Even if the playoffs are a pipe dream, there are still some things that could make this a successful second half for the Orioles.
Good morning, Camden Chatters.
I hope you all enjoyed your four-day break from watching Orioles baseball, ideally by doing something much less frustrating with your time. But tonight the O’s are back in action to kick off their second half schedule.
Even with any hopes of playoff contention all but buried, the rest of the season could be very important for the Orioles. The most immediate concern, of course, is the lead-up to the MLB trade deadline on July 31. Most fans expect the O’s to deal at least a couple of their pending free agents, and it could be a lot more than a couple if the Orioles (or their potential trade partners) get especially crazy.
All-Star Ryan O’Hearn is probably the Birds’ most attractive rental piece, but a slew of other pending free agents — Cedric Mullins, Zach Eflin, Charlie Morton, Tomoyuki Sugano, Seranthony Domínguez, Gregory Soto — could easily be shipped off as well. And don’t put it past Mike Elias to trade someone who’s under team control past this season, as he did with Bryan Baker, who’s not a free agent for three more years. Trevor Rogers (signed through next season), Ramón Laureano and Andrew Kittredge (team options for 2025) could be moved if the price is right. Basically, anyone outside of the Orioles’ core group of youngsters is on the table. The Birds’ roster could look dramatically different in just two weeks.
Beyond the trade deadline, there are a few other things we’ll hope to see from the Orioles for the rest of the season. For one, the O’s need their young stars to be healthy and productive and regain their mojo heading into next year. Let’s see further progression for Jackson Holliday, who’s having a strong season at the plate if not so much defensively. Let’s see a return to form for Gunnar Henderson, whose power has noticeably dipped this year, possibly due to the oblique injury he suffered in spring training. Let’s see Adley Rutschman come back from the IL and pick up the offensive momentum he was starting to build before he got hurt. Most of all, let’s see these core players get their swagger back after the team’s rough first half appeared to damage their confidence.
This second half will also be a time to evaluate some MLB-ready prospects on the biggest stage. That means you, Coby Mayo. There’s no reason the Orioles shouldn’t give him everyday at-bats for the rest of the season, especially if they trade O’Hearn. And it also means Samuel Basallo should get a call-up late in the season, perhaps splitting time between catcher and first base/DH.
The O’s also need to figure out what their pitching staff is going to look like next season. Hopefully Rogers will continue his 2025 Orioles breakout (if he isn’t traded), and perhaps some combination of Kyle Bradish, Grayson Rodriguez, and Tyler Wells will return from injury later this year to prove they can be healthy and effective.
There are 67 games remaining on the Orioles’ schedule. They might not matter in the standings, but they matter quite a bit to the Orioles’ outlook for 2026 and beyond.
Links
Rosenthal: What I’m hearing about the MLB trade deadline with two weeks to go – The Athletic
Ken Rosenthal writes that Charlie Morton is looking like one of the most attractive trade chips on the market. Not bad for a guy who every Orioles fan wanted to DFA in April.
Jon Meoli: The next few weeks are pivotal for the Orioles and their GM – The Baltimore Banner
Meoli has a message for Mike Elias: don’t blow it.
Most Valuable Oriole candidates at the All-Star break – BaltimoreBaseball.com
Who’s your best guess at this year’s MVO? O’Hearn is having the best offensive season but probably won’t be on the team much longer. Henderson has been solid but not up to his usual standards. Could it really end up being Laureano?
Mabry on Westburg: “It’s fun to watch him play his game” – School of Roch
Mabry didn’t even mention that Westburg also has the best walk-up song on the team. Audioslave FTW!
Kyle Gibson, longtime starter who won 112 games, announces retirement – The Athletic
It’s a shame that Orioles’ fans last memory of Gibson is his four-start implosion this year, but he was a dependable starter and by all accounts a great clubhouse guy for that awesome 2023 O’s team. Best of luck in retirement, Kyle.
Orioles birthdays and history
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! Only one O’s player in history has a July 18 birthday: the late lefty Rudy May (b. 1944, d. 2024), who was acquired as part of a 10-player trade with the Yankees in 1976 and spent parts of two seasons with the Birds.
The Orioles tied obscure records on this date in 1959 and 2002. In 1959, O’s catcher Joe Ginsberg tied an AL record by committing four passed balls, having all sorts of trouble behind the plate with Hall of Fame knuckleballer Hoyt Wilhelm. And in 2002, Melvin Mora tied an MLB record by getting hit by a pitch three times. He endured all that pain for nothing, as the Orioles lost anyway, 5-4.
Random Orioles game of the day
On July 18, 1995, the Orioles beat the Rangers, 4-2, at The Ballpark in Arlington. The O’s had only six baserunners all game but made the most of their opportunities to score four runs, including solo dingers by former Rangers Rafael Palmeiro and Harold Baines. That was more than enough for Mike Mussina, who worked 7.2 outstanding innings and gave up just two runs on four hits. Closer Doug Jones worked the ninth for his 17th save.