Urgency for Orioles intensifies as regular season shrinks

Blame the injuries, inexperience and faulty execution. Blame the weather, traffic, sound system, advertising signs or astrological signs. Whatever suits the narrative. Whatever the imagination allows.

Just be sure to include how the Orioles raised the bar too high and too quickly.

They went from 83 wins in 2022 to 101 and a division title. They set themselves up for regression and criticism. Fans are demanding that heads roll because their favorite team can’t get on one.

No one in their right mind projected 102 or more wins this season, but playing sub-.500 ball since the All-Star break wasn’t in the brochure. Rock bottom keeps moving, too. An 8-1 loss to the historically putrid White Sox was supposed to be it, until the Tigers no-hit them for 8 2/3 innings after using an opener. Until the Orioles responded to Mike Elias’ words of encouragement and optimistic tone Tuesday afternoon by managing only one hit in six innings against the Giants’ Blake Snell, allowing six runs in the top of the ninth and losing 10-0.

The Yankees, meanwhile, were beating the Mariners in Seattle to open a four-game lead in the division race. Now it's five. The Orioles are choking on the fumes, but they can get healthier this month and still make some noise in the postseason.

The roster is flawed until it regains Jordan Westburg and Ramón Urías, who begin rehab assignments tonight with Triple-A Norfolk.

“I hope it goes well,” said manager Brandon Hyde. “I’m excited that they’re going out. Mounty (Ryan Mountcastle) is not that far away, either. But Westy hasn’t played in a while, Ramón less amount of time. It’s going to be about at-bats for those guys. But I’m encouraged that they’re going out.”

The Orioles need right-handed-hitting middle infielders and some corner infield alternatives. Players with track records of various lengths are mired in slumps. Elite prospects are scuffling at baseball’s highest level, still learning how to attack major league pitching and to handle adversity they haven’t come across as professionals.

Hyde keeps playing matchups, which so often work for him, but replacing one struggling hitter with another isn’t a formula for success. Ryan O’Hearn was 6-for-43 this month when he came off the bench Tuesday night and struck out. Jackson Holliday, who was slashing .169 with a .518 OPS, batted for Coby Mayo, who was 3-for-37, and grounded out.

Holliday was out of the lineup for three consecutive games, which put Livan Soto in it. Soto plays a terrific second base but he’s supposed to be handling a utility role on a temporary basis.  

All of the injuries serve as explanations more so than excuses. It works either way. You can’t minimize the impact of losing Westburg, Urías, Mountcastle, Kyle Bradish, John Means, Tyler Wells, Grayson Rodriguez and Danny Coulombe. Jorge Mateo would be useful with his speed and defense. And yes, his right-handed bat, even if it keeps going soft.

The roster has been ravaged. That’s just a fact. Hyde is catching some heat but he’s a much better manager with that group intact. That’s also a fact.

Hyde can’t count on Rodriguez to hop back into the rotation for the stretch run and playoffs. Bullpen sessions aren’t getting him any closer to it. But he’s an upgrade however he’s used. And second-half Dean Kremer joining Corbin Burnes and Zach Eflin gives the Orioles a fighting chance. It all starts with pitching.

Albert Suárez could strengthen the bullpen by shifting back into that role. Coulombe is one of the best relievers in baseball. Jacob Webb has returned. The dice will be rolled in October, and there are no dominant teams in baseball. They all have warts. Some are just more covered than others.

“It’s gonna be big,” McCann said of Coulombe. “Getting Webby back a few days ago was big. Getting Danny back, he’s one of those guys who can come in in the sixth and get you out of a jam or he can pitch in the ninth, and having guys like that down in the bullpen definitely helps shorten the game.”

“Being able to incorporate Danny here will be great for us, it’ll be huge for us,” reliever Yennier Cano said via interpreter Brandon Quinones. “He was one of our best pitchers this season, and so when the playoffs come around, it can be quick and things happen so fast, but to have another guy who can get the job done and do that at a high level is going to be big for us.”

FanGraphs listed the Orioles’ odds of making the playoffs earlier this month at 100 percent, which is dumb unless mathematically assured. There’s got to be some wiggle room. As fans squirmed, the odds tumbled to 99.1 percent yesterday.

It’s still expected to happen. The Orioles will finish the regular season in Minnesota and prepare for their next opponent, and perhaps without a division-winning break that they lamented last October during workouts at Camden Yards, as if foreseeing their demise.

An excuse or an explanation. Whatever it was, the Rangers swept the Orioles in the Division Series.

Burnes and Eflin came in trades to lengthen the playoff run. Same with Seranthony Domínguez and Gregory Soto for the ‘pen. Veteran hitters were supposed to be immune to lengthy slumps. Young hitters with tremendous upside were supposed to take the next step.

It wasn’t supposed to direct the team toward another exit.

There’s still time to right a ship that’s taking on water, with nine losses in the last 12 games and a 26-30 record in the second half, but it must happen immediately. Otherwise, fans might have to turn their attention to the Ravens.

Oh.