Despite having been knocked out of the playoffs by the Texas Rangers, the Baltimore Orioles are still in the news for something other than baseball- the number of players on the team that were brought together by their shared Christian faith. The Orioles ended up finishing with 101 games in 2023 and a spot in the playoffs, a surprise success for a team that went 83-79 last season and missed the playoffs for the sixth straight season. WJZ’s Mark Viviano noticed something special about the team when he spotted Tyler Wells writing something in the dirt. He learned from Wells that it was a tribute to a relative with a terminal illness. After speaking more with Wells, Viviano went on to find out more about a team that was connected by their Christian faith. “As I spoke with more players, it was clear that their brotherhood in faith furthered their bond as teammates,” wrote Viviano on X. 

What Viviano found was a tight-knit group connected by Bible study and worship, with players ranging from ages 22 to 36. Kyle Gibson credited the team members’ faith for creating the camaraderie of the team. “Our faith gives us something to have a little unity over, gives us something to lean on whenever you’re going through hard times,” he said. Sports Spectrum reported on Gibson earlier this year, referring to his “spiritual leadership” of the team. Gibson gave his life to Christ at a Christian youth camp after an injury sidelined him from sports for the summer. “That was the summer I gave my life to Christ. I know baseball’s going to be here and gone, and it might be gone sooner than later. If I wanted something stable in my life, it had to be something other than baseball,” he recalled. The 36-year-old has had his ups and downs during his career but credited God for helping him through it all. “I’m a firm believer that everything happens for a reason, and our story, thankfully, is part of a bigger story, right? It’s a part of God’s story of humanity and everything that goes on. I believe that my story is being written every single day. I’m given struggles, I’m given triumphs for many different reasons,” he said on the “Get in the Game” podcast. 

Wells credited Gibson, amongst others, as being responsible for strengthening the team’s bond. “Kyle Gibson is a big influence. Adley Rutschman is a big influence. Austin Hays is a big influence. You have guys who aren’t afraid to talk about [faith].” 22-year-old Gunnar Henderson agreed on the importance of faith for the team. “We do Bible studies once a week and have chapel on Sundays. It’s cool to spend time and be in fellowship with those guys.” Pitcher Danny Coulumbe emphasized his teammates’ Christian identity over their identity as baseball players. “A lot of guys prioritize that. Obviously, for me, and most of the guys, it is the most important thing in our life, even more than baseball. We’re Christians first and baseball players second.”