At this very moment, snow has accumulated on the ground in Baltimore. In Sarasota, Florida, where the Orioles have flown for the winter, it’s a sunny day. Spring training is nigh. On Wednesday, Baltimore’s pitchers and catchers report to the Ed Smith Stadium complex, and the following day they will engage in the first official workout of the new season.

Baseball, here we come.

There’s plenty the Orioles might like to repeat from last year, such as their 91 wins. But they’ll hope to avoid the bevy of injuries that saw the likes of Kyle Bradish, Tyler Wells, Jordan Westburg and Jorge Mateo miss time — absences that played a role in a second-half regression. And for the second straight year, the Orioles were bounced from the postseason without winning a game.

FanGraphs projects the Orioles have a 44.1% chance of making the postseason in 2025, and a 3% chance of winning the World Series. But even they admit the numbers seem harsh on Baltimore, despite the losses of right-hander Corbin Burnes and outfielder Anthony Santander and the competition the rest of the American League East is bound to pose once more.

As the offseason comes to a close, here’s a look at how the Orioles have prepared for a new year and three questions that must be answered by the end of camp. Plus, some key dates for your calendar.

Who’s new?

The Orioles added an estimated $58 million to their payroll, according to FanGraphs’ roster resource, and they did so through natural arbitration increases as well as free agent deals.

Baltimore’s most notable addition was outfielder Tyler O’Neill, who agreed to a three-year, $49.5 million contract (although O’Neill holds an opt-out option after this season). But O’Neill wasn’t the lone outfielder brought on board. The Orioles added Ramón Laureano on a $4 million deal and signed Dylan Carlson to a $975,000 contract.

On the pitching side, Baltimore added two new starters: right-handers Charlie Morton ($15 million) and Tomoyuki Sugano ($13 million) on one-year deals. Right-hander Andrew Kittredge joins the bullpen on another one-year deal worth $9 million, with a club option for 2026.

There’s also a new backup catcher. Gary Sánchez, a two-time All-Star, joined on a one-year, $8.5 million pact.

Roster battles

Starting rotation: Zach Eflin and Grayson Rodriguez should lead the rotation, with Morton and Sugano as back-end options. Other options include Dean Kremer, Cade Povich, Trevor Rogers, Brandon Young, Albert Suárez and Chayce McDermott.

Outfield combination: The Orioles will carry either four or five outfielders. Barring any injuries, three of those spots are presumably locked with Cedric Mullins, Colton Cowser and O’Neill. That leaves Heston Kjerstad, Laureano and Carlson competing for the final one or two positions.

Final infield position: The Orioles appear set at catcher (Rutschman and Sánchez), first base (Ryan Mountcastle and Ryan O’Hearn), second base (Jackson Holliday), shortstop (Gunnar Henderson) and third base (Jordan Westburg). Ramón Urías figures to be a utility option. Should Baltimore stick with four outfielders, that leaves space for either Jorge Mateo (returning from elbow surgery) or prospect Coby Mayo.

Three major questions

1. Will Holliday firmly grasp the starting second base role?

Nothing is guaranteed, even for the former top prospect. He hit .190 in his first 60 games and managed a 66 OPS+ (a metric where 100 is league average for offensive production). There’s room to improve, and he seems more than capable of doing so.

2. Which non-roster invitees will stand out?

It’s always worth watching top prospects when they’re included at big league camp. Catcher Samuel Basallo, the Orioles’ highest-ranked prospect, will be in Sarasota again. Beyond him, infielder Emmanuel Rivera could push for a place on the opening day roster, as well as right-hander Matt Bowman. Both performed well for the Orioles near the end of last season.

3. Will Trevor Rogers make a push for the rotation?

The Orioles gave up a lot for Rogers at last year’s trade deadline, shipping outfielder Kyle Stowers and infielder Connor Norby to the Miami Marlins. The early return hasn’t been favorable. But Rogers, who finished 2024 in the minors, has a refined delivery and workout routine. He’s hoping that propels him toward a strong camp.

Key dates

First full-squad workout: Feb. 18

First spring training game: Feb. 22, against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Ed Smith Stadium, at 1:05 p.m.

Final spring training game: March 23, against the Atlanta Braves at CoolToday Park, at 1:05 p.m.

Opening day: March 27, against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre, at 3:07 p.m.

Home opener: March 31, against the Boston Red Sox at Camden Yards, at 3:05 p.m.