The Baltimore Orioles have surprised many faces around the league with how well they have played this year and look to keep it up as we get closer and closer to October. Although their ETA wasn't for another year or two, the Orioles are here and they aren't going anywhere anytime soon.
After six straight years of finishing either last or 4th in the division, the Orioles currently lead the AL East and have the second-best record in all of baseball. The main contributors to the success of this team were top prospects in the Orioles farm system not too long ago.
Those contributors being Gunnar Henderson and Adley Rutschman. Both Rutschman and Henderson spent time as the #1 prospects in all of baseball and have made an immediate impact on the ball club ever since getting called up not too long ago. The Orioles maintain one of the best farm systems in the league and they continue to call up their top prospects, embracing the let the kids play mentality and it has sure paid off for them recently.
Not only has the offense been good, but the real highlight of the Orioles this year has been their bullpen, their setup to closer duo in particular. That duo consists of Yennier Cano and Felix Bautista. The two have been so reliable and unbelievable for the O's this year. Some regard Bautista as the best closer in the game today and is 0.87 ERA would definitely support him.
That is why the Orioles are so good in close and meaningful games because they have these two guys to rely on and whenever their number is called, they do not disappoint. This will pay off heavily in the postseason as well in late game situations. Not many teams have the reliability in the back of the bullpen like the Orioles do this season.
The one thing that the Orioles need to improve on is starting pitching. Today is deadline day and if you want to have success in the postseason, you need good starting pitching. There are plenty of big names on the market that the Orioles have shown interest in and would be vital additions to their staff. The O's are going to need a more reliable ace than their current one in Kyle Gibson. Even if it doesn't mean acquiring an ace, they still need to consider all of their options to bulk their rotation.
The Orioles haven't made the playoffs since 2016 and haven't made it out of the AL Wild Card since 2014 when they last won the AL East. It has been a long and cruel time for Orioles fans since their beloved Orioles last played October baseball, but this year they are defying all the odds and are one of the most fun teams to watch in the sport.
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