The Baltimore Orioles are going through a rebuild, and it appears as if Baltimore is finally turning the corner. Baltimore’s record last season was only 52-100, and they are already 44-44 this season. The Orioles are in last place in the American League East are positive, but their hope and optimism for the future, like if the Orioles were part of the NCAAF odds, the team will be looking forward to the best results for themselves.
Baltimore currently rides a nine-game winning streak, and they hope to make it more considering the fact that they are only two games back for the sixth spot in the American League Wild Card race. The Baltimore Orioles have not made it to the playoffs since 2016, when they lost to the Toronto Blue Jays in the American League Wild Card Game. Anyhow, what does this mean for the Baltimore Orioles?
This long nine-game winning streak means a lot for this baseball team. They have shown signs of growth, and they are only going to get better as time goes on. The pitching has been a lot better. The starting rotation has been average, and the bullpen has been very good for them.
Some of the young players are starting to show strengths on this roster. Catcher Adley Rutschman has provided a winning attitude and culture to this ball club. There is a reason why some scouts compared him to the next Buster Posey, who won three World Series titles with the San Francisco Giants in 2010, 2012, and in 2014.
Rutschman is not going to win rookie of the year in the American League, but he is going to be one of the cornerstone pieces for this franchise. Adley Rutschamn was the number one overall pick in the 2019 MLB Draft out of Oregon State. They still have some other current prospects waiting to be called up either this year, next year, or the year after.
The next group of players that are waiting to be called up are starting pitcher Grayson Rodriguez, shortstop Gunnar Henderson, starting pitcher D.L. Hall, outfielder Colton Cowser, and outfielder Heston Krejstad. They will all be a big part of the future for the Baltimore Orioles one way or another.
As of right now, the Baltimore Orioles are getting contributions from everyone in their lineup. It will be very interesting to see what they do at the MLB Trade Deadline in a very few weeks. Will they keep veteran Trey Mancini around, or will they trade him to a legitimate World Series contender? Mancini is well-liked inside the team’s clubhouse, though. Mancini plays first baseman and the outfield.
Some other young bats have been contributing, like Austin Hays as the outfielder and Ryan Mountcastle as an infielder and sometimes as a designated hitter. Anthony Santander and Cedric Mullins also start in the outfield every single day for the Baltimore Orioles. Mullins is their primary leadoff hitter.
They have a very good defensive infield at the moment with Jorge Mateo and Ramon Urias. They both struggle to hit, but it is worth having them in the lineup. Mateo can also steal bases and provide speed on the base path for the Baltimore Orioles. They are probably not in their long-term plans, but it is good to have them both.
Baltimore’s organization and its fan base have a lot to be happy about right now. The Orioles thought they were going to lose 100 games this season, but they have been more competitive, and they are not a pushover anymore and are ready to be contenders sooner rather than later.
They will also have the number one pick in the 2022 MLB Draft on Sunday, July 17, in Los Angeles, California. The odds are they will select outfielder Druw Jones with the number one pick, the son of former MLB player Andrew Jones.
Hopefully, the days of drafting first overall for the Baltimore Orioles are done for a while because starting now and heading into 2023 and beyond, they will be thinking playoffs and World Series under manager Brandon Hyde and general manager Mike Elias.