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Orioles Postseason Chances Could Be in Jeopardy

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Riddled with injuries and stuck in a second-half slump, the Baltimore Orioles could fall out of contention if something does not change. While nobody expected the Orioles to win 102+ games this season, playing sub-.500 baseball since the All-Star break was not on anyone’s bingo cards either.

Baltimore’s 5-3 loss to the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday marked their ninth loss in 12 games. Something the Orioles have not done since their 110-loss season in 2021. At 84-68, the Orioles are 16 games above .500 for the first time since they were 35-19 on May 29th. Baltimore has scored three or fewer runs in 10 of their past 12 games, plating just 24 total runs.

“The mojo that we’ve had has just drifted away from us the last few months,” Orioles general manager Mike Elias said Tuesday. “There are reasons for it that are obvious, but a lot of it is we’ve got people here that are experiencing a downturn – whether it’s themselves or the team.”

Reasons Behind the Orioles’ Late-Season Slump

One of the “obvious reasons” Elias referred to are injuries. Baltimore lost three members of their starting rotation to season-ending elbow surgery in the first few months of the season. Starter Grayson Rodriguez is also sidelined with a shoulder injury but is expected to return in some capacity before October. Injuries have also plagued Baltimore’s offense with infielders Jordan Westburg, Ryan Mountcastle, Ramón Urías, and Jorge Mateo also sidelined. Even though Mateo’s season is over, both Westburg and Urías will begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Norfolk on Thursday. Elias hopes to have the three infielders back in time for the postseason, as long as Baltimore can hang onto a Wild Card spot.

Baltimore’s bullpen has also been a source of pain for the Orioles in the second half. Southpaw Danny Coulombe began a rehab assignment last week after having bone chips removed from his left elbow in June. Coulombe had been the most reliable reliever in the Orioles bullpen this season, sporting a 2.42 ERA in 29 appearances before going on the injured list. Veteran closer Craig Kimbrel, who had an All-Star caliber first half, struggled coming out of the break before being released by the Orioles on Wednesday.

Whether their struggles stem from injuries, bad mechanics, or just faulty execution, the Orioles’ offense has been virtually non-existent in the second half. Hyde is known for playing matchups, which under normal circumstances work for him. But Baltimore’s circumstances are far from normal. Two key members of the Orioles offense, Adley Rutschman and Ryan O’Hearn, are stuck in a second-half hitting slump. Baltimore has hit just .238 as a team coming out of the All-Star break. Which makes it hard to replace one struggling hitter when everyone is struggling.

Orioles Need to Find Their Early Season “Mojo”

With 10 games left to play, the Orioles are still looking to punch their ticket to the postseason. Despite trailing New York by five games for the division, Baltimore holds the top seed in the AL Wild Card. Baltimore will close out their three-game series against San Francisco on Thursday, before playing their last homestand of the season, a three-game set against the Detroit Tigers. The Orioles will close out their season with a key divisional series against the Yankees before playing their final regular season series at Minnesota. Baltimore needs to regain their early season “mojo,” not just to make the postseason, but to avoid another early exit.

“It’s been an unpleasant stretch here for the latter part of the summer. We’re going to figure this out and we’re going to get out of it,” Elias said. “I think we’re going to make the playoffs and do really well in the playoffs. I believe in these guys; I believe in this [coaching] staff.”

Main Photo: © Mitch Stringer-Imagn Images

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