This story was excerpted from Jake Rill’s Orioles Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

BALTIMORE -- The Orioles passed the quarter mark of their 2024 season this week. They’re off to a 28-14 start -- having not yet lost more than two consecutive games -- and they’re again among the top teams in the American League as they seek to repeat as AL East champions.

“How consistent we’ve been so far, I’m really, really happy with,” manager Brandon Hyde said earlier this week. “The defense we’ve played. I’m ecstatic about our pitching, what our rotation has done. I think our bullpen has done a great job. Like last year, and the year before, we play a ton of close games, and we’re winning more times than not. I think we have the ability to improve also and get better.

“Up until this point, I’m really happy with how the season has gone.”

Here are some of the hot topics surrounding one of MLB’s hottest teams with just under 75% of the season still to play.

A six-man rotation appears to be on the horizon
It’s been widely speculated that Baltimore could shift to a hybrid six-man rotation in the near future. The O’s appear likely to do that to help ease the workload of their starters over a stretch of 30 games in 31 days (and 43 in 45) that began Friday.

Hyde said the club has mapped out starts for Corbin Burnes (who will stay on regular rest as the ace of the staff). Grayson Rodriguez (right shoulder inflammation) returned from the injured list and rejoined a group of starters that also includes Kyle Bradish, Dean Kremer, John Means and Cole Irvin (who has temporarily moved to the bullpen for the weekend).

“We expect to go to a six-man probably here pretty soon,” Hyde said. “We’re not in that stretch yet, but it’s coming soon. So we’re trying to keep them all healthy as possible, and then, when we have that stretch, we could probably go into a six-man rotation.”

Slow-starting veteran outfielders aiming to get going
Cedric Mullins (a 2021 All-Star and Silver Slugger) and Austin Hays (a ‘23 All-Star) have been key contributors for the Orioles in recent years. Neither has played up to his potential so far early in ‘24.

Mullins has been out of Baltimore’s lineup for three of its past five games as the 29-year-old tries to break out of a slump. He’s mired in a 5-for-59 skid dating back to April 22.

“He’s just had a rough patch where the ball’s not falling, you know?” Hays said. “You just stay positive, you just continue to work on the right things. We know how this game goes. It’s a long season, and things turn around quick. You have one good week, you’re MLB Player of the Week, and all of a sudden, your stats look pretty good again.”

Hays appears to be getting on track himself. After a 3-for-41 start to the season, the 28-year-old went 2-for-4 over two games at Kansas City on April 19 and 20 before going on the injured list due to a left calf strain. Since returning, he’s 2-for-2 with a pair of doubles.

Closing situation
Craig Kimbrel hasn’t entered a game in a save situation since May 8, when he allowed two runs in two-thirds of an inning and failed to convert a save opportunity for the fourth time in five outings. At that time, the Orioles decided to modify their late-inning strategy for at least a bit.

Yennier Cano has earned Baltimore’s only save over its past six games. Meanwhile, Kimbrel has twice pitched in the seventh inning and once in the 11th. The 35-year-old has been nearly perfect in those appearances, retiring nine of 10 batters over three hitless frames with four strikeouts and one hit-by-pitch.

Still, Hyde hasn’t disclosed when Kimbrel could return to the closer’s role and continue his climb up the AL/NL all-time saves list. (He ranks sixth with 425.)

At what time might that happen?

“We’ll see,” Hyde said earlier this week. “Any time.”