The Orioles had a strong showing recently when Baseball America presented its top 20 prospects for this season from the Rookie-level Florida Complex League.

The Birds had four players represented in the back half of the list. And they are all international signings, another sign that the club’s international program is really starting to get going right now.

Three of the four players were signed for significant bonuses in January 2022 and those investments seem to be paying off.

The New York Yankees had the strongest showing in this ranking, with five players among the top 20 and four in the top 10. But no other team besides the O’s had as many as four players ranked.

Dominican outfielder Braylin Tavera, 18, was rated No. 12 on the FCL list. The club signed Tavera in January 2022 for $1.7 million, the second-highest bonus the Orioles have handed out under the Mike Elias regime.

The Orioles' 5-2 loss at Cleveland Thursday night was just their seventh in 26 games in road series openers this year. They try to get back to the winning tonight at Cleveland after scoring three runs in losing the past two days. 

The Orioles (95-58) begin play tonight leading the American League East by 1 1/2 games over Tampa Bay (94-60). Their magic number for a division clinch is seven.

Just 12 O's teams in club history have won 96 or more games, a feat they are chasing tonight. The last was the 2014 AL East-winning Orioles, who went 96-66.

While they've lost their last two games, the Orioles have won four of six, 12 of 19, 14 of 23 and 29 of the last 45 games.

Rookie Gunnar Henderson went 0-for-4 with a walk last night. He is sitting on 63 extra-base hits, which ranks 11th-best in the AL. It is also two behind Cal Ripken Jr.'s Orioles rookie record for EBHs of 65 in 1982. With 27 homers, Henderson needs one more to tie Ripken's 1982 mark with 28, which is second-most by a Baltimore rookie. Ryan Mountcastle holds that single-season record, with 33 in 2021.

Now 6-1 at Houston since the start of the 2021 season, the Orioles can win the series tonight if they take Game 2 of this three-game set at Minute Maid Park.

The Orioles (94-56) lead the American League East by 2 1/2 games over Tampa Bay (92-59) and the Birds have a magic number of nine to clinch the division championship.

On Sunday the Orioles trailed heading to the last of the eighth, ninth and 10th innings and won. Last night they trailed at the end of the sixth, seventh and eighth innings, yet won. They beat two different playoff teams in those games, going 2-0 when trailing after eight innings. Through Saturday, they were 1-46 when behind at the end of eight.

The Orioles now lead the major leagues with 48 comeback wins, with Cincinnati second (46) and Philadelphia (41) third.

In winning three in a row, Baltimore has outscored the Rays and Astros by 21-11.

The Orioles lead the American League East by two games, plus hold the playoff tiebreaker over the Tampa Bay Rays with 13 games to play. They begin the last regular season road trip tonight at Houston in a matchup of AL division leaders and a possible playoff preview.

The Orioles (93-56) will play three games this week at Houston and then four at Cleveland. They then return home to wrap up the regular season with two games versus Washington and four against Boston. 

Both best-of-three AL wild card series begin Oct. 3 and both of the best-of-five AL division series start Oct. 7. The American League Championship Series starts Oct. 15 and the 2023 World Series begins Friday, Oct. 27. If the Fall Classic goes seven games, it will end on Saturday, Nov. 4.

The Birds won the final two games of the Tampa Bay series by a combined 13-4 score to win the season series 8-5 over the Rays. It's the first time the O's have taken a season series from Tampa Bay since 2016. The Orioles played four series this year versus the Rays and didn't lose any of them, going 2-1, 1-1, 3-1 and 2-2.

In the eight games this year between those teams decided by one or two runs, the Orioles went 7-1.

In a game in which they trailed by two runs in the eighth, and by one in the ninth and the 10th today, the Orioles produced a stirring comeback win.

One that lifted them back to a two-game lead atop the American League East at 93-56. They split the four-game series with the Rays, winning the last two games.

Cedric Mullins' sac fly with one out in the 11th scored Adley Rutschman from third and the O's had a walk-off win, 5-4 in 11 over Tampa Bay. An amazing comeback victory. And Mullins third career walk-off plate appearance. 

Before they sealed the win, Baltimore produced some late-game drama today. After Tampa Bay hit two homers to take a 3-1 lead in the eighth, the Orioles rallied to tie it with single runs in the eighth and ninth. They were down to their last out when they tied the score in the ninth and also in the tenth.

Down 3-2 to the last of the ninth, the Orioles rallied against Rays closer Pete Fairbanks. He came on in the last of the eighth with the Rays leading 3-1 and the O's pulled to within a run on Adley Rutschman's 19th homer.

A series that got off to a pretty brutal start for the Orioles could have a real happy ending today with a win over the Tampa Bay Rays.

If they get the win, the Orioles (92-56) will widen their American League East lead to two games with 13 games left. And they will clinch their first playoff berth since the 2016 season.

The Orioles clinch a place in the playoffs today if they win, and even if they lose they will clinch with a loss by either Texas or Seattle. The Rays' magic number to clinch the postseason is also one, and the same scenarios are true today for the Rays. A loss by Texas or Seattle would put both Baltimore and Tampa Bay in the 2023 postseason. 

A 93rd win would also make the 2023 Orioles the 17th team in club history to have 93 or more. Five O's teams have won 100 or more. The last was the 1980 Orioles. This club needs to go 8-6 or better in its remaining games to get there.

The O's broke their first-place tie with Tampa Bay with Saturday's 8-0 win at Oriole Park. Gunnar Henderson hit his 27th homer and had three hits and three RBIs. Six different O's drove in runs as they went 6-for-11 with runners in scoring position. After the O's had scored just six runs during a four-game losing streak, they had six by last night's fourth inning.

Orioles closer Félix Bautista, on the injured list with a partial tear in the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow, took a potentially significant step today.

He threw off a mound in the Orioles bullpen before the series finale with Tampa Bay.

“He just threw a side this morning,” manager Brandon Hyde said in his pregame press conference. “Sounds like it went pretty well. That was kind of the next step in his throwing progression. So, see how he feels tomorrow. We’re just kind of day-to-day with him right now.”

Hyde was asked if he is pleased with this progress for Bautista, who has not pitched since Aug. 25.

“Yeah. I just ran into him and (head athletic trainer) Brian (Ebel) after the side session and it sounds like it went pretty well. That’s always encouraging," he said.

When I asked manager Brandon Hyde before last night's game how his clubhouse was holding up after four straight losses and two straight to Tampa Bay, he basically said he didn't sense any difference. His team was ready for a big game Saturday night after losing by 4-3 and 7-1 to a Rays team that was red-hot and had now tied the Orioles for the lead in the American League East.

“I just think they’re disappointed, but they’re going to bounce back, ready to play tonight,” Hyde said. “I haven’t sensed anything. You can hear them interacting well. We had a good hitters meeting a while ago, but we do every day. So, I think they’re ready to go.”

They were indeed ready to go.

After scoring six runs the previous four games, they scored six runs in four innings. Off Tyler Glasnow, a pitcher with a 3.15 ERA for the year. Glasnow was 2.53 in 10 second-half starts. 

The Rays entered Saturday's game having allowed four or fewer earned runs in 11 consecutive games, their longest streak since a club-record 19-game run from Sept. 16, 2021 to April 10, 2022. Tampa Bay's pitching staff has posted an AL-best 2.79 ERA in that span.

Now working on just their third losing streak of the year of three games or more, the Orioles (91-55) host the Tampa Bay Rays (91-57) tonight. It’s the second game of this critical series to impact first place in the American League East. 

The Orioles lost 4-3 last night in the series opener and are now 26-14 in one-run games, 32-16 in series-opening games and 53-17 when they score first. They are now 6-4 versus Tampa Bay for the year and 28-17 in AL East games.

The Orioles have been so consistent this year that they have no long losing streaks, having dropped a season-high four straight from June 27-July 1. They lost three in a row twice – from May 6-8 and now.

The Orioles lead now is down to just one game atop the division. The O’s and Rays have been tied for first two times this year, on July 19 and July 21, and tonight would be a third occasion with a Tampa Bay victory.

After their 13-12 win over Boston on Saturday at Fenway Park, the O’s held a four-game lead atop the AL East.

Adam Jones and Orioles executive vice president and general manager Mike Elias sat at the front of the press conference. Jones would soon put on his No. 10 jersey after officially signing a contract that allows him to retire as an Oriole.

At the event attended by his wife Audie and two sons and others close to him, Jones talked about a special day for him with a pregame ceremony still to come tonight.

“Glad this day has finally come,” Jones said.

“Baltimore is a special part in my heart. I still consistently watch the Orioles games, even when in Japan. I adopted this city. My wife is from here, my kids were born here.

“We put our stamp here. The Boys and Girls clubs, the YMCA and with various other groups. It was more with the people of Baltimore. So many here know me, and not just from baseball.

John Means' long road back to a major league mound will finally end tonight. His last MLB game was April 13, 2022 versus Milwaukee. Later that month he underwent Tommy John surgery. 

It looked like Means would return by mid-season this year, but in late May he had a setback with a strained muscle in his upper back. And finally tonight he makes his first big league outing since that Milwaukee game. 

Means has pitched in six minor league rehab games, going 1-1 with a 3.74 ERA over 21 2/3 innings. He pitched three times at Double-A Bowie and the last three times with Triple-A Norfolk.

With the Tides he went 1-0 with a 2.51 ERA, allowing four earned runs in 14 1/3 innings with six walks, 12 strikeouts and a .216 batting average against. 

He threw 72 pitches for Norfolk on Aug. 25, and then 86 on Aug. 31. He was backed off to 67 in his most recent game last Wednesday when he allowed six hits and three runs over five innings.

Cal Ripken Jr. and Eddie Murray were Orioles Rookie of the Year winners, and last night Gunnar Henderson joined the Hall of Famers as the only rookies in team history to hit 25 or more doubles and homers in a season.

He hit homer No. 25 in the sixth inning as the Orioles beat St. Louis 11-5.

As he attempts to become the first O’s ROY since pitcher Gregg Olson in 1989, Henderson is putting the finishes touches on one strong season.

Now he put his name alongside O’s royalty.

“That is awesome,” Henderson said in the clubhouse today. “Anytime you can be considered with those two names it’s really special. Just for all they have done in Oriole history. Pretty cool to see my name with them.

As left-hander John Means gets set to make his first major league start since April 13, 2022 tomorrow night against St. Louis, the anticipation is building.

The Orioles are delighted to have Means back and now, even with just 20 games left, the club will try to determine if Means can contribute to their postseason run.

Today, manager Brandon Hyde was asked what is realistic to expect from Means on Tuesday night versus St. Louis.

“Well he is built up to five-plus innings,” Hyde said. “But we haven’t seen him pitch in a major league stadium in almost two years. How he handles his expectations, anticipation and nerves. I’m sure it’s going to feel like his first start in the big leagues.”

“So, you know, I really don’t have many expectations. I’m going to be excited to watch him. Excited to have him out there and hope he pitches well.”

Now with 90 wins on the year, the Orioles are looking today for their 10^th series sweep of the season, after a two-game sweep of the Washington Nationals in April and eight other three-game sweeps.

The Orioles (90-51) have wins over the Red Sox this weekend by scores of 11-2 and 13-12. The Orioles allowed 23 hits yesterday as Boston went 23-for-50 (.460), but Baltimore still pulled out the win.

The Orioles' win total has exceeded the 89 from the 2016 team, the last O's club to make the playoffs. They have won 90 for the first time since the 2014 American League East champs won 96 games. The Birds have now won 90 or more 21 times in team history. 

The Orioles hit five homers in the win, two of them by James McCann. Gunnar Henderson and Aaron Hicks hit three-run shots. The O’s season high for homers is six on July 9 at Minnesota. Yesterday was the fifth game of 2023 in which the Orioles scored 13 runs or more. Their season high of 15 runs came in that July six-homer game at Target Field.

Yesterday the Orioles had 14 hits and they’ve had 10 or more hits for seven consecutive games now, their longest streak of 10 or more hits in a game since September 2011.

Once they pulled ahead to lead 5-2 in the third inning, the Orioles never trailed again on Saturday. It just felt like they did. Or that they were about to.

They gave up 23 hits and gave up three runs or more in three different innings, but when an exhausting day of baseball was over they had a 13-12 win over Boston at Fenway Park.

The Orioles have a 90-win season and now could finish 10-11 in their remaining regular season games and have a 100-win season.

They sure didn't win this game because of their pitching.

But their surging offense has now scored 34 runs the last three games, 60 in the past seven and 141 over the last 20 games.

The Orioles' latest win on their road trip allowed them to maintain a four-game lead atop the American League East with 22 to play. At 89-51 they are now closing in on a 90-win season and need to go 11-11 or better the rest of the way to record 100 wins or more for the first time since 1980.

Right-hander Kyle Bradish improved to 11-6 with a 3.03 ERA last night, giving up two runs over six innings. Bradish has an ERA of 2.08 in his past six starts and 2.33 in his last 15. The Orioles are now 18-8 in his outings this year.

The Orioles improved to 53-15 (.779) when scoring first this year, the best record in MLB and the 53 such wins are tied for fifth-most. Baltimore has recorded 10+ hits in six consecutive games, its longest such streak since Sept. 19 (G2)-24, 2011 (also six). The last time the Orioles did so in seven straight games was May 14-21, 2011.

Bradish is the third Orioles' pitcher with at least 11 wins this season along with Kyle Gibson (14) and Dean Kremer (12) and this marks the first time the Birds have had three pitchers with 11+ wins since Wei-Yin Chen (11), Ubaldo Jiménez (12), and Chris Tillman (11) in 2015. 

The Orioles are 6-1 on their road trip with six straight wins by a 47-20 score. In the six games, the team is batting .319 with an OPS of .883 and is 27-for-76 (.355) when hitting with runners in scoring position.

West Coast, East Coast. Home or road. American League East or outside of the division. Doesn't seem to matter much. The Orioles' relentless pursuit of winning carried on Friday night at Fenway Park.

The Orioles' 11-2 blowout of the Red Sox improved their record to 89-51 (.636). An 11-11 finish would net them 100 wins, but for now, they are on a 103-win pace.

Two O's teams ever won that many:

* 109 wins in 1969
* 108 wins in 1970

Remember those March over/unders that listed the Orioles at 76.5 wins for this year?

ANAHEIM – For the second night in a row the second-place Tampa Bay Rays posted a win earlier in the night that the Orioles would later match. Tonight, the Orioles’ 10-3 romp over the Los Angeles Angels in front of 29,021 meaning they not only swept this series but maintained their season-high 3.5 game lead over the Rays atop the AL East.

The Orioles scored five early runs tonight and then added some late-game longballs to enjoy a much more comfortable win than last night when they were behind after eight innings and had to pull it out in the tenth.

Now 88-51, the Orioles are 37 games over the .500 mark for the first time since 1997. They have won five in a row on this road trip after losing the trip opener Friday in Arizona. Overall, the Orioles have won seven of nine, 11 of 14, 14 of 18 and 25 of the last 35 games.

They improved the American League’s best road record to 46-25 and are 34-16 in the second half.

Tonight they recorded their ninth series sweep and eighth of three games. 

ANAHEIM - Most of the time this year, but not all, when the Orioles won the first two games of a three-game series, they won the third game to complete the sweep.

While the Orioles have gone 84 straight series without being swept, they have nine sweeps of their own. They have seven three-game sweeps and one of two games in the 2023 season. 

They can add to their list of sweeps tonight at Anaheim against the Angels after posting wins by 6-3 and 5-4 in 10 innings at Angel Stadium.

On their recent homestand, the Orioles twice won the first two games of a series, but they lost the third both to Colorado and the Chicago White Sox.

For the year the Orioles are 7-4 in the third game of a series where they won the first two and had a chance for a sweep.

ANAHEIM – The Orioles are tweaking their rotation before the series with Red Sox that begins Friday night at Fenway Park. Had they stayed on turn after tomorrow’s off day with their current six-man, they would have thrown Cole Irvin Friday, then Kyle Bradish Saturday and Jack Flaherty on Sunday against the Red Sox.

But manager Brandon Hyde said today it will be Bradish in the Boston series opener, Flaherty next and Grayson Rodriguez Sunday in the series finale in Boston. Irvin is moving to the bullpen for now.

“We’ve put Cole in the ‘pen. He was in the bullpen last night,” Hyde said today. “He’s going to be kind of a length guy right now. Kind of get through the weekend and evaluate series-to-series right now.”

Is this a return to a five-man rotation?

“As as right now, for the weekend it is. After the weekend it might change,” he said.