Good morning, Camden Chatters.
I hate to be the one to tell you this, but I don’t think the Orioles are going to pull off a miraculous run to the postseason.
I know, I know. It’s hard to believe. A week ago, when the O’s faced the Astros and the Red Sox on the road and went 4-1, the world was their oyster. They were coming back to Baltimore for an eight-game homestand, playing good baseball and debuting their two shiny new toys, Samuel Basallo and Dylan Beavers.
Now those same two opponents seem to
have remembered that they’re actually good teams and the Orioles aren’t. The Astros and Red Sox have flipped the script with a 4-1 record against the Orioles in the first five games at Camden Yards. Last night, Boston opened this four-game set with a 4-3 victory in which the O’s squandered scoring opportunities in what felt like every inning. Check out Andrea SK’s recap for the details of how the Birds came up a day late and a dollar short. With the loss, the Orioles are back to 11 games under .500 with three still to play against a playoff-hungry Red Sox club.
There are, at least, a few reasons still to watch this team. The aforementioned Basallo and Beavers are two, but tonight will also mark the long-awaited return of Kyle Bradish to the Orioles’ rotation. Bradish hasn’t pitched since undergoing Tommy John surgery in June 2024. He’s now got just over a month to shake off the rust, re-acclimate himself to the major league mound, and hopefully set himself up to be a key part of the Birds’ rotation in 2026 and beyond. I’m excited to see what he’s got.
Links
Bradish set to return from TJ rehab, make 2025 debut Tuesday – MLB.com
No matter what his actual performance may bring — and it could be a little shaky — Bradish has one job for the rest of the year: stay healthy.
Sugano surrenders two homers in Orioles’ 4-3 loss to Red Sox – School of Roch
It’s good to finally see some signs of life from Colton Cowser, who has homered in three of the last four games. His offensive dropoff had been one of 2025’s biggest letdowns, but he still has time to salvage a decent season if he can stay hot.
Orioles reset: Baltimore sets a club record in 2025. It’s not a good one. – The Baltimore Sun
The Orioles have used a franchise record 63 players this season (and it will be 64 when Bradish debuts). Quick, how many can you name? I smell a Sporcle quiz in the making.
Danielle Allentuck tells the story of Gerardo Cabrera, the Orioles scouting director who convinced Samuel Basallo to sign with the Orioles as a 16-year-old. Give that man a raise!
Orioles birthdays and history
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! And happy 31st birthday to Tyler Wells, who’s currently rehabbing from UCL surgery and could make his O’s season debut within the next week. That would be a nice birthday present, for sure. Also celebrating a birthday today is 2021 third baseman Maikel Franco (33).
On this date in 1958, Orioles starter Hal “Skinny” Brown threw a 12-inning shutout to defeat Cleveland, 1-0. Brown gave up nine hits, but all were singles, and he scattered them in nine different innings. Cleveland had only three at-bats all game with runners in scoring position. Cleveland starter Don Ferrarese also pitched a complete game, but allowed a walkoff walk to Dick Williams in the bottom of the 12th.
And on this day in 1985, Eddie Murray set an Orioles record with nine RBIs, crushing three home runs in a 17-3 demolition of the Angels. Murray hit all three of his homers by the fifth inning: a three-run shot in the first, a solo job in the fourth, and a grand slam in the fifth as the cherry on top. He added an RBI single in the second. Murray got two more at-bats with a chance at a four-homer game, but flied out and walked.
Random Orioles game of the day
On Aug. 26, 1970, the Orioles defeated the Oakland Athletics, 5-1, at Memorial Stadium. In a battle of future Hall of Famers, Jim Palmer outdueled Catfish Hunter, pitching the 35th of his eventual 211 career complete games and picking up his 18th victory of the year on his way to his first 20-win season. A Felipe Alou solo homer was his only blemish. Meanwhile, Hunter lasted only three innings for the A’s, giving up a two-run homer to O’s leadoff man Don Buford. The win improved the Orioles to a ridiculous 82-45, increasing their insurmountable AL East lead to 11.5 games. That was a good year, folks.
