Cedric Mullins emphasizes where the Orioles plan to head towards in the next season - "We want that playoff bid"

The Baltimore Orioles have been reeling under massive pressure, and the team's CF, Cedric Mullins, realizes the gravity of the situation.

The team came very close to making it to the postseason last time around but fell just short of clinching a wildcard spot since the other teams in the American League just powered through the end phase of the regular season.

"We Want That PlayOff Bid" - Cedric Mullins

"Our expectations as a team are definitely going to be higher. Oriloes outfielder Cedric Mullins gave his thoughts on where the 2023 O's see themselves heading" - MLBNetworkRadio

The Orioles haven't won the World Series since 1983 and haven't made it to the Wild Card Series for six years now. They started the 2022 season strong, but somewhere down the line they lost track after the All-Star game, which saw their winning percentage take a considerable dip until eventually they got some important wins in the final phase of the regular season but in vain.

The sheer fact that this Baltimore club now faces substantially higher expectations means that having a successful season won't be as simple in 2023. Most bookies predicted that the O's would just barely manage 60 or more wins before the 2017 season even started. Instead, the O's recorded 83 victories, and they now hope to complete the task they began in 2022.

Can Cedric Mullins and the Orioles make it to the postseason in 2023?

As the season progressed, Cedric Mullins' situation improved, much like that of the rest of the Baltimore team. His batting line for the remainder of the season was 258/.318/.403.

That is acceptable; it isn't quite "this guy's one of the greatest hitters in MLB" territory since 2021. Mullins' park- and league-adjusted OPS+ score was 104, which is 4% higher than the league average.

"Cedric Mullins hit the MOON." - barstoolsports

Mullins made 201 plate appearances in 2022 that lasted two pitches or less, with 100 of those ending on the first pitch. His output decreased as a result of this uptick in aggression; his batting average plummeted to 314 and his on-base percentage to 323.

It's reasonable to assume that Mullins has a high probability of producing a season for the Orioles that is at least as successful as his performance in 2022. If they want the season to be even better than it was this year, they'll need that next year.

I hope Mullins isn't traded if anyone is. Baltimore's outfield has room for growth in the corners, not in the center. It will be interesting to see how Elias's moves pay off for the unit as a whole.