Welcome to May, Birdland.
The weather is improving, cookout plans are being made and baseball is fully underway. With 40 games now in the books, it’s time to check back in on the Baltimore Orioles.
How have things changed since April 18? Welcome to the second edition of Vibes Check.
From 20 Games to 40
In the first edition of Vibe Check, the Orioles sat at 10-10 through 20 games, with momentum seemingly building. Twenty games later, that optimism has cooled a bit, as Baltimore now sits at 17-23 after going 7-13 over its last 20 games.
The first check-in highlighted a bullpen carrying much of the positive energy, with relievers Rico Garcia and Anthony Nunez thriving in late innings. There were also surprise contributors, including Jeremiah Jackson swinging a hot bat, while Cade Povich and Brandon Young looked like possible emerging rotation pieces.
At the time, the biggest concern was the offense — particularly its inability to hit with runners in scoring position. So, has anything changed? Let’s talk about it.
Good Vibes: Offensive adjustments are starting to show
The biggest positive from the last 20 games has been player adjustments on the offensive side.
Pete Alonso got off to a modest start in Baltimore, slashing .216/.341/.365 with a .706 OPS through his first 20 games. Since April 18, however, Alonso has looked far more comfortable, posting a .236/.297/.526 line with an .823 OPS. More importantly, the power has arrived, as he has launched six home runs and added five doubles during that stretch after hitting just two homers in his first 20 games.
Baltimore’s catching duo has also been a major bright spot.
Before landing on the injured list, Adley Rutschman was hitting .294/.385/.471 with an .855 OPS. Since returning on April 21, he has been outstanding, batting .333 with a 1.035 OPS, collecting 18 hits, five home runs and 18 RBIs.
Samuel Basallo has arguably been even hotter. Since April 18, the O’s rookie catcher owns a 1.040 OPS while batting .385 with 22 hits, five doubles and two home runs. The turnaround has been especially impressive considering he opened the season hitting just .148 with a .561 OPS.
Good Vibes: Alby looks like the right fit
Regardless of the current record, one thing feels increasingly clear: Craig Albernaz was the right managerial hire.
The Orioles needed more edge, competitiveness and urgency in the dugout, and Albernaz has brought all three. He has consistently shown he is willing to fight for his players and invest fully in the team.
Even after taking a foul ball to the face off Jeremiah Jackson’s bat, Albernaz wanted to remain in the dugout and continue working. It is a small moment, but one that reflects the kind of competitive personality Baltimore appears to have been missing.
The results are not where anyone wants them to be, but Albernaz certainly does not look like the problem.
Bad Vibes: The rotation remains a major issue
If there is one area preventing the Orioles from gaining traction, it is the starting rotation.
Since April 18, Baltimore has used eight different starting pitchers in a 20-game stretch. Four were members of the original rotation — Trevor Rogers, Kyle Bradish, Shane Baz and Chris Bassitt — while the rest included Cade Povich, Brandon Young, Dean Kremer and MLB debutant Trey Gibson.
The instability has been driven largely by injuries. Dean Kremer landed on the 15-day IL on April 20 with a right quad strain, while Trevor Rogers went on the IL on April 26 after battling the flu and Cade Povich placed due to left forearm discomfort on May 8.
Performance has been just as concerning as availability. Orioles starters have posted a 5.88 ERA during this stretch, making it difficult for the team to consistently compete.
Future Vibes: Reinforcements and a brutal schedule
There are two major storylines to watch over the next 20 games.
First is the possible return of key injured players. Jackson Holliday is currently rehabbing with the Double-A Chesapeake Baysox alongside Heston Kjerstad, while Trevor Rogers could return relatively soon without a rehab outing. There is also optimism surrounding Dean Kremer and Ryan Hesley, both of whom could help stabilize the pitching staff.
The second storyline is a difficult upcoming schedule.
Baltimore closes its series with the Athletics before beginning a demanding stretch: three at home against the Yankees, three in Washington, three in Tampa Bay, three back home against Detroit, another three against Tampa Bay and four against Toronto.
That means plenty of divisional matchups and very little room for error. The next 20 games may go a long way toward defining the Orioles’ season.
What are your thoughts on the current vibes around Birdland? Let us know in the comments below! Make sure to follow The Baltimore Battery on Facebook, X, Bluesky and TikTok, and use the hashtag #baltimorebattery when sharing our content!
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