Orioles unlucky 13 games into season and hoping for immediate improvements

The Orioles need a reset, which makes the timing ideal for today’s break in the schedule.

They’ve fallen three games below .500 for the first time since being 41-44 on July 8, 2022. Top two starters Zach Eflin and Grayson Rodriguez are on the 15-day injured list. Reliever Albert Suárez is on the 60-day injured list. Shortstop Gunnar Henderson has returned, but outfielder Colton Cowser could miss a few months with a fractured left thumb. Jordan Westburg was out of the lineup yesterday for a second time due to being “banged up” in the upper body - some “minor, nagging things,” per manager Brandon Hyde.

The health issues won’t totally fade during an off-day, but the Orioles overcame them in 2024 to make the playoffs again. They need to clear their heads, hopefully stay away from social media and remember that no one is running away with the division. They’re 13 games into 162.

The lineup looks better on paper than what’s happening on the field. They’ve scored 12, nine, eight, eight and five runs in five wins, but two, one, zero, four, two, one, three and zero in eight losses. They were held to four hits yesterday and their .373 slugging percentage and .682 OPS ranked 17^th in the majors.

Henderson will get hot. He’s only 4-for-25 with 10 strikeouts in six games. But should the Orioles keep cranking out different versions of the lineup or should regulars be planted in the same spots to see whether the consistency enables them to flourish?

A MASN camera showed Henderson, who led off the ninth by grounding out, leaning forward and staring at the field after the final out. Veteran outfielder Tyler O’Neill put a hand on his shoulder, said a few words and walked away. Henderson nodded his head and went inside the clubhouse. More veterans might need to speak up.

The first few weeks have been such a chore for the Orioles that their 16 double plays lead the majors after they hit into only 71 last season to set the record for a full season. It isn’t just raining, it’s pouring, but enough about the weekend forecast. No, seriously, the Orioles will go on a run and win their first series and many more, but this obviously has been a disappointing start.

“We’ve had a handful of good games but we’re having a tough time putting everything together,” Hyde said during his postgame media session. “Guys are keeping their heads up. We’ve just got to keep working. It’s a talented team that, we’re not playing to our full potential right now. You’re gonna go through challenges throughout the season. We’ve hit a challenge a little bit early in the season this year, which we haven’t in the past few years.

“Fortunately it’s a long year and we’ve just got to keep going.”

The rotation has a 5.37 ERA and is down to four starters with Eflin’s removal, and it could stay that way until a fifth is needed on April 19. There’s logic in carrying a ninth reliever. And they don’t have a veteran track record arm waiting in Triple-A who’s immediately available to them. Kyle Gibson is making his first start with Norfolk this afternoon. The rest of the Tides’ rotation is Raúl Alcantara, Brandon Young, Kyle Brnovich, Thaddeus Ward and Cameron Weston.

The problem for the Orioles isn’t just Eflin and Rodriguez being hurt. Tomoyuki Sugano has a 2.89 ERA, but Charlie Morton (8.78), Dean Kremer (8.16) and Cade Povich (6.10) need to get on a roll. Morton was signed to be a No. 3 or 4 and he’s risen to the top due to the injuries. Kremer was expected to build on a strong finish and take the proverbial next step. Povich was outstanding in September and in camp, which earned him the No. 5 spot over Suárez.

The Orioles sounded optimistic about Eflin when he said that he felt better the day after leaving his start at 73 pitches, and they're striking the same tone by saying it's a "low-grade lat strain" that will shut him down for about a week. Lats can linger, as we've seen, but maybe this one really will be quicker.

The bullpen has a 3.35 ERA after Cionel Pérez was charged with a run yesterday in 1 1/3 innings, Matt Bowman had a scoreless frame and Colin Selby surrendered two runs in the eighth. Pérez let an inherited runner score to pad Kremer’s ERA, and his own ERA is 16.20 with a 3.40 WHIP and .409 opponents’ average. But Bryan Baker has tossed six scoreless innings with three hits, no walks and seven strikeouts, Gregory Soto has tossed five scoreless innings with eight strikeouts, and Yennier Cano has registered four scoreless innings with one hit, no walks and six strikeouts. Seranthony Domínguez has registered 5 2/3 scoreless innings with one hit and seven strikeouts, but he’s walked six.

Bowman is up to 6 1/3 innings with only one run allowed, Keegan Akin has surrendered two runs in seven innings and Félix Bautista retired the side in order in his third appearance. Bautista’s velocity hasn’t climbed with the games mattering, but it’s still expected to happen. We’ll just have to wait.

The Orioles are the only team without a save, which wouldn’t be bad if they were blowing out opponents.

They’re back home and prepping again for the Blue Jays, who split a four-game set against them in Toronto. Sugano and Povich are confirmed starters for the first two games, but Sunday is TBA. That's Morton's spot.

No one is freaking out, but everyone is aware that games in April count just as much as September.

“I think we’re OK,” Kremer said during his media session that aired on MASN. “We don’t need to hit the panic button yet. Still got 150-something games left. I’m quite confident in our group here that once everybody kind of gets going at the same time, it’s gonna be a runaway train.”

"Obviously, you always want to go out there and win and that's what we're trying to do," said Ryan Mountcastle "Last week or so it's been a little tough, but I'm sure we'll get back on the horse."

Train, horse, whatever works. This weekend is another opportunity to begin winning games consistently, calm the masses and keep everyone else away from the injured list.