A year earlier, the Baltimore Orioles appeared poised to build a dynasty, evident from their stellar performance. Presently, however, the team has descended into mediocrity, and despite a recent period of improvement, their prospects for the 2025 season remain bleak.
After dropping two out of three games to the New York Yankees, the Orioles find themselves 11 games shy of the .500 mark. They have compiled a 17-10 record over their last 27 games, suggesting that perhaps the worst phase is behind them, yet over the past 162 regular-season contests, the Orioles’ record stands at 75-87. This downturn is surprising for a team that clinched 101 victories in 2023, initiated the previous season with a 49-25 run, and had an emerging core of talent, both young and economically sustainable.
One of the biggest challenges for the Orioles has been injuries. Catcher and former top draft pick Adley Rutschman is the latest star to be sidelined. Pitcher Grayson Rodriguez has not taken the mound this season, Zach Eflin has only managed 11 starts with an ERA of 5.46, and both outfielder Colton Cowser and infielder Jordan Westburg have lost significant time to injuries.
The Orioles’ front office hasn’t garnered much sympathy due to their off-season decisions, which saw ace Corbin Burnes leave the organization, only to be replaced by temporary alternatives on one-year contracts.
Although Baltimore is a mere 6 1/2 games away from a playoff position, odds-makers remain skeptical. According to FanGraphs, the team’s chances of reaching the playoffs stand at just 3.7%. The Orioles are among five teams from the 2024 postseason expected to miss out if the current season concluded today.
SAN DIEGO (42-35, 39.3% postseason chance via FanGraphs): The Padres are trailing Milwaukee by half a game for the final National League postseason berth. San Diego has been teetering since opening with a 23-11 record, with their division becoming more competitive following San Francisco’s acquisition of Rafael Devers.
CLEVELAND (39-37, 34.1%): The Guardians currently share the final American League berth but would lose a head-to-head tiebreaker to Seattle if the season ended now. Detroit boasts an 8 1/2-game lead in the AL Central, which means Cleveland’s path likely relies on the wild card.
ATLANTA (35-41, 27.3%): Talent abounds, yet inconsistency persists for the Braves. A sweep of the Mets was overshadowed by a series loss to Miami, epitomizing their season’s struggles.
KANSAS CITY (38-40, 20.0%): Bobby Witt Jr.’s efforts are commendable, but the Royals rank just above the Pirates for the fewest runs scored in the league. However, the overall low standard in the AL allows Kansas City to remain in contention.
Trivia time
A nod to the NBA champions, the Oklahoma City Thunder: can you name the five current MLB franchises that have clinched the World Series in multiple cities?
Line of the week
Clarke Schmidt excelled for the Yankees, delivering seven no-hit innings in their recent 9-0 victory over Baltimore. The Orioles managed to secure just one hit against the Yankees’ bullpen.
Comeback of the week
The Orioles enjoyed an early 8-0 lead against Tampa Bay on Wednesday, only for the Rays to stage an impressive rally and claim a 12-8 victory. Despite being given a mere 2% win probability at the start of the third inning (via Baseball Savant), the Rays pulled off a shocking comeback.
Yennier Cano surrendered four runs in the fifth, tying the game, and was subsequently sent to the minors later in the week. Meanwhile, Andrew Kittredge allowed four runs in the seventh inning, further illustrating the Orioles’ pitching struggles.
This poses a question for Baltimore: Can their pitching enable the kind of resurgence needed to reenter playoff contention?
Trivia answer
The Athletics (Philadelphia and Oakland), Braves (Boston, Milwaukee, and Atlanta), Dodgers (Brooklyn and Los Angeles), Giants (New York and San Francisco), and Twins (Washington and Minnesota).