The Baltimore Orioles are still hanging around the American League Wild Card race, but their margin for error is getting thin fast.
As of August 28, Baltimore sits three games behind the Cleveland Guardians for the final Wild Card spot. That keeps the door open, but the Orioles have spent most of the season fighting an issue that keeps dragging them back: one-run games.
Their 13-19 record in those tight contests tells the story. The Orioles have been competitive often enough, but too many close losses have piled up, and that kind of trend can wreck a playoff push. Of the 12 teams currently in control of a postseason spot, only two have a one-run record below .500.
Baltimore’s place in the standings might still be salvageable, but the close-game problem has become the biggest reason the season feels precarious. A few different outcomes in those one-run games, and the Orioles could be looking at September with a lot more confidence.
The comparison to the Washington Nationals only sharpens the picture. Baltimore is tied with Washington for the fourth-worst one-run record in the league, but the paths to that result have looked different.
The Nationals have been sunk by a bullpen that has led the majors with 33 blown saves. The Orioles have had their own bullpen issues, but not nearly to that level.
They’ve blown 18 saves, fewer than both the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees.
Even with Félix Bautista missing most of the season and Ryan Helsley also dealing with injuries after the Orioles added him before the season, Baltimore’s bullpen has held together better than expected. The group has posted a 3.98 ERA, a solid number considering the patchwork nature of the unit. The question now is how long that can last.
That’s where the offense has to carry more of the load. The Orioles need their bats to look more like they did early in the year if they want to stay in the Wild Card mix.
Losing Adley Rutschman and Taylor Ward at the trade deadline hurt the lineup, and the August numbers show it. Through 21 games this month, Baltimore has averaged just 3.62 runs per game, more than a full run below its season average.
Before the series against the Cardinals, the Orioles’ OPS in August was below .700.
There has been one small bright spot: Baltimore is 3-2 in one-run games in August. So they’ve found a way to survive some tight moments this month. But with the offense slumping and the bullpen already stretched, the pressure is only growing.
Rico Garcia has already appeared in 61 games this season, more than double his previous career high, and with just three more off days left on the schedule, the bullpen figures to keep taking on heavy work. That leaves little room for the offense to stay quiet.
If the Orioles are going to make a real run, players like Coby Mayo and Gunnar Henderson will need to give the lineup a spark. Otherwise, Baltimore may end up looking back at all those one-run losses and wondering how different this season could have been.
In Other News...
Trey Mancinis Baltimore Return Will Hit Orioles Fans Right In The Heart
Trey Mancinis next trip through Camden Yards will come with a very different kind of spotlight. The longtime fan favorite announced his retirement on Aug. 18, and hell officially close out his playing career as a member of the Orioles, signing a one-day contract before being honored at Oriole Park on Sept. 19.
The pregame ceremony is shaping up as a full Baltimore reunion, with former teammates, coaches and medical professionals set to be part of it. Mancini will also throw out the first pitch and sign autographs for children, a fitting touch for a player whose time in Baltimore meant plenty to the clubhouse and even more to the people who watched him over the years. [Read more 🡒]
Trey Mancini Is Getting A Birdland Farewell Fans Will Feel
Trey Mancinis return to Camden Yards for a final Orioles sendoff has the feel of a full-circle moment for a player whose Baltimore years meant far more than just box scores. After announcing his retirement from professional baseball, Mancini will sign a one-day contract and retire as an Oriole on Sept. 19, when the Brewers come to town, giving Birdland a chance to salute one of the most beloved figures from the clubs recent era.
The Orioles are planning to make it feel special, with a limited-edition hat, a new permanent sign in the dugout and a ceremonial first pitch for Mancini as part of the celebration. His career arc, from major league contributor to cancer battle to comeback story, has long resonated with fans, and this farewell gives Baltimore a chance to recognize all of it in the place where so much of that journey unfolded. [Read more 🡒]
Orioles Put Craig Albernaz On Notice For Stretch Run
The Orioles uneven season has left them in a familiar but uncomfortable spot, still close enough to the postseason picture to keep hope alive and far enough from preseason expectations to raise questions about what comes next. Baltimore sits at 65-69, a record that reflects just how hard it has been to turn talent into consistent results, and it has put Craig Albernaz under a sharper spotlight as the calendar moves into the final stretch.
A Sports Illustrated writer recently floated the possibility that Albernaz could be pushed out after just one season if the club sputters down the stretch, a scenario that would add another layer of uncertainty to a team already trying to define its direction. The Orioles have not been fully buried, which only makes the tension more pronounced, because the next few weeks could shape not just their playoff chances but also the long-term outlook of the dugout. [Read more 🡒]