SARASOTA, Fla. — As the Rangers celebrated, the Orioles had nothing to do but watch.
Their unprecedented season ended unceremoniously. After 101 wins, it took just three losses to come crashing down.
All Adley Rutschman, Gunnar Henderson and the rest of the young, plucky Orioles could do was watch. Rather than head back into the clubhouse, they sat on the top step of the visitors’ dugout at Texas’ Globe Life Field, watched the soon-to-be world champions go wild and soaked in the anguish, the disappointment, the regret of the sweep.
The Orioles play their first game Saturday — albeit a spring training exhibition — since that gutting Game 3 loss in the American League Division Series four months ago. Each player handled the playoff disappointment differently. Some moved past it quickly, others were still mourning weeks later. But they all agree that those three games don’t take away the magic of the 2023 campaign, nor do they mark the end of this team’s story.
“That’s something that sticks with you for a long time,” Rutschman said. “You learn from last year, and that’s never not going to sting.”
“You just use it for fuel for the next year,” Henderson said. “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.
It wasn’t the first time James McCann felt the suddenness of a playoff defeat. He first experienced it with the Tigers in 2014 when they were swept by the Orioles — the franchise’s most recent playoff victory — even though he wasn’t on Detroit’s playoff roster. Then, in 2020, McCann’s Chicago White Sox lost to the Oakland Athletics in the wild-card round.
The veteran backstop will never forget the pain of those losses, but he said that’s not a bad thing.
“Those moments never really leave you,” McCann said. “They shape who you are. They shape your mindset. But they also remind you that you’ve got to move on. This team, this organization is in a place to have a special run and not be defined by just one great season or one great streak. These guys are going to learn from this.”
Jordan Westburg wasn’t one of the Orioles on the top step of the dugout. He had a different view of the Rangers’ celebration. The rookie infielder was the last out, the final Oriole to bat in 2023.
ALDS Orioles Rangers Baseball
Tony Gutierrez/AP
Orioles reliever Yennier Cano, center, and first baseman Ryan Mountcastle, left, react in the dugout after losing Game 3 of the ALDS to the Rangers. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
It wasn’t Westburg’s first time experiencing that. As a star freshman at Mississippi State in 2018, he was the last out of the Bulldogs’ season-ending loss of the College World Series — one game away from making the finals.
“It fires me up thinking about it,” said Westburg, who is as even-keeled as anyone in the Orioles’ clubhouse. “But I’m not going to let that run my motivation. I’m motivated in different ways, and I don’t try to let that overtake my work because then I’d just be pissed off for no reason. Yeah, I’ll remember it. I won’t remember it fondly. But this is a new year, a new team and there are going to be new opportunities.”
Right-hander Dean Kremer, who took the loss in Game 3, said it took him a few weeks to get over the defeat. Slugger Ryan O’Hearn said it wasn’t until the Fall Classic was over — as the Rangers held up the World Series trophy — for him to fully move past it. Reliever Danny Coulombe said it took several weeks, too, for him, and living in Dallas didn’t help.
“I had everybody be like, ‘Oh, I’m a Rangers fan,’ and that was hard to see,” Coulombe said. “You kind of just reflect on the season, all the good. It hurts, but all of a sudden, you realize it was a special year. We just ran into a team that was really hot and ended up winning the World Series. I think it makes us feel a little bit better that they won the World Series.”
Manager Brandon Hyde acknowledges it took him “probably too long” to move past the ALDS sweep.
“It stings for a while,” he said.
Hyde was the AL’s Manager of the Year because of his club’s success in 2023 — 101 wins, an AL East title, completing one of the best rebuilds in MLB history. At some point this offseason, though, he came to accept the way the year ended while being able to appreciate the success the club had.
When he was hired, Hyde took over the AL’s worst club and managed it in the same state for much of the next three seasons. After climbing out of a rebuild, the mountain of the postseason might not seem as steep.
“We feel like there was some unfinished business there at the end of the year,” manager Brandon Hyde said of last season’s postseason sweep. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)
“We feel like there was some unfinished business there at the end of the year,” he said. “I think it’s motivating for all of us in that building of defending the American League East, getting back to the postseason, playing deeper into the postseason. But we’ve got to get there first, and that’s not easy to do. I don’t take that for granted.”
O’Hearn, one of the castoffs who defined the 2023 Orioles, said the end to the season was a “gut punch” that left a “sour taste in my mouth.”
“It seemed like it wasn’t real,” he said. “We weren’t ready to be done playing with that group of guys.”
But he believes the club will learn from that playoff experience — the first for the vast majority of the players — the next time Baltimore is in that position.
“Obviously our goal is to win the World Series,” O’Hearn said. “Talking about winning the World Series is fun and great, but you’ve got to get to that point. The question is this year: How can it go different? I don’t have the answer, but I know I’m confident in the guys in this room.”
Losing a playoff series is a far greater disappointment than the everyday letdowns baseball throws at players. But the game is full of failure, and the best players and teams are defined by how they respond to it, McCann said.
“We got that playoff experience, but we also kind of got punched in the mouth,” he said. “You have to remember that feeling to drive you to want to get back to that position, and that’s what really good baseball players do — using that failure to drive you to want to be better to drive you to want to get another shot at it.”
Cedric Mullins, like Hyde, lived through the dog days of the rebuild.
The center fielder made his debut in 2018 after the Orioles’ firesale at the deadline. He stumbled in 2019 as the team lost 108 games. And as he put up All-Star numbers, he played in all but one of the club’s 19 consecutive defeats in 2021 en route to a 110-loss campaign.
But Mullins isn’t just satisfied with the brief taste of the playoffs he got last year.
“Experiencing the playoffs for the first time, it creates that hunger,” Mullins said. “It creates that drive, that burning desire to win.”
Next time, the Orioles hope they’re leaping over the dugout railing rather than peering over it.
Grapefruit League opener
Red Sox at Orioles
Saturday, 1:05 p.m.
TV: MASN
Radio: 97.9 FM, 101.5 FM, 1090 AM
Corbin Burnes will be the starting pitcher of the first Orioles 2024 Spring Training game at Ed Smith Stadium as announced by manager Brandon Hyde in Sarasota, Fl. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)
Orioles top prospect Jackson Holliday locks onto a pitch with intensity during batting practice in 2024 Spring Training at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, Fl. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)
Pitcher Albert Suarez warms up before throwing batting practice in Orioles 2024 Spring Training at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, Fl. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)
Pitcher Yennier Cano throws live batting practice during Orioles 2024 Spring Training at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, Fl. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)
Pitcher Yennier Cano sports a high top hair cut as he stretches before pitching in Orioles 2024 Spring Training at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, Fl. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)
Former Orioles pitcher Ben McDonald, left, talks with current pitcher Cole Irvin during 2024 Spring Training at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, Fl. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)
Second baseman Connor Norby practices during Orioles 2024 Spring Training at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, Fl. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)
Second baseman Connor Norby practices during Orioles 2024 Spring Training at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, Fl. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)
Third baseman Coby Mayo practices running the bases during Orioles 2024 Spring Training at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, Fl. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)
Pitcher Corbin Burnes, from left, talks with catchers Adley Rutschman and James McCann after throwing Bullpen at Orioles 2024 Spring Training at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, Fl. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)
Veteran players Jorge Mateo, from left, Austin hays, Anthony Santander are taken to the club house in an electric cart driven by James McCann after they finished Spring Training live batting practice at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, Fl. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)
Manager Brandon Hyde, left, shares a laugh with pitcher Corbin Burnes during Orioles 2024 Spring Training at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, Fl. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)
Orioles Executive Vice President and General Manager Mike Elias, left, watches Jackson Holliday takes batting practice during Orioles 2024 Spring Training at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, Fl. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)
Outfielders Austin Hays, from left, and Cedric Mullins prepare for live batting practice during Orioles 2024 Spring Training at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, Fl. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)
Pitcher John Means stretches before workout in Orioles 2024 Spring Training at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, Fl. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)
Pitcher Chayce McDermott throws during Orioles 2024 Spring Training at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, Fl. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)
Pitcher Corbin Burnes throws during Orioles 2024 Spring Training at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, Fl. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)
Orioles top prospect Jackson Holliday connects during live batting practice at Orioles 2024 Spring Training at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, Fl. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)
Jorge Mateo, center, and other players warm up on the first day of full squad workout during Orioles 2024 Spring Training at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, Fl. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)
Center fielder Cedric Mullins makes a running behind the back and over the shoulder catch of a fly ball in batting practice during Orioles 2024 Spring Training at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, Fl. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)
Pitchers Cole Irvin, center, John Means, right, and others runs sprints to warm up during Orioles 2024 Spring Training at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, Fl. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)
Gunnar Henderson, center, works out during Orioles 2024 Spring Training at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, Fl. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)
Pitcher Yennier Cano checks out his new WIlson mitts at Orioles 2024 Spring Training at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, Fl. Each player on contract with the sport equipment company gets two new gloves a year. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)
Executive Vice President and General Manager Mike Elias, right, and manager Brandon Hyde watch pitchers throw bullpen sessions during Orioles 2024 Spring Training at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, Fl. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)
Pitcher Kaleb Ort throws bullpen during Orioles 2024 Spring Training at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, Fl. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)
Top prospect Jackson Holliday smoothes his hair as he waits for live batting practice during Orioles 2024 Spring Training at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, Fl. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)
Orioles Executive Vice President and General Manager Mike Elias, watches batting practice during team’s 2024 Spring Training at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, Fl. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)
Catcher Adley Rutschman, right, watches the flight of the ball he hit during batting practice in Orioles 2024 Spring Training at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, Fl. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)
Pitcher Cole Irvin throws live batting practice during Orioles 2024 Spring Training at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, Fl. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)
Orioles top prospect Jackson Holliday smiles during batting practice at Orioles 2024 Spring Training at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, Fl. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)
Outfielder Kyle Stowers throws during Orioles 2024 Spring Training at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, Fl. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)
Pitcher John Means tosses the ball during Orioles 2024 Spring Training at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, Fl. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)
Pitchers Matt Krook, left, and Dean Kremer warm up stretching during Orioles 2024 Spring Training at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, Fl. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)
Orioles Executive Vice President and General Manager Mike Elias, left, follows the flight of Jackson Holliday’s fly ball during batting practice in Orioles 2024 Spring Training at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, Fl. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)
Orioles pitchers Corbin Burnes, left, and Dean Kremer take part in Orioles 2024 Spring Training at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, Fl. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)
Pitcher Corbin Burnes, from left, talks with catchers Adley Rutschman and James McCann after throwing Bullpen at Orioles 2024 Spring Training at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, Fl. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)
Manager Brandon Hyde talks with reporters before Orioles 2024 Spring Training full squad workout at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, Fl. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)
Orioles top prospect Jackson Holliday takes fielding practice during Orioles 2024 Spring Training at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, Fl. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)
Center fielder Cedric Mullins connects for a home run during live batting practice at Orioles 2024 Spring Training at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, Fl. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)
Catcher Adley Rutschman backhands to stop a pitch in the dirt during live batting practice in Orioles 2024 Spring Training at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, Fl. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)
Cedric Mullins works out in center field during Orioles 2024 Spring Training at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, Fl. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)
Jorge Mateo makes a running catch of a fly ball in right field during batting practice in Orioles 2024 Spring Training at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, Fl. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)
