Playoff roundtable: Are the Orioles more prepared for the postseason now?

The Orioles are in the postseason again and will host the wild-card round beginning Tuesday at Camden Yards. Perhaps this year — for the first time since 2014 — Baltimore will win a playoff game.

The Orioles overcame a plethora of injuries to secure the top wild-card seed, and they will face the Kansas City Royals. Should Baltimore win, a matchup with the New York Yankees in the American League Division Series is next.

Ahead of the wild-card round, our Orioles experts weigh in on important questions.

Is this team better prepared for the postseason than last year?

Kostka: Absolutely. The Orioles, as Ryan O'Hearn said, "were kind of hit by a truck in the postseason" last year. Now a young group has that bitter taste in their mouths. They understand the adrenaline of the playoffs. And they persevered through ample injuries and a second-half slump to clinch their place in October.

: I think you have to assume yes. Majority of the roster now has playoff experience, so they know what to expect. Nothing seems to scare Corbin Burnes, who will be their Game 1 starter, and Zach Eflin, the expected Game 2 starter, has had a great two months with the Orioles, pitching to a 2.60 ERA since he was traded from the Rays. It'll all just depend on how the offense reacts to the Royals' starting duo of Cole Ragans and Seth Lugo.

Meoli: It would be hard not to be, but we also have a good chunk of recent evidence of these players swinging out of their shoes as hitters try to do it all themselves, so it's no guarantee at this point that their experience is being applied for the better. I think they will literally be better prepared to start playing two days after the season ends, to be sure. That's probably going to mean more than anything else, considering the high they're currently riding.

Goon: Mentally, yes. Last season had a daydream-like quality, then, before the Orioles could adjust to the postseason, it was over. But this season they've experienced injuries, slumps and a touch of the yips . The last week of play felt like Baltimore finding its feet. As playoff starters, Corbin Burnes and Zach Eflin feel solid. I have more questions about the bullpen than this time last year, but the O's ought to be more resilient in 2024.

Who is in danger of getting left off the postseason roster?

Kostka: Rosters in September are set at 28 players, but that roster size returns to 26 for the postseason. Should the Orioles go with 13 pitchers and 13 position players for the wild-card round, there are likely three spots available for the quartet of Emmanuel Rivera, Heston Kjerstad, Austin Slater and Jackson Holliday.

Of those four, Slater has the ability to play all three outfield spots and hit against left-handed pitching, so they should keep him. Rivera is on a hot streak. Holliday provides needed middle infield cover and speed on the bases. For as good as Kjerstad has been, there's less need for a left-handed hitter who can only play corner outfield spots. Plus, he was hitting .207 this month before a solo homer Sunday. He could be a surprise candidate to be left off the roster initially.

Allentuck: I think Jackson Holliday could be at risk. The Orioles have Jordan Westburg and Ramón Urías back, so they don't need the middle infield help. And, although he's improved since his first stint in the majors, he's only hitting .204 with a .279 OBP in September. In the bullpen, Albert Suárez threw 71 pitches Sunday, which likely means he wouldn't be available for a few days anyway. It seems as though the Orioles are setting Cade Povich up to be their long man.

Meoli: For a three-game series, I'm of two minds about Cade Povich, who has been awesome lately. On the one hand, DL Hall was an absolute playoff weapon last year, though it should be noted he was groomed for a bullpen role. I'm just not sure, considering Povich has de minimis relief experience professionally, asking him to come in midgame or mid-inning in the playoffs feels like something the Orioles will do if they can help it. They might opt for another experienced reliever instead, and maybe go without a long man. Povich is probably better than whomever they'd keep over him but perhaps not better for the role.

Goon: Kjerstad and Matt Bowman feel balanced on a knife's edge here. Kjerstad's recent return from injury hasn't given him much of a runway to adjust to big league pitching before the postseason, and on defense the Orioles already have a lot of outfield options. But, if the Orioles want to make space for him, Bowman feels like the weakest bullpen piece and he has struggled mightily against lefties.

How far can the Orioles go?

Kostka: In the last decade, six wild-card teams have made the World Series. Only one of them had a sub-.500 record in the second half: the 2023 Arizona Diamondbacks. With their win Sunday, the Orioles finished .500 after the All-Star break. It will be a tough path for them, but they're getting hot at the right time. I'll predict a tight loss to the Yankees in the ALDS, although there's always potential for a run.

Allentuck: I think we'll know the answer to this question after the first game. I think the Orioles have proven they can beat the Yankees, winning the season series against them, so if they can get past the wild card I think they can make it to at least the American League Championship Series.

Meoli: I think the Orioles win a couple of series, at the very least, and completely shatter the psyche of everyone invested in their success along the way.

Goon: If they had more arms healthy, I'd feel better about the upside. It does feel like the Orioles' power is back, which should help their offensive woes. But all five of the other AL teams had a lower ERA than the Orioles after the All-Star break, and I'm uncomfortable about how the team has hit with runners in scoring position. I can see them getting through the wild-card round, but it's hard to see them progressing to the World Series with the pitching holding up.