With latest pitching injury, offense needs to step up more like last night

On the day the Orioles lost another starter to the injured list and their total pitchers on the IL grew to eight, they scored nine runs.

That was important as the Mets rallied late, but the Orioles won 9-5 and with the news that right-hander Zach Eflin joined a few others on that IL, more big nights from the Baltimore offense would be very welcomed.

Since the All-Star break, heading into last night, the Orioles had gone 15-15. And yet they were averaging 5.3 runs per game in that span and producing a team OPS of .783. Yeah, not bad.

But in their most recent three games heading into last night, they scored eight total runs on 14 hits and had gone 0-for-11 with runners in scoring position.

The nine-run outburst was important as was Dean Kremer's second straight strong outing. He allowed one run over six innings on 100 pitches.

O's starting pitchers, who began yesterday fourth in the AL in rotation ERA for the full season, have allowed two earned runs or less five times in the last seven games. In those games - by Kremer, Eflin, Cade Povich, Albert Suárez and Kremer again - the rotation ERA has been 1.48.

It comes at a time when the bullpen is floundering often and the 'pen ERA is 6.75 the last five games.

The O's are trying to piece it together and hold it together right now. 

But just in pitchers currently on their IL they could put together this rotation: Kyle Bradish, Eflin, Grayson Rodriguez, John Means and Tyler Wells.

When will the injuries be too many to overcome? The Orioles are trying to make sure we won't actually find out that answer in this 2024 season.

Longballs often lead to wins: The Orioles have been a good homer-hitting team all year. They have been the top hitting team in the majors in longballs most of this year, just about all of it.

They began play last night leading the majors with 193 homers and they added two more – Anthony Santander hit a two-run shot in the first, No. 37. And James McCann hit a two-run shot in the fourth, No. 4.

With their win last night to even the three-game series with the Mets at one win each, the O’s are now 51-10 (.836) when they hit two or more home runs in a game.

The Orioles are now on a pace to hit 249 homers this year which would rank third-best ever by an O’s club.

257 – 1996
253 – 2016
249 – 2024 projection
232 – 2017
217 – 2015
214 – 2012, 1998, 1985

The Orioles have now hit at least one homer in 15 straight games. From June 1-23 they homered in 22 straight games and that is a team record.

The 2024 Orioles average 1.54 homers per game, trailing only the 1996 Birds (1.58) and the 2016 Birds (1.56).

The Orioles have homered the most this season against Toronto with 28 in 13 games. They have averaged 5.8 runs per game against the Blue Jays with a team slugging percentage of .502 and OPS of .832 thus far in the season series. They have hit 19 homers versus Tampa Bay, 15 against Texas and 13 versus Boston.

Santander’s 37 homers lead all MLB switch-hitters and is the most by any O’s switch-hitter ever. The last switch-hitter in the majors with more than 36 before Santander was Pittsburgh's Josh Bell (37) in 2019. No switch-hitter has reached 40 home runs in a season since New York-NL's Carlos Beltrán hit 40 in 2006.

Only seven Orioles have ever hit 40 or more. Seven players, not just switch-hitters. The most recent was Mark Trumbo with 47 in 2016. At his current pace, Santander would finish with 47.

Three Orioles have topped that amount. Frank Robinson won the Triple Crown and hit 49 in 1966. Brady Anderson hit 50 in 1996 and Chris Davis hit 53 in 2013.

Back in first place: The O's won last night and the Yankees later lost. So the Orioles (74-53) moved back into first place by a 1/2 game over the Yankees (73-53). Cleveland scored six runs in the top of the 12th to beat the Yankees 9-5.