When it comes to the Orioles offense, some of the judgements of it show recency bias, and that is understandable. As the team struggled late in the year the offensive performance and production dropped.

Fewer runs led to fewer wins, pretty easy to understand. In scoring just one run in two games in the playoffs, the offense that came up short often late in the year did so again, this time on the biggest stage.

For the full year, some of the O’s offensive numbers looked good. Those numbers include those from the first half, when the offense ranked second in team OPS and fourth in runs per game. But in the second half the offense ranked 11^th in the major leagues in team OPS and seventh in runs per game.

The first-half OPS was .764 as the Orioles scored 4.94 runs per game. In the second half those numbers were .731 and 4.73.

From Aug. 1 on, when the Orioles went 26-27, they scored 4.4 runs per game (13^th in runs) and the OPS was .702 (15^th).

During the first day of the Orioles offseason, executive vice president and general manager Mike Elias and manager Brandon Hyde took numerous questions from reporters trying to assess what went wrong again for the Orioles with a quick out in the playoffs.

Elias spoke for over 30 minutes.

After a 91-71 regular season, and 192 wins, the second-most in the majors since the start of last year, the O’s went 0-2 this October after going 0-3 last year against Texas.

“The expectations, I think, for this season were different. We didn’t meet them,” said Elias. “We all feel that. And it has applied a different kind of pressure that is new for a lot of people in this building. The big leagues can do that to you.

“I am optimistic, bullish, I believe in this group going forward, but it’s not going to just happen automatically. We’re going to have to put in the right work this winter. Everyone is going to have to look internally. Self assess, self correct.”

The ending can be abrupt and this one was. A season of big expectations for the Orioles ended with another quick out in the playoffs. This time they are done one round sooner than last year.

It all stings in the moment and will probably stay with many in the organization and fanbase for quite a while.

Ten straight postseason losses and swept in four consecutive series counting the one-game Wild Card in 2016. Not good.

In time some of the hurt will fade and fans will look forward to another promising season. For the Orioles, the window to win should be in the early stages of a multi-year run. This should not be their last crack at it.

Last year they gave up too many runs to Texas. This year they scored too few in 1-0 and 2-1 losses to Kansas City.

The Orioles have lost yet another close postseason game to the Kansas City Royals. Swept four straight in the 2014 American League Championship Series by six total runs, they lost a pair of one-run games to K.C. in this AL Wild Card round.

They lose 2-1 today and scored just one run in the series. The Royals advance to play the No. 1 seed Yankees in a series that begins on Saturday in the Bronx. 

The Orioles are now 0-6 all-time in the playoffs versus the Royals by eight total runs.

After a 91-71 regular season and a second-place AL East finish, the season ends again in early October.

The O’s have lost 10 straight in the postseason.

Facing a win or go home, the season's over scenario, the Orioles host the Kansas City Royals today in Game 2 of the American League Wild Card round series at Oriole Park. 

There were just 10 hits yesterday as Kansas City pushed across a sixth-inning run to beat the Orioles 1-0, who now have a nine-game postseason losing streak.

Bobby Witt Jr. singled in the only run as Kansas City moved to within one win of advancing to the AL Division Series against the New York Yankees.

The Orioles, who scored 22 runs in sweeping Minnesota over the weekend and 56 runs in their last 10 regular-season games, were shut out. It was their fourth shutout over the last 20 games since Sept. 8.

O's right-hander Corbin Burnes went eight-innings plus one batter allowing five hits and one run on 84 pitches. Burnes, who has never thrown a complete game came close yesterday. His career-long outing was 8 1/3 innings on July 18, 2021 for Milwaukee at Cincinnati.

After Orioles starting pitchers covered just eight innings in the 2023 American League Division Series versus Texas, O’s 2024 ace Corbin Burnes matched that innings total in one night.

He was that good.

But even giving up one run was too many on this night as the Orioles were held to five hits, went 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position and were shutout 1-0 by Kansas City in Game 1 of the AL Wild Card round.

The Orioles had scored 22 runs in a three-game sweep at Minnesota and 56 runs with a team OPS of .797 in their last 10 regular season games.

But the O’s have now been blanked four times since Sept. 8 and that is a 20-game span.

It was the pitcher’s duel that many expected. It was a game where one run was scored and today the visitors got it.

The Orioles' playoff losing streak, dating to 2014, reached nine today as they lost 1-0 to Kansas City on Bobby Witt Jr.’s RBI single in the top of the sixth.

O’s starter Corbin Burnes, who allowed one run over eight innings plus, was outstanding today, just as he was late in the year.

But now the Orioles have to win two straight games to advance out of this Wild Card round.

Some quick thoughts on Game 1:

In the postseason in two straight years for the first time since 1996 and 1997, the Orioles host the Kansas City Royals today in Game 1 of the American League Wild Card round.

It’s a best two-of-three series with the Orioles hosting two games and all three, if necessary.

For what it’s worth, since the 12-team MLB playoff format started with the 2022 postseason, all eight Wild Card round series have ended with 2-0 sweeps. There has yet to be a third and deciding game.

In 2022, Cleveland defeated Tampa Bay, Seattle beat Toronto, Philadelphia beat St. Louis and San Diego topped the New York Mets, all by 2-0.

There were four 2-0 sweeps last year for Minnesota over Toronto, Texas over Tampa Bay, Arizona over Milwaukee and Miami over Philadelphia.

Now that the Orioles survived a rocky second half, one where they needed to win their final three games to play .500 ball (33-33), manager Brandon Hyde hopes the team gains something from the adversity.

“I’m hoping it makes us tougher honestly,” Hyde said Monday at Camden Yards. “The adversity our guys went through this year, I hope it benefits us this postseason. I think it’s going to benefit guys in the future.

“I think last year’s (playoff) experience, of what that felt like at the end, when we did have that kind of fairytale season and a quick exit. I’m hoping these guys still have that taste in their mouth going into this postseason.”

According to at least one of the guys, the Orioles do.

They lost to the Rangers three straight in the American League Division Series last year by scores of 3-2, 11-8 and 7-1. A long successful season was followed by a quick out in the postseason.

In sizing up the last two regular seasons, where the Orioles posted 192 wins to rank second-most in the majors, O’s skipper Brandon Hyde noted the differences Monday afternoon at his press conference ahead of Game 1 of the AL Wild Card playoff series with Kansas City. 

There were big differences between how one team won 101 games and a division title and the other faced real challenges to get to 91 victories and a Wild Card berth.

“Last year there were so many things that went right throughout the regular season,” said Hyde. “The one thing that went wrong was (Félix) Bautista there at the end. But it felt like we won a lot of games that maybe we shouldn’t have at the time. We had a lot of comebacks.

“And this year was just a little more of a grind. Way more injuries. A big part of our rotation that we lost. There were a lot of things we dealt with that we didn’t have to deal with last year.

“I’m hoping it makes us tougher honestly. The adversity our guys went through this year, I hope it benefits us this postseason. I think it’s going to benefit guys in the future.

As he goes into start Game 1 of the American League Wild Card Series on Tuesday, the Orioles are delighted to see what happened to right-hander Corbin Burnes in August was very different over the last month.

He struggled over five August starts, allowing 28 runs in 25 2/3 innings. But he gave up just five runs in 30 September innings. 

Burnes in August: 7.36 ERA and .827 OPS against.

Burnes in September: 1.20 ERA and .512 OPS against.

Over his past three starts against playoff teams, two against the Tigers and one versus the Yankees, Burnes allowed one run and seven hits over 19 innings.

It hasn’t been so long that Orioles fans won’t remember. The 2014 Kansas City Royals swept the Orioles four games to none in the AL Championship Series.

It sounds crazy to say, but it was a close series.

The Orioles lost by two, two, one and one run. Each game went down to the last pitch. The Royals didn’t lose a game, but barely won each of them.

This is no rematch now, but it is the Orioles and Royals in the American League Wild Card series beginning Tuesday.

This time it’s a best-of-three series, with all games in Baltimore and the winner advancing to face the AL top seed New York Yankees.

The Orioles put a wrap on their 2024 regular season today as they play at Minnesota looking to complete a three-game sweep over the Twins.

The Orioles (90-71) have won by 7-2 and 9-2 in the first two games of their series at Minnesota that they can sweep today. Each game the O’s were scored on in the ninth inning as they failed to complete what would have been their 10^th shutout.

Today the Orioles are looking for their sixth series sweep of three or more games this season and they already have one against Minnesota.

The O’s swept three at Boston from April 9-11 and three at home versus Minnesota from April 15-17. They took three at Cincinnati from May 3-5. Their past two series sweeps are four-game sweeps at the Chicago White Sox May 23-26 and at Tampa Bay from June 7-10.

The O’s just had a chance to sweep the Yankees in New York on Thursday, but they lost 10-1. So today they could get their sweep and conclude a 5-1 road trip.

With their 9-2 win over the Minnesota Twins Saturday night, the Orioles improved their record to 90-71 with one game to play.

The Birds have won four of five and six of the last nine games as they are playing better with the playoffs starting Tuesday.

A win today and they would finish 33-33 in the second half.

By securing win No. 90, this O’s team is now tied for the 20^th-most wins in team history with the 1975 and 1978 teams. So 22 O’s teams have won 90 or more.

If they get win No. 91 today, the O’s will tie for the 18^th-most wins in club history with teams from 1968 and 1974.

The Orioles have two games remaining in the 2024 regular season and they are two games that won’t change much for the club in that they have a playoff berth secured and after last night, the top American League Wild Card spot secured too.

The Orioles will host either Detroit or Kansas City next week, beginning Tuesday in Baltimore in a best-of-three series.

The Orioles (89-71) beat Minnesota 7-2 Friday to lock down the No. 4 playoff seed and by losing, Minnesota was eliminated from postseason contention.

Friday’s win improved the Orioles to 4-0 this year against Minnesota by a 29-11 score. They have scored seven, 11, four and seven runs in wins over Minnesota. The Orioles have produced 47 hits in the season series with 11 homers, batting .320 and with a team OPS of .922.

The Orioles have now won eight games in a row over Minnesota, outscoring the Twins 55-17 in those games.

Now we know for certain there will be playoff baseball in Baltimore this year. That Oriole Park at Camden Yards will host at least two home games and hopefully many more.

With Friday's 7-2 win over Minnesota, the Orioles wrapped up the No. 4 seed, the top Wild Card seed, and will host a series next week, beginning Tuesday versus either the Tigers or Royals.

It's a best two-of-three series with all games at the higher seed, which will be the Orioles.

Can't wait to see and hear the Yard rocking as it was last season in the American League Division Series.

Detroit is currently holding the No. 5 seed to be the O's opponent. The Tigers lead the Royals by one game. Should they tie, Kansas City gets the No. 5 spot via winning the tiebreaker.

The Orioles' 2024 regular season will come to an end this weekend before they begin the Wild Card Series on Tuesday, they hope at home.

The Orioles (88-71) need one more win or a Tigers loss to clinch the top Wild Card spot as the No. 4 seed in the six-team playoff field in the American League.

Kansas City and Detroit (both 85-74) could clinch playoff spots tonight. The Royals would clinch with a win in Atlanta or a Twins loss. The Tigers would clinch with a win versus the White Sox or a Twins loss.

Minnesota's only chance to make it is to sweep Baltimore and then have either Kansas City or Detroit get swept.

Should the Orioles lockdown the fourth seed, they then await to find out which club they would play. Kansas City holds the tiebreaker over Detroit.

When manager Brandon Hyde used the word "collaborative" to describe the decision to shorten Corbin Burnes' start last night, it was clear the O's, the pitching coaches, Hyde and Burnes had all decided that was how last night would go for him.

He was dealing in throwing 69 pitches over five innings, but that was as far as he would pitch on this night.

Unfortunately for the Orioles, the bullpen could not take it from there and three pitchers walked four and allowed six runs to immediately see the Yankees blow the game open.

The Yankees got a 10-1 win and clinched the AL East, while the O's head to Minnesota still needing a win to clinch the top Wild Card spot.  

Baltimore was not conceding the game with this move, but the way the last of the sixth played out, it looked like it. 

With 5-3 and 9-7 wins the last two nights at Yankee Stadium, the Orioles can sweep their three-game series at New York tonight.

The Orioles (88-70) have four games left in the regular season and a series at Minnesota beginning tomorrow night.

They have five sweeps this year of at least three games, but none since early June. They swept three at Boston April 9-11, versus Minnesota April 15-17 and at Cincinnati May 3-5. Their past two sweeps are four-game sweeps at the Chicago White Sox May 23-26 and at Tampa Bay June 7-10.

In going 8-4 this season against the Yankees, the Orioles have a team ERA of 3.75 allowing a .698 OPS in the 12 games. The O's batters score 5.08 runs per game with a .754 OPS.

In going 4-1 at Yankee Stadium, the Orioles have scored 40 runs with a .320 batting average and .908 OPS.

As the phrase goes the Orioles have been “getting the band back together” getting some of their injured list players back recently as Jacob Webb, Danny Coulombe, Ryan Mountcastle, Ramón Urías, Jordan Westburg and Heston Kjerstad have all made it back to the active roster.

It is a big boost to a team that recently had 12 players on the injured list.

And while the O’s pitching staff took a big injury hit even before the All-Star break, some MLB stats indicate that the Orioles have not been hurt as badly on the injury front as other clubs. At least when looking at player games missed.

This is total games that players on the injured list have missed this year for each club and each missed game counts the same whether it is an All-Star that is out or the last guy on the roster. So we need to keep that in mind.

But here are the top clubs in most player games missed to this point, according to Stats Perform: