If the Orioles beat the Tigers AND the Mariners lose to the Rangers, the O’s clinch their spot.
Hello, friends.
The Orioles played another one of those games yesterday where the less is said about it, the better. That is, it wasn’t the kind of game where everything was horrible. The frustration stems more from the fact that it was an eminently winnable game and the O’s sidestepped multiple opportunities where they might have won it with poor decisions in key moments and a recently-typical failure when presented with game-breaking clutch situations.
Check out Tyler Young’s recap of the game for more of the not-so-lovely totals from the 6-4 extra innings loss to the Tigers. There were good things here and there, but it was mostly frustration of missed chances and bad plays.
Losing Saturday’s game against the Tigers was all the more frustrating given that the Orioles had the opportunity to clinch a postseason position with a win. The team’s beat writer corps became belatedly aware of that possibility after MLB sent out a press release on Saturday morning detailing postseason scenarios.
In the complicated web of circumstances that could have lead to a clincher yesterday (and could still lead to one today,) the gist is that if the Orioles win two out of three in this series against the Tigers, they guarantee that they will finish ahead of the Tigers due to the third tiebreaker: Record vs. same-league, non-division teams. If they lose today and don’t win the series, the Tigers will instead hold the first tiebreaker, head-to-head record, over the Orioles, and the magic number will stay at 3.
Also necessary to the “could have clinched yesterday and could clinch today” scenario is a loss by the Mariners. That’s even more complicated, and boils down to “if the Mariners pass the Astros for the AL West, the Astros have a head-to-head tiebreaker over the Orioles.” The Mariners beat the Rangers last night. They’ll play at 2:35 today. Also relevant here is a Twins split doubleheader against the Red Sox, 12:35 and 5:35.
The magic number for the Orioles to clinch the WC1 position and the first round games taking place in Baltimore is also 3. That’s because the Royals were beaten by the Giants, 9-0, on Saturday, and the Orioles do have the head-to-head tiebreaker against that team. That was the sixth straight loss by the Royals, who are now in real danger of falling below either or both of the Twins and Tigers. No team below the O’s in the AL postseason picture can possibly catch the Orioles if they finish with at least 89 wins.
Will the Orioles get any more of their injured players back today? Before yesterday’s game, there was speculation that the team might activate Ramón Urías from the injured list. That ended up amounting to nothing, with the team instead optioning Coby Mayo to the minors while selecting Daniel Johnson, a non-prospect outfielder, from Norfolk.
Johnson’s appearance was almost certainly as insurance in case Cedric Mullins’s sore neck caused an absence of any longer than one game. It’s also a nice little end-of-season nod to a player who’s been grinding in Triple-A all year to give him even a tiny bit of big league team.
Urías and Jordan Westburg were both replaced early in yesterday’s Norfolk game. Westburg’s leadoff plate appearance was all he needed to homer. I’d take that as a strong sign that they were getting a head start on a return to Baltimore, with two more roster moves on tap for today. Ryan Mountcastle’s activation could wait longer, though today, Norfolk’s season finale, is his final opportunity to get into a real rehab game to sharpen up.
Getting these guys back into the lineup with a week left of games is good. They should help the Orioles in the last push to seal their postseason position, and getting them back up to MLB speed in time for the wild card round will also be nice.
It’s a 1:35 start for the final regular season home game in Baltimore here this afternoon. Albert Suárez is set to make the start for the Orioles, with the Tigers likely to employ another “opener and friends” strategy.
Around the blogO’sphere
Jackson Holliday and Coby Mayo understand their shrinking roles (The Baltimore Sun)
Mayo’s role has shrunk so much that he was optioned yesterday. It’s a little thing, but it’s good that these young players are outwardly understanding of their circumstances.
Mullins avoided injured list, played in Saturday lineup (School of Roch)
The team was uncertain enough about Mullins’s health that they selected outfielder Daniel Johnson from Norfolk – which is why Mayo was sent down. Mullins ended up in the starting lineup anyway. Johnson pinch ran and then played on defense. We’ll see if he stays through one or all of the returning injured players being activated.
Danny Coulombe feels love from fans in return (Orioles.com)
Coulombe talked yesterday about the fan reaction to his outing on Friday night. He was missed! There were even “Danny! Danny!” chants. After seeing some of the Saturday bullpen in action, it’s no wonder why Coulombe was missed.
Gunnar Henderson on joining the list of back-to-back MVO winners (Steve Melewski)
It’s not worth getting worked up about the fact that Henderson wasn’t the unanimous winner of the Most Valuable Oriole award, but it is strange to note. Henderson is now in good company in a group of back-to-back winners that includes four Hall of Fame players, one player who would be in the Hall of Fame if not for testing positive for a banned substance at the tail end of his career, and Adam Jones.
Birthdays and Orioles anniversaries
Today in 1966, the Orioles clinched the team’s first-ever American League pennant as Jim Palmer pitched a complete game in a 6-1 win over the then-Kansas City Athletics. Before the divisional era, this punched a ticket straight to the World Series.
There are a number of former Orioles who were born on this day. They are: 2018-19 pitcher Luis Ortiz, 2021-22 pitcher Chris Ellis, 2002 outfielder Luis García, 1995-96 catcher César Devarez, 1998 infielder P.J. Forbes, 1983/86 catcher John Stefero, and 1955-56 pitcher Bob Harrison.
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday to you! Your other birthday buddies for today include: scientist Michael Faraday (1791), baseball Hall of Famer Bob Lemon (1920), baseball Hall of Famer Tommy Lasorda (1927), musician and noted Orioles fan Joan Jett (1958), and rapper Mystikal (1970).
On this day in history…
In 1761, future war loser George III was crowned king of Great Britain, with his wife, Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, becoming queen.
In 1980, the eight-year Iran-Iraq war began with an Iraqi invasion of Iran. A half million people were killed as a result of the conflict.
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And that’s the way it is in Birdland on September 22. Have a safe Sunday. Go O’s!