The year started full of hope for Orioles fans, with a new ownership group coming in to buy the team. Then a new ace pitcher, Corbin Burnes, arrived and a stellar first half kept the good vibes going in Baltimore. Five All-Stars traveled to Dallas, a sign as clear as ever that the team was up there with the best in the league.

But by July that feeling began to dissipate. Injuries piled up, and poor play followed. Soon, the team that built a reputation for being explosive was having trouble scoring runs.

The Orioles limped into the playoffs, and a round of injury reinforcements came just in time to help them secure the top wild-card spot. But the problems prevailed, and, despite masterful pitching performances from Burnes in Game 1 and a group of seven pitchers in Game 2, the season ended with a thud. For the second year in a row, they were a promising young team that started the season strong but failed to win a postseason game.

The year, from the highly anticipated debuts to the second-half swoon, was one to remember. So let’s take a look at the most memorable Orioles moments from 2024:

David Rubenstein buys the team

It was a moment to rejoice for Orioles fans. Baltimore native and billionaire David Rubenstein bought the team for $1.725 billion. The sale, which was agreed upon Jan. 30 and finalized March 27, ended the Angelos family’s 31-year tenure. Rubenstein’s ownership group, which includes billionaire Michael Arougheti, Orioles legend Cal Ripken Jr., billionaire Michael Bloomberg, former Baltimore Mayor Kurt Schmoke and NBA Hall of Famer Grant Hill, started by owning 40% of team and purchased the remaining shares Aug. 1.

Orioles trade for ace Corbin Burnes

Two days after Rubenstein bought the team, the Orioles made a blockbuster trade, acquiring ace Corbin Burnes from the Brewers for DL Hall and Joey Ortiz. It was a sign of a new era. The Orioles traded young prospects with bright futures for one season with a player they hoped would take them to the next level. He did his part, pitching to a 2.92 ERA and giving them eight innings in the first game of the American League Wild Card Series.

Jackson Holliday makes his debut

It didn’t happen on opening day as many expected or believed it should have, but, 10 games into the season, the top prospect in baseball got the call. Holliday made his debut at Fenway Park on April 10, going 0-for-4 with an RBI. His home debut was a spectacle, with 32,000 fans in attendance and a T-shirt giveaway with his face on it. A few days later, he finally collected his first hit in his 14th major league at-bat. He was demoted shortly after, but at least he got to go into the Green Monster first.

Albert Suárez’s dazzling comeback

Seven years. That’s how long the journey was for Albert Suárez to return to the majors. The righty and his family traveled the world to keep his dream alive. He always believed he would make it back on a big league mound, and on April 17 he got his chance. With Tyler Wells dealing with elbow inflammation, the Orioles selected Suárez’s contract. He dazzled in his first outing since 2017, pitching 5 2/3 shutout innings. Suárez showed so well he got another start, then another and another. Before long, he was a key part of the Orioles’ rotation, an under-the-radar minor league signing pitching to a 3.70 ERA in 24 starts and 32 appearances.

Injuries take a toll

Injuries hit the Orioles clubhouse hard, first going for the pitchers — John Means, Wells and Kyle Bradish needed season-ending elbow surgeries, with Danny Coulombe and Jacob Webb also sidelined for part of the season — then the position players. Jordan Westburg, Ramón Urías, Jorge Mateo and Ryan Mountcastle missed significant time in the second half. The pitching staff, particularly the starting rotation, weathered the storm, posting a 3.94 ERA, good for 14th in the majors. But the lineup faltered in the second half, leading to a 33-33 record after the All-Star break.

Holliday’s grand slam

Holliday, disappointed in his first major league stint, returned July 31 after the trade deadline created an opening for a second baseman. It didn’t take him long to show this time would be different. He hit a grand slam to Eutaw Street in his first game back. Maybe it was the Golden Tee arcade game that he played for hours pregame or the swing adjustments he made in Triple-A. Either way, Holliday proved he was ready for the limelight. He went 9-for-24 with four homers in his first seven games back and stuck with the team for the rest of the second half.

Rock bottom in Detroit

The Orioles were lucky they had a strong first half, because the last month of the season was brutal. A Friday night in September in Detroit, as the Tigers bullpen narrowly missed a combined perfect game, was rock bottom. Baltimore, which lost five straight series from Sept. 6-22, watched its chances of winning the American League East dwindle away. It managed the top wild-card spot, earning a home playoff series.

Downfall of a Hall of Fame closer

Needing a closer with Félix Bautista sidelined for all of 2024, the Orioles signed Craig Kimbrel, one of the best of all time, to a $13 million deal in December. Kimbrel, though, didn’t make it through the whole season, with the Orioles designating him for assignment Sept. 18. He was stellar at times — pitching to a 2.80 ERA in the first half and earning consideration for the All-Star Game — but collapsed in the second half, allowing 20 earned runs in 17 innings. If this was it for the 36-year-old, he’ll end his career with the 440 saves, fifth most in MLB history.

Playoff sweep

There was optimism that, despite playing .500 baseball in the second half, the Orioles would fare differently in the playoffs. They saw the return of Westburg, Mountcastle and Urías, three important right-handed bats. Except the lineup remained flat, scoring just one run in two games. The Royals took both games for a sweep in the best-of-three series.