It hasn’t been what we expected. It hasn’t been pretty. It hasn’t been easy to watch.
The Orioles have six regular-season games left on the schedule. The chances of winning the American League East are almost nil, with the Yankees needing to lose all six remaining games and the Orioles needing to win all six.
However, the Orioles still have a four-game lead over Detroit and Kansas City for the top wild-card spot. Three teams make it to the postseason as wild-card entrants in each league. It’s really hard to imagine the Orioles falling behind Kansas City, losers of its last six games, or Minnesota, 4-9 in the last two weeks.
But could Detroit, which just took four of six from the Orioles, possibly upend the O’s for the top wild-card spot? The Tigers finish the regular season with three games against the Rays and White Sox, all at home. The Orioles end with three games against the Yankees and Twins, all on the road. The Tigers also own the tiebreaker.
In my most recent MLB power rankings I wrote that I am neither bullish nor down on the Orioles. Allow me to explain. As long as the Yankees don’t go 6-0 to close out the season, the American League will have no 100-win team. The absence of a truly great AL team will make for a group of six playoff teams that will be pretty darn close to one another.
Despite some serious miscalculations this season by upper management, the large number of significant players lost to injury is the biggest reason why the Orioles aren’t pushing for 100 wins and a second consecutive division title. The ray of light is that several of them are now back, and there is a chance the Orioles could still get one or two more back.
Relievers Danny Coulombe and Jacob Webb, such key pieces for manager Brandon Hyde in the first half of the season, have returned. Infielders Ramón Urías and Jordan Westburg and outfielder Heston Kjerstad are back in action, giving the lineup a much-needed lift.
Apparently, the Orioles still hope that first baseman Ryan Mountcastle and right-hander Grayson Rodriguez can return as well.
So how will the postseason roster be filled out? GM Mike Elias and his staff are surely sorting through options with the wild-card round looming.
Corbin Burnes, Zach Eflin and Dean Kremer are the club’s top three starters heading into the playoffs. If a fourth starter is needed, I’ll bet that Albert Suárez wins out over Cade Povich.
The bullpen, now without Craig Kimbrel, features an interesting gaggle of capable arms. Seranthony Dominguez had a brief run as the closer, but his penchant for giving up home runs makes him a high-risk option. Gregory Soto may have pitched his way into getting save chances in the last week of the regular season.
Hyde has four left-handed relief options: Coulombe, Soto, Keegan Akin and Cionel Pérez. If Povich is on the roster, he’d be a fifth option. The right-handed options are also plentiful with Dominguez, Webb, Yennier Cano and Matt Bowman all having pitched well at times.
If Rodriguez gets back, I have to imagine it’ll be in a relief role. All told, the pitching staff is full. Elias and Hyde may have a tricky decision or two from series to series as to who is active.
The Orioles’ Sept. 22 lineup against the Tigers featured some changes with Westburg and Urías activated prior to the game:
Gunnar Henderson SS
Jordan Westburg 2B
Anthony Santander RF
Colton Cowser LF
Adley Rutschman C
Ryan O’Hearn 1B
Heston Kjerstad DH
Ramón Urías 3B
Cedric Mullins CF
The additions of Westburg and Urías pushed former No. 1 overall draft pick Jackson Holliday to the bench. While Holliday may be on the postseason roster, it’s not likely he’ll gain much playoff experience in 2024. Not only has his offense been negligible, but his defense at second isn’t quite as steady as Westburg’s.
All in all, while it’s not likely the Orioles will head into the playoffs with a head of steam, they are still an interesting team and look more potent than they did just two days ago.
I see almost all of the best teams in 2024 coming from the National League. I won’t likely pick the O’s to make a big run, but I am not at all of the belief that it would be a shocker if they do make it to the World Series for the first time since 1983.
Photo Credit: Kenya Allen/PressBox