Why was Orioles’ defense so poor in 2025? | MAILBAG

Question: Why was the Orioles’ defense ranked so low last year? What will they need to do this year to improve? From: Leo Resop

Answer: Leo, I think the answer is a familiar one. Better health would help greatly. For example, Adley Rutschman had a 1.3 Defensive WAR (Wins Above Replacement), but he played barely half the season.

Colton Cowser had .7 Defensive WAR, and he played only 92 games.

Coby Mayo worked hard at first base, and his defense should be better in 2026. So should Jackson Holliday’s. He’s still raw at second base, but his defense should improve.

Gunnar Henderson’s defensive metrics weren’t as strong in 2025 as they were in 2024, though his errors fell from 25 to 8.

With better health and more regulars on the field for more games, I think the Orioles’ defense will improve in 2026.

Question: Why does it seem that the majority of hitting coaches either did not hit well enough to make the majors or were not very good hitters in the majors? For example, Cody Asche was a .234 major league hitter and the Orioles hit .235 as a team last year. From: George Knatz

Answer: George, success as a player has little or nothing to do as a hitting or pitching coach. While Ted Williams was credited for helping his hitters when he managed the Washington Senators years ago, most accomplished hitters aren’t necessarily good teachers.

It’s being able to get your message across, whether you’ve played or not.

In the NFL, some of the best coaches — Andy Reid, Bill Belichick, John Harbaugh, Mike Tomlin and Bill Parcells — never played professionally. Gregg Popovich, the winningest coach in NBA history, never played in the pros, and Earl Weaver never played in the majors.

Most weekdays, I’ll be answering at least one Orioles question. If you’d like to submit a question, send it to: Rich@BaltimoreBaseball.com. Questions may be edited for clarity, length and style.