Through the ups and downs, O's offense still on an 800-run pace

If you read the comments section here or check anywhere where O’s fans make their feelings known - and they are not shy about that - there are many times the fans are frustrated with the Orioles offense.

Like when they produce just one run against the lowly White Sox after scoring 22 runs in two games. Or score just 10 at Dodger Stadium. Or get 10 one day versus Boston but just one the next as they did Aug. 16 and Aug. 17.

There is an up and down nature to the scoring and several players have had their share of ups and downs. Sometimes the homers come, and runs are plentiful and sometimes not. At times they frustrate their supporters with a lack of hitting with runners in scoring position.

But after all of the above, the 2024 Orioles offense looks like it will finish the year ranking both among the best in the majors in 2024 and among the best in O’s history.

Here is a stat that will surprise a few fans and I didn’t know it until I look it up: The O’s are actually scoring more runs per game in the second-half, even after the team OPS in August was .691, the lowest of any month this year.

The O’s scored 4.94 runs per game in the first half and are at 5.18 in the second half. In the AL, in the second half, the Yankees lead the league scoring 5.38 runs per game. But Baltimore and Kansas City come next at 5.18.

In 70 seasons of Orioles baseball since 1954, the Birds have scored 800 runs or more just eight times. The 2024 team, projected to get 812, could become No. 9.

Here is the list with four of these coming during the so-called “steroid era” of 1994 through 2004.

949 runs – 1996

851 runs – 1999

842 runs – 2004

818 runs – 1985

817 runs – 1998

812 runs – 1997

807 runs – 2023

805 runs – 1980

If the 2024 O’s did finish at 812, they would match the 1997 wire-to-wire AL East champs and top last year’s 101 win club along with the 1980 O’s that won 100 games and missed the playoffs.

This team could wind up outscoring the O’s three World Series winners. The 1966 Birds scored 755, they scored 792 in 1970 and 799 runs in 1983.

As of yesterday, there were four MLB teams scoring 5.00 runs per game or more for the full year with Arizona leading the way at 5.45, the Yankees at 5.10 with the Orioles and Los Angeles Dodgers tied for third at 5.01.

Here is a month-by-month breakdown of the Baltimore offense with the team OPS and runs per game and AL rank for both each month.

* April: .762 OPS (1) and 5.41 runs per game (1)

* May: .715 OPS (t 3rd) and 4.54 runs per game (5)

* June: .847 OPS (1) and 5.62 runs per game (2)

* July: 762 OPS (5) and 4.60 runs per game (7)

* August: .691 OPS (9) and 4.46 runs per game (6)

Even when the bats fell off in July and August, the runs per game was still middle of the pack. In four games in September, their OPS is .864 to rank first in the AL and so is their runs per game at 7.25. They scored 28 runs the first three games of September heading into Wednesday.

In the first half, Baltimore batters led the AL in team OPS (.764) and were second at 4.94 rpg. In the second half, they are fifth at .753 and tied for second at 5.18 rpg.

Even as players like Adley Rutschman and until recently Gunnar Henderson struggled and the team lost to injury hot-hitting Ramón Urías and previously Jordan Westburg and now Ryan Mountcastle, some players added by the club stepped up at times. Like Austin Slater, Eloy Jiménez and Emmanuel Rivera.

It takes an entire roster and more to get through the year. Even with all the injuries, the losses to the pitching staff and an inconsistent offense, the numbers that count the most show the O's with a chance to claim back-to-back AL East titles for the first time since 1973 and 1974.