Orioles back on hold while trying to maintain roll

The last ounce of certainty is lost for the Orioles today.

They don't have a game. Everyone knew about the open date on their schedule that Major League Baseball handed to them over the weekend.

But what happens next is a puzzle.

The Orioles are supposed to play four games against the Marlins over the next three nights, which requires a doubleheader in order to make the math work. They haven't been told when it's happening or provided any start times.

Tropical storm Isaias is expected to bring rainfall and flooding to the state of Maryland on Tuesday. As if the Orioles need more delays and postponements.

The season is supposed to be truncated, not torturous and with torrential downpours.

Hyde talked to his players yesterday before leaving the clubhouse, unable to shed much light on the situation but offering a few important reminders.

"I just told them that 'I'll let you know tomorrow. Enjoy tonight, enjoy today, social distance, put the mask on, stay in your room and you'll hear from me later,'" Hyde said.

"Still waiting on the final details. When you're playing pretty well you want to continue to play, but (the off-day) comes at a pretty good time for us. I've rolled through the bullpen pretty good these last couple days. Some guys are a little banged up and could use (today) for sure.

"That's another thing. It's strange that it's August 2nd and it actually feels like August 2nd in a regular season for some reason, just because of ... I don't know why. Because of the craziness that's happened this year. So I do think the off-day comes at a decent time for us."

It arrives with the Orioles two games above .500 for the first time since April 3, 2019.

"I said in one of the interviews before the season started that I think we're going to surprise some people, and I think we're doing that right now," said Tommy Milone, who held the Rays to one run yesterday with no walks and eight strikeouts in five innings.

"Obviously, morale is high. It's always more fun in the clubhouse and just being around the guys when you're winning, so it's just been a lot of fun so far and we're just looking to keep it going."

The players won't budge from that goal, no matter how many of them are traded. And it's likely that more trades are on the way.

Reliever Richard Bleier is gone - well, sort of, since he remains in Baltimore while waiting to join the Marlins - but no one on the club is treating it as if the front office is folding and waiting for a new hand to be dealt.

"I don't know too much about that," said Renato Núñez, who homered again yesterday and also had a run-scoring single. "I knew they traded Bleier. I was kind of surprised, of course, because of a short season and he's a really good pitcher, but this is how it is and they traded him.

"I don't know. We'll just keep working and it was a great win."

A win that produced the Orioles' first series sweep since Aug. 27-29, 2018. Against a team that's supposed to challenge the Yankees for the division title and is expected to make the expanded playoff field.

The Orioles knocked the Rays two games below .500 for the first time since June 28, 2018.

"I've been impressed from Day One with the way guys have handled themselves," said reliever Cole Sulser, who notched his third save yesterday. "We're all playing and we're all playing to win and playing as a team, and I think they continued to do that throughout summer camp, so it's awesome to see everyone get off to such a great start."

I thought Hyde was at his absolute best yesterday, and really showed how much he loves this team, when discussing the composition of the roster and the underdog status of his players. It was a money quote.

"We have some great stories," Hyde said, as if adding to the collection. "We have so many guys designated for assignment. If you look around the field this series, Yankees series ... look at the Yankees, look at us, how many guys we've had on the field who have been DFA'd, traded, released, and getting an opportunity and hanging right in there. So I'm really proud of all our guys for all that.

"I think that they're tough. It's not easy to move organizations, be told that 'we don't want you anymore,' and they continue to compete. And these guys are doing that, so I'm proud of them."

If that doesn't give a fan the feels, I don't know what will.