As the Orioles navigate their treacherous early-season schedule, checkered with all five American League playoff teams from a season ago plus division rivals, they've been immediately confronted with a challenge that will define their season.
Put aside the starting pitching, and whether the outside reinforcements of Alex Cobb and Andrew Cashner can supplement what the Orioles hope will be improvements from Dylan Bundy, Kevin Gausman and Chris Tillman. And forget the bullpen, which has to cope without closer Zach Britton for at least two months.
Any success for the Orioles hinges just as much on whether their one-trick offense can solve the game’s growing trend of pitching backward and adapt its free-swinging approach to a style of pitching meant to exploit it.