The Orioles are looking like the team they were supposed to be.
Sunday’s 8-5 win over the Athletics pulled Baltimore to within one game of .500 for the first time since April 30, a steady climb after four months that featured a slide down the standings, a roster sell-off, and now a real surge on the field. Whether the Orioles can finish the job, get back over the line, and push into the playoffs is still unresolved. But the way they’ve played lately has at least offered a clear picture of the club everyone expected to see all summer.
At the end of June, Baltimore was 39-48 and five games out of the final American League wild card spot. Five teams had to be passed just to get back into the race.
Since then, the Orioles have gone 29-21, outscored opponents by 20 runs, and trimmed the wild card gap to one game. They also have nine games left against the Guardians and Blue Jays, the two clubs nearest them in the standings, which leaves Baltimore with a strong measure of control over its own path.
The turnaround has touched nearly every part of the roster, starting with the offense.
Over the last two months, the Orioles have posted a 104 wRC+, sixth-best in MLB, while launching 68 home runs, also sixth in the league. Pete Alonso has been the headliner, leading the club with a 168 wRC+ and 13 home runs.
Coby Mayo looks like he may have found something, putting up a 147 wRC+ with nine homers. Christian Encarnacion-Strand has chipped in with a 122 wRC+ and seven home runs.
Gunnar Henderson and Colton Cowser have each given them modest but useful lifts, and Craig Albernaz has shown more willingness to shuffle the lineup as needed. The result is an attack that looks less static and a lot harder to plan for.
August has brought even sharper individual spikes. Alonso has been scorching with a 193 wRC+, while Cowser has reached 148, Mayo 143, Henderson 140, and Dylan Beavers 128. The group as a whole, though, has been a little less productive this month at 101 wRC+, with Encarnacion-Strand and Jackson Holliday among those who have slipped.
The 2026 Orioles were built with the idea that the bats would do the heavy lifting most nights. That hasn’t fully happened, even during this improved stretch.
Still, if Alonso and Henderson stay near their expected level, and Mayo, Cowser, and Encarnacion-Strand continue to provide depth, there’s enough here to imagine a lineup that can make life miserable over the next four weeks. If Holliday, Beavers, Samuel Basallo, and Blaze Alexander can also rediscover some earlier form, the offense gets even more dangerous.
The pitching has started to pull its weight, too.
Since July 1, Orioles starters rank 12th in MLB in fWAR at 4.3, 18th in ERA at 4.18, 13th in FIP at 3.97, and ninth in xFIP at 3.84. That’s not dominant production, but it is steady enough for a team trying to claw its way into October.
More importantly, Baltimore appears to have three or four starters it can trust to work at least five innings. Shane Baz has flashed Cy Young upside with a 2.60 FIP since July 1.
Trevor Rogers sits at 3.36 FIP. Kyle Bradish has posted a 3.92 FIP.
Brandon Young has been the steady hand, carrying a 3.72 ERA since July 1 and tying for the team lead in wins. The rotation may not scare anyone on paper, but the depth is real.
That depth becomes more dangerous because of what’s happening behind them. Since the start of July, the Orioles’ bullpen has been one of the hottest relief groups in baseball, ranking in the top four in ERA at 3.10, xERA at 3.13, and FIP at 3.50.
The biggest reason is simple: they are not giving up homers. Their 0.59 home runs per nine innings since July 1 is best in MLB.
It’s also a bullpen without a fixed shape right now. Ryan Helsley and Félix Bautista are still on the mend, and Tyler Wells was traded at the beginning of August, so there isn’t a clear-cut closer.
Andrew Kittredge has handled that job the most often, but Cam Sanders, Rico Garcia, Yennier Cano, Grant Wolfram, and Alex Hoppe have all picked up at least one save in recent weeks. Albernaz has leaned into the hot hand and favorable matchups, which has meant heavier usage for arms like Hoppe and the recently recalled Anthony Nunez.
If Helsley and Bautista return ready to go, that only adds another layer. Baltimore may not feel compelled to hand either pitcher the ninth inning right away, but the possibility of having two proven veteran closers available late is a luxury most teams simply don’t have.
The Orioles still have a climb ahead of them. They’ve put themselves in a hole, and there’s no guarantee they climb all the way out.
But this turnaround is bigger than a 7-2 stretch that included series wins over the Rays, Cardinals, and Athletics. It’s been building for two months, surviving a disappointing trade deadline, and leaving Baltimore with a little more swagger than it had before.
For a season that once looked ready to go off the rails, that’s a meaningful recovery. At the very least, these Orioles are going to be playing meaningful baseball deep into September.
In Other News...
Orioles Just Took A Desperate Outfield Gamble For Their Playoff Push
The Orioles added another layer to their outfield search by claiming Luis Robert Jr. off waivers from the Mets, a move that speaks to how urgent the position has become down the stretch. Robert was once an All-Star center fielder and still brings the kind of power-speed mix teams covet, even if his recent seasons have been defined by uneven production and a long list of injury concerns.
For Baltimore, the appeal is obvious: the club needed more depth and more upside in the outfield after injuries and performance issues thinned the group. Robert gives the Orioles a player with real ceiling at a time when they are looking for any edge they can find, but the latest chapter of his career also leaves plenty of uncertainty about how much help he can provide and how quickly. [Read more 🡒]
Orioles Just Took A Costly Flier In The Wild Card Race
The Orioles made a surprising late-season move by claiming outfielder Luis Robert Jr. off waivers from the New York Mets, adding another layer of intrigue to a roster still trying to navigate the Wild Card chase. Baltimore is taking on the rest of Roberts salary and luxury tax obligations, a notable commitment for a team that has been cautious about its margins as the season tightens up.
Robert now has to be added to the 40-man roster, which means the Orioles will need a corresponding move before he can officially settle in. On the Mets side, his departure opens the door for outfielder Nick Morabito to be recalled from Triple-A Syracuse, but the bigger question in Baltimore is how much this waiver claim will matter in the standings and what it says about the clubs willingness to spend for a shot at October. [Read more 🡒]
Orioles Roster Shakeup Puts Spotlight On Baltimores Newest Arrival
A fresh round of roster shuffling has put the Orioles newest addition squarely in the middle of the conversation. Baltimore designated infielder Luis Vzquez for assignment to create room for outfielder Luis Robert Jr., who was claimed off waivers, while also sending right-hander Anthony Nunez to Triple-A Norfolk and bringing back left-hander Cade Povich, who is lined up to start the next game.
For Vzquez, the move leaves his immediate future unsettled after a brief stay on the major league roster and only limited big league experience behind him. If he goes unclaimed, Baltimore could end up with another decision to make, but for now the attention shifts to Robert and how the Orioles plan to use him as they continue to tweak the roster around their latest wave of movement. [Read more 🡒]