Let’s start with the basics.

What must the Orioles do differently in 2027? Win more games, of course. Ditch .500 early and make a serious run at the division title and home field advantage. Pile up the perks.

“You know, we want to be better results-wise,” president of baseball operations Mike Elias said at Monday’s press conference. “The results need to be better. This is the second year in a row that they haven’t been there to this degree and we’re tired of it.”

The feeling is shared by many others. This isn’t a frustration that’s confined to within the organization. Attendance fell below 2 million again this season to rank 23rd in the majors. Upgrades to the ballpark don’t soften the pain of losing. Fancy club-level bars and the “vibrant social atmosphere with drink rails, standing room viewing areas, spacious gathering zones with tables and chairs, central bar, diverse concession offerings, and televisions positioned throughout the space” that the Orioles announced is being built in the left field upper deck, can’t mask a fourth-place finish.

The only sellout came on Opening Day. The Orioles spent money on free agents, contract extensions and Camden Yards renovations, but the payoff fell well below expectations. The euphoria of the Pete Alonso news, which led to billboards in the city celebrating the Polar Bear’s arrival and an introductory press conference overflowing with optimism for the upcoming season and the years that follow, did a gradual fade into Wild Card chase elimination.

“The biggest thing is how they see the game, how they see the future moving forward,” Alonso said while explaining his decision to sign with the Orioles. “It was the entire blueprint. Just their passion for winning and also their vision and what they were willing (to do). ‘This is where we see you and how we are going to get there. You are going to be a big part of winning a championship here.’”

Maybe in 2027.

The wheels already are turning as the Orioles begin plotting their strategy, with a possible lockout in the background. But any additions to the roster and front office won’t lessen the importance of getting much more out of the returning group that’s always referenced as “the young core.”

They aren’t kids anymore. Well, Jackson Holliday is 22 but he’s played in 307 games in parts of three seasons.

Holliday got a late start to the season after breaking his hamate bone in Sarasota, and it ended early because of his left wrist injury that required another surgery. In between, he batted .229/.300/.340 in 98 games.

Gunnar Henderson hasn’t gotten back to the player who was an All-Star in 2024 and finished fourth in Most Valuable Player voting. It could be due to shoulder and wrist ailments. It could be something else.

Colton Cowser excelled defensively and certainly had his moments at the plate, but his advancement from a disappointing 2025 still left him with a .226/.317/.370 line in 142 games. He did post a 2.5 bWAR that ranked third on the team among players who weren’t traded.

Jordan Westburg was injured twice in 2026, including a torn ligament in his right elbow that required Tommy John surgery and cost him the entire season.

Coby Mayo had a breakthrough, which was a pleasant change from the breakdowns among some other former prospects. Samuel Basallo flashed his power but slid out of Rookie of the Year consideration by slashing .140/.235/.221 in 29 games in the second half while also dealing with right shoulder pain and a concussion.

Another offseason will be spent talking about the importance of the core taking the next step. The failure to do so could again be a toxic accompaniment to an expensive free agent signing or a trade.

“It’s been a huge factor for us,” said president of baseball operations Mike Elias. “A lot of guys that came on like gangbusters or were excellent in the minor leagues have had their performance kind of go backwards a little bit over a year or two in a way that wasn’t expected for me internally, but more important to me, like externally. I didn’t hear anyone saying, ‘Oh, this guy is gonna regress,’ or read anything. And it’s been a problem. We’ve also had a lot of health factors in some of those regressions and we’re doing our best to address it.

“Some of it’s innate to baseball. There’s a lot of variability and it’s really hard to be a player and kind of stay on top of your game, but if there’s anything we’re doing organizationally to give us more than our fair share of that problem, we’re looking at it. And if I’d have that solved, it would have been solved by now. So it’s not something easy, but it’s at the front of our minds.”

Elias pointed out that the Orioles aren’t the only team in this predicament. And in some cases, they actually come out favorably by comparison.

“If you want to look at them in terms of these were homegrown draft picks, they’re doing really well relative to other baseball draft picks and cores,” he said. “These guys are great players doing great. To the degree that they haven’t played as well as they have earlier in their major league career, that’s part of the game. It’s really hard to stay on top of your game as a player.

“We’re going to keep working with these guys.”

And keep an open checkbook if the price and talent are right.

Alonso offered an immediate return on the club’s $155 million investment with a league-leading 43 home runs and 113 RBIs, and with his leadership and accountability in the clubhouse that set an example for younger teammates. He also might motivate the organization to make other bold moves, if that’s even necessary.   

“We have owners now that really have the ability to do that, and they’ve already flexed that,” Elias said. “We were in a position this offseason to pursue a player like Pete, and we did it pretty aggressively, and so far really happy with that. So I credit our owners for putting us in that position.

“I mean, obviously, that’s something you can do every single year, but that is, as I said, some point when they came in, like we have the full spectrum of arrows in our quiver now because of the strength of our group. I’m glad that the experience we’re having with Pete has been so rewarding so far, because it is important to be able to pursue and attract big free agents when it makes sense.”

Asked if the Orioles are more inclined to pursue the top free agents based on Alonso’s 2026 season, Elias replied, “I think that’s on us as the evaluation and scouting part of our department that we have the confidence that we can identify the right talent when we make an investment that big. When we have that confidence, we’re going to bring it to our owners and stand behind it.

“As those cases arise, I think that’s how we’ll pursue it.”