Good morning Birdland,
It’s tough to win a game in which you have zero extra base hits and go just 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position. The Orioles proved that on Tuesday night as they lost 5-2 to the visiting Cubs. Andrea SK recapped the action for us, in case you missed it.
If you’ve seen one Orioles game this season, you have pretty much seen them all. The Tuesday night loss was boiler plate for this squad. Shane Baz was…fine. He provided a quality start and gave his team a chance to win. The bullpen,
which is falling apart with injuries, did not hold up their end. Anthony Nunez coughed up a pair of runs in his two innings. And then the lineup, outside of Adley Rutschman, who drove in both of the team’s runs, failed to come through when the pressure was high.
The bottom of the fourth inning saw the O’s get the first two hitters on base. That was followed by three consecutive strikeouts. The seventh inning is where Rutschman came through with his two-out, two-run single. But then Gunnar Henderson went down on three straight strikes at the bottom of the zone to end the threat.
The loss (paired with another Red Sox win) sunk the O’s further down the standings. They are now at the bottom of the AL East, 12.5 games back of the division-leading Rays and 4.5 games back of the final wild card spot. It’s getting more difficult to make a case for the Orioles to truly “go for it” in 2026.
There could be a lane for the team to both buy and sell. That is, move players due to hit free agency this year or that you don’t see a role for in 2027, while also seeking out talent that is under team control beyond this season that would be an upgrade for a turnaround next summer. That can be a tricky proposition, but the Orioles are one of the rare teams where it might make sense.
That’s a problem to figure out in a few weeks. Right now, the focus has to be on winning games. They need to do something they haven’t done yet this year, which is to go on an extended winning streak. Bouncing back and going into next week’s all-star break on a heater would be pretty neat. Fingers crossed.
Links
Orioles Notes: Akin, Helsley, Selby, Detwiler | MLB Trade Rumors
The Orioles bullpen has had some moments of brilliance, but in general the unit has fallen apart this season. Injuries have been killer, and that has only gotten worse recently. Mike Elias made some comments recently that indicated the club was intrigued by Félix Bautista’s progress, but any possible return there is still a ways off. And by the time he could be ready, it may not make too much sense to force him back into action.
This, that and the other | Roch Kubatko
Lots of little nuggets in this one, including the fact that Pete Alonso and Taylor Ward have combined for the third-highest hit total for a duo that is in its first season with the Orioles. It’s a very specific stat, but still interesting given some of the great hitters the O’s have had. Miguel Tejada and Javy Lopez are first with 213 hits. Alonso and Ward are at 172.
Bassitt ‘writing the script’ for second-half return after unique back surgery | Orioles.com
It’s great that Chris Bassitt is feeling better. It doesn’t sound like he is particularly close to getting back on the field though. Right now he is talking about pitching at some point before the season is over. So, don’t get too excited.
Orioles birthdays
Is it your birthday? Happy birthday!
- Danny Ardoin turns 52 today. He played in five games for the 2006 Orioles.
- Jerome Walton is 61 years old. The outfielder spent 26 games with the O’s in 1997.
- The late John Powers (b. 1929, d. 2001) was born on this day. He made his way into 10 games for the Orioles in 1960.
This day in O’s history
1969 – The Orioles beat the Yankees 4-1 as Mike Cuellar throws a complete game three-hitter. All three hits come off the bat of Yankees centerfielder Ron Woods, who singles twice and hits a home run.
1970 – Using a ninth-inning rally that includes a home run from Frank Robinson and a two-out single from Don Buford, the Orioles come back from an 8-6 deficit to beat the Yankees 9-8.
2011 – The Orioles lose 10-3 to the Red Sox, sunk by a disastrous first inning. But that didn’t prevent some fireworks late. In the eighth inning, David Ortiz charges the mound after O’s reliever Kevin Gregg brushes him back twice and then yells at him as he fails to run out a pop out. Benches empty. Ortiz, Gregg, Jarrod Saltalamacchia, and Jim Johnson are all ejected.
