We have officially reached the 120-game mark of the 2026 season, and the Baltimore Orioles have experienced plenty of highs and lows since we last checked in on the vibes.
After reaching the 100-game mark while riding a seven-game winning streak, the Orioles have dealt with some unfortunate struggles, roster changes and plenty of inconsistency. With 42 games remaining, Baltimore is still firmly in the Wild Card race and has plenty to play for.
Let’s take a look at the last 20 games and check in with the vibes.
From 100 games to 120
The last time we checked in on the vibes, the Orioles had gone 11-9 over a 20-game stretch. The pitching was lights out, and the Birds were riding an impressive seven-game winning streak.
Since then, Baltimore has gone 9-11 from July 20 through August 11. The team has been up and down during this stretch, putting together two multi-game winning streaks while also enduring a three-game losing streak.
The Orioles still sit in the Wild Card race with just 42 games remaining, sitting two games back of the third and final spot. The storylines have been all over the place as a ton has happened, but Baltimore still has a chance to finish the job.
Good Vibes: Starting Pitching
Outside of a couple of rough starts, the Orioles rotation has been pretty solid during this stretch. The starters have combined for 108.2 innings and held a 3.92 ERA. That is higher than the 2.75 ERA the rotation posted during our last vibes check, but a few rough outings have inflated that number.
The rotation has been headlined by Shane Baz, who has put up Cy Young-caliber numbers over his last four starts. Baz has allowed just five earned runs across 24.2 innings, good for a 1.86 ERA. That stretch included an eight-inning, nine-strikeout performance against the Texas Rangers on August 7 in a tough 2-1 loss.
Cade Povich has also been a help since the Orioles made changes to the pitching staff at the trade deadline. While his sample size is just nine innings, Povich has posted a 3.00 ERA, including a start in which he allowed seven hits but did not surrender a run.
There have certainly been some rough outings, but the rotation has given Baltimore plenty of reasons to feel good about the pitching heading into the final stretch.
Rough Vibes: Offensive Inconsistencies
Teams go through rough patches at the plate, but the offensive inconsistency the Orioles have shown over these last 20 games has been particularly difficult to understand.
The Birds have been shut out three times during this stretch, although one of those games was shortened by rain. The bigger issue has been how quickly this offense can go from producing runs in bunches to looking completely lost at the plate.
After being shut out 14-0, the Orioles faced two-time Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal in his final start as a member of the Detroit Tigers. Once Skubal was pulled in the seventh inning, Baltimore scored seven unanswered runs over the final three innings before eventually winning 10-9 in 12 innings.
The Orioles carried that momentum into the next game, defeating the Philadelphia Phillies 6-4 after scoring four runs in the bottom of the seventh. Then, they were shut out in the next two games.
Baltimore scored eight runs in the first two games against the Los Angeles Angels, only to then go 27 consecutive innings while scoring just three runs. The Orioles scored in only the first three innings of those 27 innings before finally breaking out for 10 runs against the Rangers.
We understand that Baltimore faced some tough pitching during that stretch. Cristopher Sánchez and Zack Wheeler started the two shutouts against Philadelphia, while Jacob deGrom and Nathan Eovaldi were on the mound for the Rangers.
Still, the inconsistency has been one of the most baffling parts of this Orioles season. This offense has shown it can score against some of the best pitchers in baseball, but it has also shown a troubling ability to disappear for extended stretches.
New Vibes: New Faces Join the Organization
We had no idea what the Orioles had planned heading into the August 3 trade deadline. We expected some things to happen, but the front office still managed to surprise Birdland with several moves.
The biggest trade of the deadline saw the Orioles send three-time All-Star and former No. 1 overall pick Adley Rutschman to the Boston Red Sox in exchange for a package of prospects and catcher Carlos Narváez. Those prospects made their organizational debuts this week and have already shown plenty of potential.
The Battery’s third-ranked prospect, Anthony Eyanson, made his Baysox debut and delivered five innings while striking out nine batters for the second time in his professional career. Our ninth-ranked prospect, Kyson Witherspoon, battled command issues in Frederick, walking five batters, but still managed to complete his outing without allowing an earned run.
Then there is Enddy Azocar, who has been on fire since joining the Keys. Through his first six games with Frederick, Azocar is hitting .577 with a 1.066 OPS after being named our High-A Prospect of the Week just this past week.
The other deadline additions have also shown some early promise.
Alex Hoppe, acquired in the Taylor Ward trade with Seattle, has pitched in two games without allowing an earned run. Brock Moore recorded a save in his Baysox debut and has thrown two scoreless innings. Harrison Kreiling struggled in his first start, allowing two earned runs, but still showed enough to provide reason for optimism.
Jhomnardo Reyes, acquired from Minnesota in the Dean Kremer trade, has been an on-base machine with Delmarva, drawing eight walks in his first six games.
Finally, former Orioles draft pick Michael Forret returned to the organization in the Tyler Wells trade and made his Norfolk debut. He allowed some hard contact but surrendered just two earned runs while striking out five.
Future Vibes: Stay in the Wild Card Race
Baltimore currently sits just two games behind the Rangers, but there are three teams between the Orioles and that final playoff spot.
The remaining schedule gives the Birds plenty of opportunities to make up ground. The Orioles have one game remaining in Minnesota, four in Tampa Bay, three against the Yankees, three against Tampa Bay, three in St. Louis, three in Sacramento and three in Colorado.
That upcoming road trip could be the most important stretch of the season. The Athletics and Rockies have struggled throughout the season, and Baltimore has to take advantage of those opportunities.
With 42 games left, the vibes are certainly mixed. The starting pitching has provided plenty of optimism, the offense remains frustratingly inconsistent and the organization’s newest prospects have given Birdland something to look forward to.
The Orioles still have a chance. Now, they need to take advantage of it.
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