A closer look at the Orioles at the 54-game mark

Things have not gone perfectly for the Baltimore Orioles in the 2024 season. I just got an in person look in St. Louis at the Orioles being swept three straight amid all the rain delays and they looked bad in doing so.  But in looking at this team this year, that series was an outlier. Mostly they play well and win a lot. As of Thursday morning, th
The Orioles kept their bullpen intact through the off-day that leads into tonight’s series opener against the Rays and begins a stretch of 29 games in 30 days. They didn’t option anyone. They didn’t make a trade or a waiver claim. But the day is still young. The Orioles keep shuffling relievers. They acquired Thyago Vieira from the Brewers Saturday
ATLANTA – The Nationals won two of the first three games against the Braves with some big hits and great pitching. They haven’t always gotten home runs, but they got one from CJ Abrams on Monday and one from Lane Thomas on Wednesday. They haven’t always seen their starter go deep in the game, but Mitchell Parker, Jake Irvin and MacKenzie Gore combi
ATLANTA – Josiah Gray threw another live bullpen session today, one more step closer to returning from the 15-day injured list. Gray landed on the IL with a right elbow/forearm flexor strain after just two starts in which he allowed 13 runs in 8 ⅓ innings. But after a long and patient rehab process, he finally returned to a mound to face live hitte
ATLANTA – A victory tonight will give the Nationals their second win in a four-game series this season, the first coming as a sweep in their only other four-game set to date in Miami last month.  Trevor Williams will look to continue this dominant stretch by Nats starting pitchers. Nationals starters have pitched to a 2.36 ERA (11 earned runs in 42
ATLANTA – The Nationals have always focused on starting pitching. They boasted some of the best rotations between 2012-19, en route to winning four division titles, a National League Wild Card berth and a World Series championship. Now after a few lean years, they’re starting to see a new generation emerge as one of the best rotations in baseball.
Orioles outfielder Austin Hays got off to a terrible start to his 2024 season, there is no denying that. However, as some around Birdland see a player in decline, others might see a player that has produced an OPS that is above the American League average since the 2021 season. His 2021 OPS+ was 107 or seven percent above the league, the next year
To understand and appreciate Jordan Westburg's advanced approach to hitting, rewind to Tuesday night in the bottom of the first inning. The Orioles were down 2-1 and had the bases loaded. Red Sox starter Brayan Bello got ahead two strikes, threw a third consecutive sinker and watched it roll into right field. Ryan O’Hearn and Colton Cowser raced ho
ATLANTA – Davey Martinez cautioned his team about the challenges facing a new pitcher ahead of tonight’s game against the Braves. Right-hander Spencer Schwellenbach made his major league debut for the home team three years after being drafted, having Tommy John surgery and making only 24 minor league starts between last year and the start of this s
The entire Orioles infield gathered on the mound in the second inning for a conference that seemed to be more about settling down. Hit the pause button, regroup and get back to work. Get back to the way they normally play. The Red Sox scored after Connor Wong singled, left fielder Colton Cowser and shortstop Gunnar Henderson committed errors, and J
ATLANTA – The Nationals have another tough pitching matchup in tonight’s game against the Braves. Not because it’s another established major leaguer like Charlie Morton or Max Fried. But because it’s a 23-year-old making his first major league start. Right-hander Spencer Schwellenbach had his contract selected to the Braves roster this morning to m