For the second consecutive season, the Baltimore Orioles are going to the postseason. A 5-3 win over the New York Yankees and a Minnesota Twins loss to the Miami Marlins locked up a wild card berth, at minimum, for Baltimore.
The Orioles are still five games behind the Yankees in the AL East race. Winning the division comes with significant postseason implications, including a bye through the wild card series and possibly the No. 1 seed. Finishing second means the Orioles would be the second wild card and face a tougher road to a World Series run.
The Orioles have nine players who have hit double-digit homers, led by sluggers Gunnar Henderson and Anthony Santander, who is having a breakout campaign in his seventh big league season.
Potato on a stick. pic.twitter.com/PCLJXBGAbn
— Baltimore Orioles (@Orioles) September 25, 2024
It has been far from a smooth ride for Baltimore, who has dealt with its fair share of notable injuries. Kyle Bradish, Grayson Rodriguez and John Means are all on the IL, and all would be in the rotation if healthy. Many of the Orioles’ regular position players, including Ryan Mountcastle and Jordan Westburg, are out.
This season has showcased just how deep Baltimore’s youthful talent truly is, and it’s gotten the Orioles back to this point.
There was much excitement surrounding the Orioles last postseason. It was their breakout, just two seasons removed from a 110-loss catastrophe. They won 101 games in 2023 and sealed an AL East title for the first time since 2014 and the second time in 26 years.
The good vibes were endless. But the Orioles ran into a Texas Rangers buzzsaw, and their postseason run was over as quickly as it started with three losses in three games. Six magical months left them short-changed.
Now, the team is back. And it’s got a chance to showcase all its young talent on baseball’s biggest stage.
(Photo of Anthony Santander: Vincent Carchietta / Imagn Images)
