The Orioles still have work to do before they can be considered a postseason contender, but there’s no denying that the team is playing with slightly more swagger after a successful homestand. Baltimore is slowly carving out an identity, and the team appears capable of taking additional steps in the right direction.
It doesn’t matter what we thought this team would be at the beginning of the season. All that matters is whether this group of 26 players can click on any given night. So far, the clicking
has involved quality starts from Brandon Young, shutdown innings by Rico Garcia, and sacrifice bunts from Leody Taveras. Samuel Basallo has cemented himself as the designated hitter on nights when he’s not behind the plate, and Adley Rutschman has returned to form as a two-way player.
Gunnar Henderson has yet to play to his potential, but the top of the lineup has received a boost from Taylor Ward’s patient approach. Pete Alonso posted an .840 OPS in the month of May after a slow start, and Baltimore’s dynamic catching duo provides pop from both sides of the plate.
Early injuries to Jordan Westburg and Jackson Holliday took a significant toll on Baltimore’s lineup. Coby Mayo and Colton Cowser struggled at the plate, and both Jeremiah Jackson and Blaze Alexander were forced into everyday playing roles. Now, with Holliday back in the picture, the Orioles lineup looks more complete.
There’s a real chance that this team will go as far as the bottom of the lineup will take it. It’s a given that the Orioles need production from their best players, but that alone will not be enough. Baltimore must require its opponent to record 27 tough outs without the luxury of taking innings off.
Holliday immediately provided some credibility to the second half of the lineup as a former number one overall pick. The 22-year-old needed an extended rehab assignment after suffering a broken hamate bone, but the injury appears to finally be behind him. Holliday carried a .242/.333/.424 slash line into last night’s contest. His 115 OPS+ identified him as an above-average hitter since returning from the injured list. If healthy, that’s a reasonable floor for Holliday this season.
The real boost has come from increased production by Cowser and Mayo. Cowser exploded out of an extended funk with a pair of walk-off homers in consecutive days. Cowser, another former first-round pick, represented an easy out for the first month of the season. That changed when the talented outfielder made an adjustment against offspeed pitches. Our John Beers pointed out earlier this week that Cowser hit .316 and slugged .568 against breaking balls in the month of May.
There’s some legitimate power in Cowser’s bat when he’s firing on all cylinders. The Milk Man has yet to reestablish himself as an everyday player, but he’s proven that he can win games with one swing. He entered last night’s game hitting .393/.452/.750 with three homers over the last two weeks.
Speaking of power, Coby Mayo feels like he’s just missed about 10 long balls this year. The corner infielder arrived in Boston tied for fifth on the team with six home runs before adding his seventh last night. His defense remains a work in progress, but the bat is coming along. Mayo posted a 103 sOPS+ in the month of May. That number doesn’t exactly jump off the page, but it’s a massive improvement compared to his 58 sOPS+ in March/April.
Similar to Holliday and Cowser, the May version of Mayo gives the Orioles another league-average (or better) hitter in the lower third of the lineup. That’s another power threat that places additional pressure on opposing managers when it comes to allocating relievers late in games.
The emergence of this trio should take some pressure off of players like Jackson and Alexander. Alexander felt like another easy out early in the year, but he erupted with a.911 OPS last month. The utility man slashed .365/.403/.508 and got the monkey off his back with his first homer of the season. Alexander now better resembles the type of player the Orioles imagined when they went out and got him from Arizona.
Hot streaks come and go. Alexander will likely cool at some point, and opposing pitchers will continue to make adjustments against guys like Cowser and Mayo. That being said, the Orioles lineup looks more legit than it did in April. Dylan Beavers and Ryan Mountcastle should eventually return, and strong performances from Cowser could finally reduce the Orioles desire to pencil in Tyler O’Neill against lefties.
Baltimore’s dynamic catching duo eliminates the stereotypical easy out that often accompanies a backup catcher. That luxury can be overlooked when other players struggle, but the Orioles suddenly look like a team that can send out a nine-man lineup without a hole.
