NEW YORK — This time, the trail wasn’t as straightforward for the Orioles. Not even shut. The result — and ensuing celebration — nonetheless proved to be simply as candy.
The O’s are heading again to October — clinching a postseason berth by way of their 5-3 win over the Yankees at Yankee Stadium and a Twins loss to the Marlins on Tuesday evening — and so they’re assured their greatest baseball is to return.
“Our guys are actually completely happy to take this step. However for us, we’re able to go,” catcher Adley Rutschman mentioned. “We’re attempting to get higher. We’re setting ourselves up for a playoff run proper now, and I believe our guys are simply actually excited to get going.”
In 2023, Baltimore stormed its approach to 101 wins with out going through a lot adversity. It was by no means swept. It by no means misplaced greater than 4 video games in a row. It cruised to the franchise’s first American League East title since ‘14 and its first postseason look since ‘16.
In 2024, the Orioles’ trip hasn’t been almost as easy. There have been sweeps. There was a pair of five-game dropping streaks. The second half has been crammed with adversity due to a plethora of accidents and inconsistent play.
“I’m so happy with this group,” supervisor Brandon Hyde mentioned in his pre-celebration speech to the O’s. “We’ve handled a lot crap the final three months. And also you guys proceed to struggle.”
A lot of the primary half of the O’s season felt like a carryover from final 12 months. They had been a season-high 24 video games above .500 (49-25) on June 20, after they trounced the Yankees, 17-5, and made a press release that they had been a risk to once more win the AL East.
However Baltimore couldn’t set up a ton of momentum at any level within the second half, throughout which it’s 29-32. It hasn’t gained greater than three consecutive video games since earlier than the All-Star break. On the identical time, it hasn’t dropped greater than three in a row over that span, both.
Accidents plagued the Orioles’ roster all through the summer time, with quite a few key gamers — All-Star infielder Jordan Westburg, right-hander Grayson Rodriguez, first baseman Ryan Mountcastle and others — lacking vital intervals of time.
“We got here into the 12 months, very excessive expectations, and people expectations had been sort of there by means of July. After which, we hit a skid, and I believe the expectations dropped and a bit of little bit of nervousness set in,” normal supervisor Mike Elias mentioned. “Now, we’ve obtained the most important milestone right here. … It’s attainable that we enter into the playoffs with a bit of totally different circulate than we had final 12 months. No less than that’s my hope.”
The place to begin must be totally different, as a result of it’s extremely unlikely the O’s will repeat as AL East champions. They would want to win every of their ultimate 5 video games (two vs. the Yanks and three vs. the Twins) and have the Yankees lose every of their ultimate 5 (two vs. the Orioles and three vs. the Pirates) to complete first within the division.
Baltimore has a robust probability of ending atop the AL Wild Card standings — the place it presently sits because the No. 4 seed — that means it could get to host a best-of-three Wild Card Collection at Camden Yards from Oct. 1-3.
“It’s been a bizarre second half. Not most likely what we had drawn up, however it doesn’t matter. You get into the postseason and something can occur, and that’s actually all that issues,” first baseman Ryan O’Hearn mentioned. “I believe there’s one thing to be mentioned for a hungry crew. And I believe we’re hungry proper now.”
Added shortstop Gunnar Henderson: “Any time you may clinch playoffs is a extremely particular second. I really feel like we’re in a very good place this 12 months. We’re beginning to get going on the proper time.”
Tuesday evening was a chief instance of that.
Over the previous 10 days, the Orioles have gotten again relievers Jacob Webb and Danny Coulombe, outfielder Heston Kjerstad, Westburg, Mountcastle and infielder Ramón Urías. It’s the healthiest the roster has regarded since early June.
After Mountcastle obtained activated previous to the sequence opener in New York, Baltimore performed a whole sport that featured residence runs by Anthony Santander, Colton Cowser and Urías, 5 sturdy innings from right-hander Dean Kremer and a stable bullpen efficiency.
“I believe you noticed the membership that you just noticed within the first half tonight,” Westburg mentioned. “That is an thrilling time of the 12 months proper now. I believe we’ve that feeling of like, ‘All proper, we’re getting our dudes again,’ or they’re again, and it’s time to go.”
Then, the O’s regarded like their 2023 model when the celebration started within the guests’ clubhouse at Yankee Stadium.
For the third time in 13 months, the Orioles celebrated and the champagne was popped. The stress of the previous few months was gone for a few hours. Everyone regarded forward, hoping they will put collectively a stronger end than final postseason, after they had been swept in three video games by the eventual World Collection champion Rangers within the AL Division Collection..
“Clearly, we haven’t performed the baseball we’ve wished to. However to return in right here, beat these guys, have a good time right here, it’s enjoyable,” mentioned right-handed ace Corbin Burnes, acquired in a blockbuster Feb. 1 commerce with the Brewers. “That is the first step. We’ve obtained plenty of baseball forward of us, and hopefully, we begin taking part in higher baseball such as you noticed tonight. Who is aware of how far we are able to go?”
