The Orioles were the biggest surprise in the major leagues last season. They’re on pace to be even bigger overachievers this year.
Baltimore entered the 2022 campaign expected to be the worst team in the major leagues, with FanGraphs projecting the rebuilding club to win 63 games. Those Orioles suddenly emerged in the summer as playoff contenders, vastly outshooting that projection to win 83.
The 2023 Orioles won their 83rd contest Tuesday — a 9-3 victory over the Chicago White Sox — and still have 30 games to go. They were projected entering the season to win just 75 games. They’re now on pace to win 100.
“I didn’t put any sort of win goal or anything on the year. I honestly just wanted to improve from last year,” manager Brandon Hyde said before Tuesday’s win. “I’ve been so impressed with our team. Our players deserve so much credit for the season they’ve had up to this point. They’ve come together extremely well as a team.
“These guys really like each other, they like to win together. There’s unbelievable camaraderie.”
Tuesday’s win was like many they’ve had this year. The Orioles trailed 1-0 early but rallied to earn their 41st comeback victory. Starting pitcher Dean Kremer delivered another quality start with six innings of one-run ball, and Anthony Santander delivered a go-ahead, three-run double with two outs in the seventh inning to break the tie.
Before Santander’s double, the White Sox (52-81) had their own chance to take the lead. Danny Coulombe replaced Kremer with runners on first and second and no outs in the seventh, but the left-hander escaped the jam as he often has this season, retiring three straight batters on two bunt attempts and a soft groundout.
After Santander’s clutch hit, the Orioles repeated their eighth-inning output from Monday’s win, plating five runs in the frame while bringing nine batters to the plate. After Cedric Mullins’ RBI groundout, five straight Orioles recorded base hits to break the game open. Ryan McKenna, whose two-out, pinch-hit single in the seventh sparked the rally Santander actualized, hit a two-run double, stole third for his second swipe of the night and scored on Adley Rutschman’s single. Santander then drove in his fourth run with a single to score Rutschman.
Baltimore (83-49) remains 2 1/2 games ahead of the Tampa Bay Rays atop the American League standings. The Orioles have a 99.9% chance to make the playoffs and 65% odds to win the AL East, according to FanGraphs.
“We still have a whole month left, and we’ve already been able to get to where we were last year, which is a really big turnaround for us,” said Austin Hays, who went 2-for-4 and made a leaping catch in left field to end the top of the eighth. “It’s a great accomplishment for us, but we know we’re not done and there’s a lot of baseball left. Just got to keep going.”
Around the horn
- Triple-A Norfolk outfielder Kyle Stowers was hit in the face by a pitch Tuesday and is being evaluated, the Orioles said. Stowers, the club’s No. 12 prospect according to Baseball America, opened the 2023 season in the majors but has spent most of it in the minors. He entered the game slashing .232/.361/.470 for an .830 OPS with the Tides.
- Double-A Bowie outfielder Max Wagner was also removed from his game after an errant throw struck him in the head, the Orioles said. He is also being evaluated. Wagner, the club’s No. 18 prospect, entered Tuesday hitting .230 with a .736 OPS this season between High-A Aberdeen and Bowie.
This story will be updated.
White Sox at Orioles
Wednesday, 1:05 p.m.
TV: MASN2
Radio: 97.9 FM, 101.5 FM, 1090 AM
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