The Baltimore Orioles traveled through a thorny path, but they still arrived at their expected destination.
Baltimore are going into October with a postseason spot thanks to their 5-3 victory over the Yankees at Yankee Stadium and the Twins’ defeat to the Miami Marlins on Tuesday night. They are confident that they are yet to give their best performance.
“Our guys are really happy to take this step. But for us, we’re ready to go,” catcher Adley Rutschman said. “We’re trying to get better. We’re setting ourselves up for a playoff run right now, and I think our guys are just really excited to get going.”
In 2023, the Orioles fought its way to 101 victories without many challenges. They were never swept. They never lost more than four straight matches. They cruised to their first American League title since ‘14 and first postseason appearance since ‘16.
In 2024, the Orioles’ ride was not as smooth. They have had sweeps. There were two five-game losing streaks. The second half has been filled with problems due to lots of injuries and inconsistent play.
“I’m so proud of this group,” manager Brandon Hyde said in his pre-celebration speech to the O’s. “We have dealt with so much crap the last three months. And you guys continue to fight.”
Much of the Orioles season’s first half was like a continuation of last year. They were a season-high 24 matches above .500 (49025) on June 20, when they defeated the Yankees, 17-5, and sent the message that they were once again a threat in the AL East.
However, Baltimore could not establish a lot of momentum at any time in the second half, during which it was 29-32. It has not won more than three matches in a row since before the All-Star break. Similarly, it has not conceded more than three in a row over that span, either.
The O’s suffered from injuries throughout the summer, with many key players – All-Star infielder Jordan Westburg, first baseman Ryan Mountcastle, right-hander Grayson Rodriguez, missing crucial periods of time.
“We came into the year, very high expectations, and those expectations were kind of there through July. And then, we hit a skid, and I think the expectations dropped and a little bit of nervousness set in,” general manager Mike Elias said. “Now, we’ve got the biggest milestone here. … It’s possible that we enter into the playoffs with a little different flow than we had last year. At least that’s my hope.”
