We are in the final month of the season, where division and Wild Card races cling on every win and every loss.
In the AL, you have the Baltimore Orioles with the best record and second best overall in all of baseball. They have an infusion of young talent, along with some savvy veterans and one of the most exciting teams to watch and follow.
So, as the Orioles cling to a 1.5-game lead over the second place Tampa Bay Rays, here are three bold predictions for the Orioles in the month of September that we at the Baltimore Battery compiled.
Jack Flaherty posts a sub-3.50 ERA
After seeing Jack Flaherty pitch recently, this is one that probably has you chuckling a bit. A skipped start and then an appearance where he labored through has many wondering if this trade was a mistake.
Flaherty is currently 8-8 on the season, and his ERA (4.73) and WHIP (1.55) are above his career averages. Opponents are currently hitting .278 off the former first-round pick.
But this is a pitcher who is now a little over a year removed from shoulder surgery, who at one point looked like an easy number two or three starter in this league. In three of the previous four full seasons (excluding the COVID season), Flaherty posted season ERAs of 3.34 or less.
I think Flaherty realizes his shoulder is going to be fine and goes on a tear that will help the Orioles to secure their postseason birth for the first time since 2016. Flaherty will post a sub-3.50 ERA for the month and secure a roster spot for the postseason.
Gunnar Henderson Finishes with 30 HRs and 90 RBIs
Gunnar Henderson took a couple of months to get going in his rookie year, but once it clicked, he has not stopped.
Since June 2, Henderson has raised his batting average .051 points and his slugging percentage nearly .100 points. Currently, the favorite for AL Rookie of the Year is slashing .254/.332/.481 for the season, with 22 home runs, and has driven in 65 as we head into September.
As the lights shine brighter, so does Henderson, and that is why we believe that September will see Henderson hit eight more home runs and collect 25 more RBIs to finish with 30 home runs and 90 RBIs in his rookie season, wrapping up the ROTY honors.
This would by far be his most productive month in those two categories, but as Henderson has shown before, he shines with the spotlight is the brightest.
Orioles will win the AL East on the final day of the season
When the Tampa Bay Rays raced out to a 30-7 start to the season, everyone was ready to claim them the AL East winner. Fortunately for the other teams, mainly the Orioles, the game is played on the field and not on paper.
The O’s never fell more than 6.5 games behind the Rays and slowly chipped away before they overtook the Rays and have never looked back since.
Currently, the Orioles are 6-3 on the season against the Rays with four games left to play from September 14 to 17. As big as that series looks, we think it ends in a 2-2 split, leaving the AL East still open.
It will take until the last day of the season for the division to be decided, and it will end up with the Orioles taking the division as they close out the season with a victory. The Birds end up with the top seed and a first-round bye, while the Rays end up playing the AL Central winner in the first round.
So, there you have our bold Orioles predictions for the final month of the season. Be sure to keep a close eye on these and see how close we came to being correct and predicting the future.
What do I think of our bold predictions? Let us know in the comments below! Make sure to follow The Baltimore Battery on Facebook, Twitter (X) 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 comment