The Baltimore Orioles are back on top of the AL East after a series win against division rival New York Yankees. The O’s won three out of four to claim the series with a statement win in game four 7-2. The O’s now firmly hold on to first place in the AL East with the best home record in the division at 12-7. The Orioles brought the power bats to the field in game four muscling three homers. Jorge Mateo and Ryan McKenna put the game out of reach with their homers in the bottom of the sixth. This series is just what the doctor ordered. It was a statement series victory to remind the league, that they must beat the Orioles if they want a chance at their AL Crown. The O’s are tied for the best MLB record 20-11.
What a Surprise
The O’s bullpen shook off their rough patches and dialed in against the Yankees. The bullpen in 12.1 innings only allowed one run off of a Gleyeber Torres home run. The pen struck out 12 batters and only allowed five hits making the Yankees “threatening” lineup look foolish. After this series, maybe the pen will rally together to keep the consistency going. With the starting rotation getting key pieces in Braddish and Means back, the bullpen will need to continue this hot streak to maintain the leads the offense creates.
A League-Wide Pandemic
One constant for the Orioles is terrible umpire crews. Throughout almost every series this year the O’s have had a home plate umpire that wasn’t fair. In Tuesday’s win, CB Bucknor was the home plate and had a 90% called ball accuracy which is 7% below league average according to @umpscorecards on X (formally known as Twitter). Even with some blatant missed calls the Orioles have battled through them and won against the odds. This is a league-wide problem with major missed calls around the league. The Advanced Ball-Strike system might be in MLB sooner rather than later.
He Means Business in Cincy
The Orioles have packed their bags for a quick trip to Cincinnati for a three-game duel against the Reds. The O’s will be looking to continue their winning ways against a Reds team that has lost two of their last three series. The big storyline to watch for the O’s will be the return of John Means to the rotation. Means last pitched in the majors on September 29th, 2024 when he pitched 6.1 innings, allowing three hits, two runs, and striking out four batters. Means got roughed up in the early going of his rehab stint in Norfolk but after a month with the team, he is ready to help an Orioles rotation he once was the ace of.
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