Category Archives: Baltimore Orioles News

Baltimore Orioles: The mystery Burnes

The Baltimore Orioles open the postseason this afternoon. Game one of three in a Wild Card series against Kansas City at Camden Yards. Whether they’ll be the noise or have it made against them remains to be seen.

There’s a subset of the fanbase which is incredibly disappointed that the Orioles are even playing in the Wild Card round. Yes, I suppose that the goal was to win the division again. And the fact is that it was there for the taking.

However given the injuries this team had, the fact that they made it to this point at all, much less now with many pieces of the team back and active, is a minor miracle. You can’t wear blinders and have tunnel vision in the sense that you discount the fact that this team had obstacles over 162 games. Now every team has obstacles, including many of the other teams in the postseason – such as New York, who was bitten at the end by a couple of injuries.

However the fact that this team had the injuries that it did had to factor into the overall story of the 2024 Orioles. And the fact is that the story isn’t written yet. The second part of it begins to be written today.

The Orioles traded for Corbin Burnes in the off season almost specifically for today. To start game one of a postseason series. That’s not to say that whether or not the trade was worth the while will be decided today alone. Burnes meant a lot to this team down the stretch – meaning he’s meant a lot to them already.

However the sting of last season’s division series is still there. The Orioles were ambushed by a buzz saw that was hellbent on the World Series. So they need a strong start this afternoon to set the tone for the playoffs. Which is why they traded for Corbin Burnes.

It won’t be easy. Kansas City wasn’t expected to be here. Therefore they’re playing with house money. Their season could end and it would still be a success. Any team with Bobby Witt Jr. is going to be tough to beat. Especially knowing that one of Burnes’ weaknesses has been holding runners on.

The Orioles don’t have that luxury. If their season ends this week a lot of people won’t see it as a success. End of the day if you get into the postseason I think you can say it was a good year, but again a subset of the fanbase would disagree with that. None of this is to say that the Orioles are overmatched on paper. They’re at home, and they’re playing a team against whom they went 4-2 in the regular season.

Furthermore while Kansas City may just be happy to be there, are they really salivating at playing the Orioles? Probably not. Would anyone? Probably not. But ultimately the game isn’t played on paper. Ultimately this isn’t the NCAA Tournament, where people pick who competes. Everyone playing now earned their spot over 162 games.

The Wild Card series begins this afternoon at Oriole Park at Camden Yards against Kansas City. The aforementioned Corbin Burnes gets the start for the O’s, and he’ll be opposed by Kansas City’s Cole Ragans. Game time is set for just after 4 PM.

Baltimore Orioles: Brandon Hyde played the odds

Whether or not Baltimore Orioles’ manager Brandon Hyde is a gambling man, I don’t know. I can tell you that I’m not, as I’m risk-adverse! However I think he did make a calculation on Thursday, one that in theory COULD still bite him. But it was the correct assumption.

The O’s trailed New York 1-0 following a solo home run. They say solo shots don’t beat you – and for the most part that’s true. However Hyde lifted starter Corbin Burnes, who was otherwise dominant. This in anticipation of a start in the Wild Card round on Tuesday. A series that’s after last night’s 7-2 win in Minnesota, will be played at Oriole Park at Camden Yards.

However something else is striking about the scores from around the league last night. That being that New York lost to Pittsburgh. Going into Thursday’s game, if the Orioles swept the rest of the season and New York had lost out, the O’s would have won the East.

You see where I’m going with this; did Hyde’s calculation actually backfire? If the O’s win tonight and tomorrow and New York loses out, then many people will say that. It was a winnable game when Burnes exited on Thursday. It later blew up when the bullpen got knocked around, which is a separate problem going into the postseason. However if somehow that scenario unfolds, I’d expect many couch critics to pile on Hyde for in essence punting the division.

Which I think would be misguided. First off, precious few of us know the day-to-day of managing a big league team. All managers know their teams in and out. Fans don’t. So therefore it’s tough to judge.

However what really are the odds that the aforementioned scenario comes to pass? I would say that the O’s have a better shot at sweeping Minnesota than Pittsburgh does at sweeping New York, but that’s a lot that’s beyond the Orioles’ control. Hyde realized what “the score” was, and he began planning accordingly.

After last night’s win, the next two games in essence are tune up’s. Translated: they’re meaningless. That doesn’t mean you don’t still go out and try to win the games. And I know the Orioles will. You want to finish strong. But the results have no bearing on the postseason. And yes, you don’t want to risk further injury.

I would also point out that the same mentality who would criticize Hyde playing the odds the way he did, would be critical if they went full steam ahead and went for it. Some folks are just contrarians. Again, I think pulling back in a sense was the correct thing to do.

The O’s next take on Minnesota again this evening at Target Field. The Orioles’ starter is the elusive TBD, but whomever he is will be opposed by Minnesota’s Zebby Mathews. Game time is set for 7:15 PM.

Baltimore Orioles: First back-to-back postseason appearances since 1996-97

We’ve established that the Baltimore Orioles are in the postseason. 2023-24 marks the first time since 1996-97 that the franchise has accomplished that feat. I was in high school, for the record. And I freely admit that I shadily snuck a radio into Chemistry class to listen to the games.

I suspect most fans expected this year to be the rosy victory lap last year was. But reality has a way of setting things the way it wants them. It shouldn’t be lost on folks that last year both World Series teams were Wild Cards. What does that mean in 2024? Nothing. But it’s of note.

Maybe not getting the layoff after winning the division (if in fact that’s what it ends up being) keeps their momentum going. Maybe getting their team “whole” again in the nick of time gives them a second wind. That all remains to be seen.

The push to get in the playoffs is over. However they can’t rest easy just yet. The magic number to clinch the top wild card is two. That means any combination of two Oriole wins or Detroit losses would mean the Birds clinch that top wild card. Obviously there’s still a super-outside chance they could win the division, but we’ll cross that bridge if we get to it.

End of the day, you don’t want to have to go on the road for that wild card series. Assuming the opponent is Detroit, yes the O’s struggled against them the past two weeks. But obviously in a weakened state, as they didn’t have all of their players. However either way, you’d rather play anyone at home as opposed to at their place.

So the next goal has to be to clinch home field advantage in the wild card. That begins today. In the Bronx. It may not have been exactly as we thought it would be, but the Orioles have returned to the postseason yet again. So now we go on.

Baltimore Orioles: #RIPFlanny

This is a day that will live in infamy for Baltimore Orioles fans of a certain generation. It was on August 24, 2011 that we found out of the untimely death of former pitcher Mike Flanagan. At the time I said I’d never let today pass as long as I penned this column without commemorating it.

We all know Mike Flanagan’s story. He was an Oriole through and through. I would submit that was never more on display than when he famously was the last Oriole to pitch at Memorial Stadium. Flanagan retired the side, and the Orioles moved to Oriole Park at Camden Yards the next season. When later asked about his slow walk in from the bullpen that day, Flanagan said had he gone any faster he would have fallen over.

Flanagan pitched for the Orioles (with a short stint in Toronto after a trade), he served as a pitching coach, broadcaster, and executive. This franchise was his life’s work. However on this day, we should also think of his family. They’re the ones who suffered when his journey ended. It’s my hope that Birdland keeps them in their thoughts and prayers today and always.

Baltimore Orioles welcome beltway rival

Following an off day, the Baltimore Orioles are back in action tonight. And back at Camden Yards at that. This evening the Washington Nationals come up the pike for the second installment of the Battle of the Beltways.

I’m not a fan of the two-game series. It feels very non-traditional, almost like a glorified doubleheader. However it’s also good for the fans in this region to have games in both parks between the two teams. The O’s split the first series in Washington back in May, a series that included a thrilling extra innings win.

The Birds enter play tonight alone in first place due to New York falling last night in Chicago. These are two games with Washington that the Orioles should win. But we all know the game isn’t played on paper. You have to show up. And this is a Washington team that’s consistently done that this season.

The series begins this evening at Camden Yards. Trevor Rogers gets the start for the O’s, and he’ll be opposed by Washington’s Jake Irvin. Game time is set for just after 6:30 PM.

Baltimore Orioles: Contending teams sputter as the season turns

The key for the Baltimore Orioles going forward is to not have their valleys be too deep. That, and to not have them be at the same time as those of New York. This week for instance, both teams dropped two-of-three to teams they should have beaten handily. No harm no foul.

Teams such as the Orioles, New York, Philadelphia, et al, have gone hard all year long. Nobody – I repeat – NOBODY can go full throttle for an entire season (plus spring training). Therefore it’s natural that as the season wears on the best of the best are going to struggle as well. And teams who aren’t even in their zip code can make them look tame.

The Orioles’ biggest problem is injuries. Keep in mind, they had three pitchers undergo Tommy John’s this spring. They have a closer in Felix Bautista who most likely won’t play this year for the same reason, and they have another starter in Grayson Rodriguez who just went on the IL. Not to mention Heston Kjerstad, and others.

That’s tough to overcome. But this team is too talented and too good to allow themselves NOT to be in the mix. I routinely see fans grouse that they’re mismanaged, or that the players need to get with it. Again, NOBODY can keep it up for 162 games. If they could, someone would go 162-0 and in the World Series going away.

Again, the key is to sustain the rest of the way. Mind you, this team had very few hurdles last year once they overtook Tampa in the division. Maybe that was a bad thing in a sense. Because when things really counted (the postseason), they couldn’t turn it back on. This after a hiatus due to winning the division.

This year, there have been more struggles. Again, perhaps that’s a good thing. No folks, they aren’t going to miss the playoffs. Rest easy on that point. But when they get there, they might be more battle tested than they were last year. Texas got into the playoffs on the last day of the season. And you know what happened next.

End of the day, they’re in the same spot as New York – one of the teams people think will overtake the Birds. Many also think Boston has a shot; maybe they do. But I don’t see them finishing ahead of the Orioles. You can’t will yourself past teams with better talent on skunk alone.

All this being said, the idea is to sustain and keep pace. As we saw last year, once you get to the postseason, all bets are off.

Baltimore Orioles: Trevor Roberts to the Birds

According to the likes of Ken Rosenthal (among others), the Baltimore Orioles have made a trade with Miami today – deadline day. Southpaw pitcher Trevor Rogers is headed to Baltimore. In return, the Orioles are sending infielder Connor Norby and Kyle Stowers to Miami.

Rogers is only 2-9 this season with a 4.53 ERA. However his ERA over his career the last four years is only 4.23. Losing Norby and Stowers hurts the Orioles, however it also shows how competitive the trade market is right now. Teams are having to overpay, and the O’s will have to overpay on top of that because of how stacked their farm system is.

I suspect a lot of Orioles fans will say this is an underwhelming move. I might be inclined to agree. But the deadline isn’t here yet. And the fact is that they did get a starter, which they need. Rogers is under team control through the 2026 season.

It’s also worth mentioning that at least at this point, not many teams have made massive splashes. So it isn’t as if New York has improved itself by leaps and bounds, and the Orioles have stood idly by. The goal right now is to win the division. So in the immediate interim, New York is the only competition.

That, and the fact is that the Birds are a better team than they were a few days ago when the trades began. Not leaps and bounds better, but they’re a better team. And there’s still time and the necessary prospects to get even better. For what it’s worth, neither team has confirmed the trade as of yet.

Baltimore Orioles: Zach Eflin to the Birds

In the wake of the Austin Hays trade earlier, the Baltimore Orioles have bolstered their starting rotation. The O’s traded with Tampa for RHP Zach Eflin this afternoon, according to multiple sources. Neither team has confirmed the trade as of this moment.

In return, the O’s sent minor leaguers Matthew Etzel, Jackson Baumeister, and Mac Horvath. Eflin was Tampa’s Opening Day starter, for the record. He was also a part of the 2022 Philadelphia Phillies who went to the World Series. Needless to say, he has postseason experience.

While he’s had injury problems, he’s a valuable piece. Not a front end starter by any means, but he’ll bolster the Orioles’ rotation. He’s also under team control through 2025, which probably made him more attractive to the O’s given Kyle Bradish’s injury problems.

Again, neither team has confirmed this. But multiple sources have reported the trade – it’s happening.

Baltimore Orioles trade Austin Hays

The Baltimore Orioles have parted with Austin Hays. He was shipped up the road to Philadelphia this morning as part of a trade. In return, the Orioles did acquire some pitching, in the form of Seranthony Dominguez. They also received OF Cristian Pache.

Dominguez has appeared in 230 games over parts of six seasons with Philadelphia. he has an ERA of 3.55 during that time period. Pache is hitting .202 this year. What‘s unclear is why these moves are being made.

I maintain that it spits in the face of conventional wisdom to trade an active piece of your team when you’re a World Series contender. However Philadelphia obviously is doing the same thing – so there’s that. I suspect that Dominguez at least will end up on the bullpen. Could this simply be the Orioles clearing space for someone else?

Time will tell, but Austin Hays was a solid Oriole for a long time. He’s well deserving of Birdland’s respect and gratitude as he goes to Philadelphia. AND…there’s every chance that we see him again this year down the line.

Baltimore Orioles: Second half opens tonight

The only thing we can say for sure is that the Baltimore Orioles open the second half of the season tonight in Texas. What happens from there remains to be seen. But certainly the Orioles are hoping that it’s a second half to remember – a second half PLUS a little more.

The O’s do have an advantage given that four core members are already in Texas following the All-Star game. So there’s that. But this is also an Oriole team that limped to the finish line in the first half. They were staring down a winless home stand and a six-game losing streak until they finally caught a break late in Sunday’s game against New York.

But the question remains whether that’s a harbinger for the second half, or a statistical anomaly. And thus just a tough stretch of the season. Unequivocally, we can’t say. However this roster has proven that they can dig themselves out of holes. They’ve proven that they’re resilient, and are capable of winning despite great odds.

The next big “thing” of course is the trade deadline at the end of the month. The Orioles have a litany of riches in the minor leagues, and if they want to be competitive come October, they’re going to have to put them to use eventually. Sometimes a prospect is worth more to you on the trade market than he is on the active roster.

There are rumors that the Orioles are interested in Detroit ace Tarik Skubal, who leads all pitchers in ERA and WAR. He’s been one of the best pitchers in baseball thus far. It’s also worth mentioning that the Birds have two series’ with Detroit in September. That would be potentially twice that they WOULDN’T have to face Skubal in a stretch run – if they traded for him.

Former Oriole reliever Tanner Scott has had an outstanding first half with the Miami Marlins as well. Might he be someone who could solidify the Oriole bullpen? The Birds are in Miami next week, for what that’s worth.

I get the yearn not to trade the farm. I do think you need to be careful in doing so. You don’t want to trade quality for garbage. And no matter what they do, there’ll be people who’ll say they made a mistake. And end of the day if they DON’T win the World Series, someone out there will point back to the deadline and play Monday Morning Quarterback. End of the day, they need to do something. Because standing pat isn’t an option for a World Series contender.

The second half’s first series begins in Texas tonight at Globe Life Field. Corbin Burnes gets the start for the O’s, and Texas is yet to decide a starter. Game time is set for just after 8 PM.