: While his defensive contributions don’t match those of Henderson, Rutschman or most of the other position players up for MVO, Santander is having a career year at the plate. There’s even an argument to be made that Santander is the club’s best all-around hitter. A year after leading the team with 33 home runs, he’s improved his slash line across the board with a higher batting average, on-base percentage and slugging. He leads the team in RBIs (89) and doubles (40) and he’s tied with Henderson for the most home runs with 27.
Austin Hays: Hays was one of four Orioles to make the All-Star Game, and he’s their most qualified candidate (and perhaps their only one) to be a Gold Glove finalist at his position. After a shaky April defensively, Hays has been one of the best left fielders in the sport, making several highlight-reel plays in Camden Yards’ abnormally large left field. Oh, and he was also the team’s best hitter in the first half. Then, after a poor July, he regained that form, as his .278 batting average leads all Orioles regulars.
Cedric Mullins: For Mullins to receive MVO consideration, it will be because of the vibes. His overall numbers, largely due to missing about seven weeks across two stints on the injured list with a groin strain, aren’t as good as the other hitters up for the award. But perhaps no Oriole has been the main reason they’ve won a game more often than Mullins has. The center fielder has been perhaps the most clutch player on the Orioles, leading the club with a whopping 1.060 OPS with runners in scoring position entering Friday’s game. His ability to deliver in those situations is why he has 73 RBIs — only 16 fewer than Santander for the team lead — despite starting just 96 games. The speedster has also made several web gems in center field, including plays such as his home run robbery in Seattle last month that led the Orioles to a victory.
Ryan O’Hearn: The first baseman deserves AL Comeback Player of the Year consideration, but he will also receive some for MVO. It’s not difficult to explain why. He’s the best statistical hitter on the best team in the AL. After years as a part-time player for the Kansas City Royals, O’Hearn has emerged this season with a .310 batting average and .855 OPS that lead the team. When he’s not starting against left-handed pitchers, he’s also the club’s best pinch hitter and one of the best in the sport in that role. He’s not a plus defender and he has about 200-300 fewer plate appearances than the other hitters deserving of MVO consideration, but considering the expectations for O’Hearn entering the season and how far he’s outshot them, few Orioles have been more valuable this year.
Pitchers
Kyle Bradish: Behind Henderson, perhaps no other Oriole deserves more MVO consideration than Bradish. While Tyler Wells was the team’s best starter in the first half, Bradish has emerged as its ace in the second half. His 3.01 ERA ranks third among qualified AL starters, and he should be an AL Cy Young Award candidate. Over his past 20 outings, the second-year right-hander has a 2.60 ERA with 14 quality starts.
Kyle Gibson: Like Rutschman, Gibson’s case relies on more than the statsheet, and like Mullins, it’s also vibes-based. Gibson isn’t the leader of the rotation the way Bradish is, but he is the leader of it in the clubhouse. The 35-year-old entered the 2023 season with more innings pitched than the rest of the rotation combined, and under his stewardship, the group has grown and improved throughout the year. Gibson’s 5.00 ERA is far from the bounce back Baltimore was hoping when it signed him for $10 million this offseason, but the underlying metrics suggest there’s been some bad luck involved, which is why his WAR on FanGraphs is second among the team’s starters and sixth overall. He’s also the team leader in innings (180) and wins (14).
Yennier Cano: Manager Brandon Hyde has often remarked this season that one of the main differences between the 2023 Orioles and the rebuild-era Orioles is the ability to get hitters out late in games. Cano’s addition to Baltimore’s bullpen hasn’t only been massively valuable, it’s also been the biggest surprise of the season. In early April, Cano was seen as an erratic project in Triple-A, but he broke out to earn a trip to the All-Star Game and is one of the best relievers in the sport with a 2.19 ERA in 70 innings.
Félix Bautista: The knock against Bautista is he’s going to miss the final five weeks of the season. But that might actually boost his case. His value has been even more obvious since he’s been away. Before his injury, the Orioles’ bullpen was ranked sixth in the majors with a 3.55 ERA. In the month since, the unit has fallen to 12th with a 4.04 ERA entering Friday. Before he partially tore the ulnar collateral ligament in his elbow, Bautista was the sport’s best reliever, and he will likely end the season with the highest FanGraphs WAR among relief pitchers despite his time missed.
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