June was a turn-around month for the Baltimore Orioles, as it was the first month that the team finally was starting to get healthy once more.
Though it ended with Zach Eflin and Adley Rutschman on the IL, the offense looked like a different team than the one from the previous 2.5 months of the season.
The offense had 16 games where they scored four or more runs for the month, 12 games where they scored five or more runs and six games where they scored seven plus runs, including a 22-run explosion against the Tampa Bay Rays on the 27th.
Overall, the Birds went 16-11 for the month, their first winning month of the season, while ending the month, surprisingly, only seven games back in the AL Wild Card standings. An impressive feat considering the Orioles at one point were 18 games under .500.
For the month, the O’s slashed .253/.318/.435/.753 while hitting a season-high 38 home runs. The team collected 88 extra-base hits out of their 232 total for the month, scored a season-high 136 runs and added 18 stolen bases and just under 400 (398) total bases.
Let’s see which individual players helped shape June into the best month of the season for the Birds.
GARY SÁNCHEZ
After starting the season with an abysmal showing offensively, Gary Sánchez would hit the IL with a wrist injury that kept him out nearly six weeks.
The recovery and rehab did Sánchez some good, as he has returned as an offensive force and one of the reasons the Orioles had such a strong month of June.
With the aforementioned Rutschman on the IL with an oblique injury, Sánchez has picked up the bulk of the catching duties and twice has had to revert to playing catcher during games he was off or DH’ing due to injuries to Maverick Handley and Chadwick Tromp.
It has seemed to create a fire for the veteran backstop, as Sánchez slashed .354/.415/.646/1.061 with four home runs and 18 RBIs for the month. The 10-year vet collected 17 total hits in 13 games, including five multi-hit games. For June, Sánchez reached base in 10 of the 13 games he played, scoring 11 runs and striking out just nine times.
Sánchez has totaled 26 games this season, slashing .256/.330/.436/.766 with four home runs, 22 RBIs and 12 runs scored.
As Baltimore looks to make a historic postseason push, Sánchez’s veteran leadership and offensive production will need to continue, even after Rutschman’s return.
TREVOR ROGERS
An eye-opening trade with the Miami Marlins last season left people scratching their heads, as outfielder Kyle Stowers and infielder Connor Norby were traded for left-hander Trevor Rogers.
In his first few outings with the Birds, Rogers left Birdland wondering what GM Mike Elias saw that made him give up two top prospects. Fast forward to this season, and Rogers has not allowed a run in two of his four outings. His month of June is one reason why the Orioles were able to rest their bullpen and have a winning month.
Since returning to the bigs on May 24, Rogers has pitched into the sixth inning or later in three of his four starts. This includes an eight-inning outing against the Texas Rangers when he allowed just three hits and no runs.
For the month of June, Rogers has three starts that totaled 15.2 innings, allowing five earned runs (2.87 ERA) and just 11 hits. He struck out 13 batters, walked six and allowed just two extra-base hits (a home run and a double) while collecting two quality starts.
The 27-year-old is 1-0 in four starts with a 2.05 ERA across 22 innings of work this season. He has a WHIP of 0.86 and has struck out 18 batters.
A reversal from last season, Rogers has held batters to a slash line of .165/.233/.215/.488 while keeping opponents to a .200 BABIP. Rogers also has a career best 15.9 pitches per inning, a big turnout from last season as well as his career.
GUNNAR HENDERSON
It was just a matter of time before Gunnar Henderson started to take off. You could see it slowly happening with each at-bat and plate appearance.
Though the power numbers are down overall, Henderson is making solid contact and is more focused at the plate. When the power numbers start to climb, watch out, baseball world.
June saw Henderson slash .326/.418/.484/.902 with three home runs and 14 RBIs. The O’s superstar shortstop collected at least one hit in 19 games, multiple hits in nine games, reached base multiple times in 14 games and walked 13 times.
For the season, the electrifying Henderson is slashing .277/.350/.449/.799 with 10 home runs and 29 RBIs. In 77 games, he has collected 82 total hits, including 15 doubles and three triples, while scoring 44 runs. The now-24-year-old has also walked 31 times and has stolen nine bases, putting him on a close pace to earn the second 20/20 season of his young career.
CHARLIE MORTON
The signing of Charlie Morton raised many eyebrows during the offseason. Adding a 41-year-old starter does not seem like a way to improve a pitching staff.
Through the first month and a half of the season, those raised eyebrows seemed correct, as Morton lost his first seven decisions. This resulted in a move to the bullpen, where Morton didn’t fare much better.
Through the month of June, things seemed to have turn around, as Morton made five starts and went 3-0 during that time. He pitched at least five innings in four of those starts and, dating back to the end of May, has won four straight decisions. Morton has allowed three runs or less in four of his last six starts and has lowered his ERA nearly a run and half in that span.
For the month of June, the veteran righty went 3-0 with a 2.88 ERA across 25 innings of work. He struck out a season best 32 batters for the month and walked just eight while pitching to a 1.40 WHIP.
On the year, Morton is 4-7 with a 5.63 ERA across 18 appearances (12 starts). He has picked up three quality starts, pitching a total of 72 innings while striking out 77 batters and posting a 1.57 WHIP.
With the pitching staff decimated by injuries, the Orioles will need Morton to continue to be an innings eater and provide starts that will keep them in games if they are to make the playoff push the Birds think they can make.
The Orioles will have three off days in the first two weeks of July. They wrap-up a three-game set with the Rangers before heading to Atlanta for three against the Braves and return home to face the New York Mets and Miami Marlins before the All-Star Break.
Don’t forget to vote Tuesday and Wednesday before noon EST to see Ryan O’Hearn and Jackson Holliday make their All-Star debuts.
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