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BALTIMORE -- As manager Brandon Hyde said prior to the Orioles’ American League East-clinching celebration last Sept. 28, “nobody” gave his team a chance at the start of the 2023 season. Especially not the various projection systems that had Baltimore taking a step back after an 83-79 showing in ‘22.

Instead, the Orioles went an AL-best 101-61 for the sixth 100-plus-win season in team history (since 1954) and the first since ‘80. They reached the postseason for the first time since 2016, while capturing their first division title since ‘14.

Because of all that, nobody should be overlooking Baltimore heading into 2024.

“I think everybody knows exactly what to expect when the Orioles come into town,” outfielder Austin Hays said. “They know that we’re a really good team.”

There’s a feeling of unfinished business for the O’s, who got swept out of last year’s AL Division Series by the eventual World Series champion Rangers. Baltimore is confident it can be more successful in 2024 -- and that even more wins could come this year.

“I 100 percent think so,” center fielder Cedric Mullins said. “Where that number lies, I don’t know. But I think we’ll beat 101.”

What needs to go right? The rotation gets reinforcements

In last year’s AL Division Series, the O’s didn’t have enough top-end starting pitching to compete with the Rangers. They’ve since boosted their rotation with the Feb. 1 trade for ace Corbin Burnes. But they’ll also be without two key arms to open the season -- Kyle Bradish (right UCL sprain) and John Means (left elbow recovery).

Baltimore would be a scary team to face in a postseason series with Burnes, Bradish, Means and Grayson Rodriguez as its starters. So it needs Bradish and Means to come back and pitch well -- or, if not, to reinforce the rotation in some way.

Great unknown: Will the Félix Bautista-less bullpen be strong enough?

While their All-Star closer recovers from Tommy John surgery, the O’s will hope Craig Kimbrel can still be an effective ninth-inning arm in his age-36 season. The right-hander, who ranks eighth in AL/NL history with 417 career saves, ended the spring by striking out six over four straight scoreless appearances, so he may still have plenty left in the tank.

But Baltimore will also lean heavily on setup arms such as Yennier Cano (an All-Star as a rookie in 2023) and Danny Coulombe, who don’t have long track records. Cionel Pérez and Jacob Webb had shaky springs. The X-factor of the group is Dillon Tate, who missed all of last season due to right elbow/forearm injuries and returned to have an electric spring.

Team MVP will be ... Gunnar Henderson

Last year, Henderson was named AL Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Oriole, then went 6-for-12 in the AL Division Series. After the 22-year-old was slowed by left oblique soreness early this spring, he returned to bat .417 (15-for-36) with five doubles, two homers and five RBIs in 12 Grapefruit League games.

Henderson is only getting better. Don’t be surprised if he’s an AL MVP contender, and he could win a Gold Glove at shortstop, where he’ll be playing almost exclusively this season.

Team Cy Young will be ... Burnes

Who else, right? The 29-year-old right-hander is among the best pitchers in baseball, and he’s poised for another big season in the final year of his contract.

Only three pitchers in Orioles history have produced a 200-plus-strikeout campaign -- Erik Bedard (2007), Mike Mussina (1996, ‘97 and 2000) and Dave McNally (1968). Burnes has recorded 200 or more K’s in each of the past three seasons, tallying 677 over that span.

Burnes, who owns a 2.86 ERA in 105 games since the start of 2020, is a bona fide ace.

Bold prediction: Jackson Holliday wins AL Rookie of the Year

This wouldn’t have qualified as bold if Holliday made Baltimore’s Opening Day roster, but the 20-year-old infielder is starting the season at Triple-A Norfolk. He may not be there long.

MLB Pipeline’s No. 1 overall prospect climbed all four full-season Minor League affiliates last year and had a tremendous spring, during which he proved he can handle second base and is ready to face big league pitching. As long as Holliday gets called up by sometime in May -- which is reasonable -- he could still have an ROY-worthy campaign.