The 2023 season has been an exciting one in the first half. For the Baltimore Orioles, a fanbase that has been waiting with anxiousness is being rewarded with one of the better teams in the league.
Youngsters are making waves almost daily, and standouts have been the talk of the town. Now, for the first time since 2016, the Orioles will have multiple representatives taking place in the All-Star Game in Seattle on July 11.
After catcher Adley Rutschman was voted into the game (a vote that because of new rules cost him a starting spot), it was announced after the O’s 2-1 victory Sunday that outfielder Austin Hays, set-up man Yennier Canó and closer Félix Bautista were voted into the game by their peers.
Let’s take a look at how each player has put forth an All-Star-caliber season.
ADLEY RUTSCHMAN – C
The former 2019 No. 1 overall pick and top prospect in baseball, Adley Rutschman was destined to be an All-Star. From a sheer talent level alone, he possessed tools that would make any team proud. The Orioles, though, not only got the talented catcher, but Rutschman has become the new face of the franchise.
After a rookie season saw Rutschman finish with a runner-up in the Rookie of the Year voting, the encore would be just a bit better through the first half.
Rutschman is currently slashing .268/.374/.415 with 11 home runs and 35 RBIs. He has 80 total hits in 79 games, including 11 doubles, while he has 52 walks to just 50 strikeouts.
Rutschman has become one of the better hitters with two strikes against him in the game. He has become a leader for the team on and off the field and now will lead a group of first-timers to Seattle.
It was also announced Monday afternoon that the O’s catcher will also participate in the 2023 Home Run Derby, the first Oriole to do so since Trey Mancini in 2021.
AUSTIN HAYS – OF
One of the few Orioles around from the pre-rebuild era, Austin Hays is finally starting to put it all together.
A career that has possessed nagging injury after another has seen Hays jump out to the third best average in the AL while leading the Orioles in multiple offensive categories.
Hays is currently slashing .312/.352/.491 with eight home runs and 34 RBIs. He has a .387 BABIP, is batting .299 with runners in scoring position and is hitting .430 with two outs.
Hays has also mastered Mount Waltimore, Camden Yards’ spacious left field, while becoming one the better outfielders at throwing out runners (four assists) while carrying a perfect fielding percentage in left field.
Unfortunately, Hays left Sunday’s game with a hip contusion after a collision with the Twins first baseman Donovan Solano. At the time of this writing, Hays was listed as day-to-day.
YENNIER CANÓ – RHP
Yennier Canó is a feel-good story made more impressive that in less than a year, he did a total 180° turn around.
Received in the trade that sent All-Star closer Jorge López to the Minnesota Twins, Canó actually pitched worse when coming to Baltimore.
Some small tweaks, and a year later, Canó went from run-scoring machine to shut down set-up man. Allowing opponents to hit just .199 against him (.333 in 2022), Canó, along with his strikeout pose, has turned into one of the most feared relievers in the game.
Canó carries a 1-0 record across 34 games that includes 18 holds and four saves in six chances. His ERA stands at 1.12, and his WHIP is 0.84.
One of the biggest changes this year, however, is Canó’s strikeout to walk ratio. Last season, “The Rock” sported a 21:16 ratio, whereas this season, Canó has greatly improved on that number to a 37:6 ratio.
Though Canó is 29, he is only in his second season and has shown tremendous strides towards becoming a back-end releiver capable of setting up or locking down any game he enters.
FÉLIX BAUTISTA – RHP
Félix “The Mountain” Bautista has become an electrifying presence out of the bullpen for the Baltimore Orioles. Taking over the closer role when López was traded, Bautista has taken the role to new heights in Baltimore.
When “Omar’s Whistle” blares over the intercom, the stadium lights start flickering and the imposing 6’8″ presence strides to the mound, you can be assured that one of the most electrifying talents in baseball is going to bring the heat.
Possessing a fastball that has reached 103 mph, Bautista has taken the closer roll and transformed it. Having faced 154 batters this season, Bautista has struck out 79 of them (51.2%).
Bautista carries a 3-1 record across 37 appearances this season and has converted 22 of 27 saves while pitching 38.2 innings. Opponents are batting just .147 against “The Mountain,” and he has posted a 1.16 ERA and 0.96 WHIP.
One of the most impressive stats that Bautista carries is his 18.39 K/9 rate. What’s scarier is that this is Bautista’s second season, and he only looks to improve going forward.
The Baltimore Orioles are making sure their fans stay engaged this season by playing a winning breed of baseball not seen in quite some time.
While it is still possible for other members of the Birds to join due to injuries or players not participating, the Orioles have assured that the first half of the season was a magical one. We congratulate the Orioles’ four All-Stars and look forward to seeing them perform in the spotlight come July 11.
What do you think of the O’s All-Star representatives? Let us know in the comments below! Make sure to follow The Baltimore Battery on Facebook, Twitter and TikTok, and use the hashtag #baltimorebattery when sharing our content!
Represent The Baltimore Battery and show off your fandom with our official merchandise! Reasonably-priced attire made just for you! Visit our official shop site by clicking here!
Like Stephen’s content? Follow him on X – @SRJHeckman, and listen to the official podcast of The Baltimore Battery, The Final Strike, anywhere you get your podcasts!
THE BALTIMORE BATTERY 
Leave a reply to boogrobinson Cancel reply