Shawn Armstrong skilled each side of the Orioles’ futility in 2021.
As considered one of many relievers Baltimore cycled by means of throughout its rebuild, Armstrong spent the primary two months of the season pitching out of the Orioles’ bullpen as he had the earlier two years. In early June, the Orioles designated Armstrong for task, and a pair months later, he was pitching for the American League-best Tampa Bay Rays after a commerce.
The Orioles went 1-18 towards the Rays that season, considered one of many unforgettable information from a 2021 marketing campaign during which Baltimore misplaced 110 contests and endured dropping streaks of 14 and 19 video games. That yr, Armstrong lived the Orioles’ rebuild after which witnessed it from throughout the diamond. He had the identical view this weekend, however the hole between the Rays and Orioles has since vanished.
“They’re extremely hungry. They want to win. They don’t care about the ratings or the projections or any of that nonsense,” Armstrong mentioned. “They’re proving they’re a good ball team. It’s exciting whenever they do come to town or we go to their town, because we know we’re going to be up for a battle. It’s a lot of fun to see, because I was on the other side of things when we lost 18 out of 19 games to the Rays. It’s great for baseball, it’s great for the town and it’s great for everybody in that clubhouse.”
The Orioles took three of 4 this weekend from the Rays, getting into Tropicana Field on Thursday in a tie for first place atop the AL East and leaving Sunday with a two-game lead. No crew within the American League has a greater report than Baltimore’s 61-38 mark.
Replacing the numerous unfun information from the rebuild are achievements these Orioles are racking up. They’re one victory away from successful their first season sequence over the Rays since 2016. They gained three video games in a sequence at Tampa Bay for the primary time since 2014. They gained a four-game sequence at Tropicana Field for the primary time since 2006.
Armstrong isn’t shocked how rapidly the Orioles went from considered one of MLB’s worst groups to considered one of its finest.
“I think it’s awesome,” the 32-year-old right-hander mentioned of the Orioles’ turnaround. “I’ll never root against them, except obviously when they’re on the other side of the field. Aside from this team, that’s where I spent the vast majority of my big league career was in Baltimore. It’ll always hold a special place for me. Being a part of their rebuild process, they’ve done a really good job of drafting, doing trades, rebuilding the farm system.”
Armstrong’s complimentary sentiments aren’t simply because he used to play for Baltimore. Many of his teammates are additionally impressed with the post-rebuild Orioles.
“I think it’s great for baseball,” Rays beginning pitcher Zach Eflin mentioned a day after he handed the Orioles their lone lack of the sequence Friday. “I love watching the Orioles play. They’re a young group of guys that are extremely talented. They play hard, they play together. You can tell how close they are as a team. It reminds me a lot of us. It’s going to be a battle between us for a long time to come.”
Rays slugger Luke Raley additionally isn’t shocked, however that’s as a result of he witnessed the rebuild in motion final season in Durham, Tampa Bay’s Triple-A crew, the place he performed towards Gunnar Henderson, now considered one of Baltimore’s high gamers, and prospects Colton Cowser and Jordan Westburg.
“They’ve got some really talented young players,” he mentioned.
After Thursday’s win, supervisor Brandon Hyde remarked the way it was the kind of recreation his membership would’ve misplaced through the rebuild. The distinction now, he mentioned, is that he has nearer Félix Bautista headlining a principally efficient bullpen. He additionally has right-hander Kyle Gibson, a veteran starter serving to lead a principally dependable rotation.
Rays nearer Pete Fairbanks additionally sees the Orioles’ pitching workers as their best enchancment.
“I think in 2021 when we won 18 games against them, there were definitely some games that they shot themselves in the foot — repetitively,” Fairbanks mentioned. “It’s at all times been a gifted bunch with the lineup, however I don’t assume they have been ending once they had the power to. Now that they’ve added some pitching guys and form of had some emergence on the again finish [of the bullpen] and the rotation is solidified, that’s the most important distinction that I’ve observed.
“To win and to win frequently is something that kind of builds on itself. I think they’ve done a good job of doing that and building that confidence that it takes to win over and over again in a beast of a division.”
As the supervisor of a company considered one of many sport’s finest at growing expertise, Kevin Cash appreciates the Orioles’ profitable rebuild. He additionally acknowledges the similarities between his membership and its new AL East competitor — each pushed by youth, athleticism and castoffs turned key contributors.
“They’ve done a good job of developing talent, acquiring talent through trades or whatnot,” Cash mentioned. “Getting [Yennier] Cano over here and the starting pitching that they’ve gotten from [Kyle] Bradish and [Dean] Kremer coming up, [Tyler] Wells, transitioning him from bullpen to starter and then signing a guy like Gibson. Their pitching has gotten a lot better. That’s what stands out. They’ve got a lot of athleticism with some young drafted prospects that are now turning into big leaguers, but the pitching is just a lot better.”
The Orioles had arrived lengthy earlier than this sequence. They’ve been top-of-the-line groups within the sport since Adley Rutschman made his MLB debut final May — successful 10 straight in July, competing for a wild-card spot down the stretch, sending 4 gamers to this yr’s All-Star Game and now jostling with the Rays for AL East supremacy.
But this weekend was additional affirmation that the Orioles are right here to remain.
“I think every single player in the league knew the Orioles were going to be a good team this year and not to take them lightly, and they’ve kind of proven that,” Rays second baseman Brandon Lowe mentioned. “They’re no longer rebuilding.”
What’s to return?
A short AL East reprieve earlier than seven straight divisional video games.
The Orioles, winners of 11 of their previous 14, will look to remain scorching throughout a three-game sequence at Philadelphia. The defending National League-champion Phillies, who went 2-4 final week, are tied for second within the National League East at 53-46. Kremer, Gibson and Bradish begin for the Orioles, with Gibson’s begin marking his first within the City of Brotherly Love since signing with Baltimore after taking part in a yr and a half for the Phillies.
After a time off Thursday, the Orioles return to Camden Yards for a three-game sequence towards the fourth-place New York Yankees (53-47) — their final sequence towards each other this season. Baltimore is 5-5 towards New York and a division-best 19-12 towards AL East foes. The sequence ends with a primetime recreation on ESPN’s “Sunday Night Baseball,” the primary time since 2018 the Orioles have hosted.
What was good?
The skipper.
All 4 video games towards the Rays have been determined by three or fewer runs, and Hyde pushed the suitable buttons on way more events than not. On Thursday, he performed small ball regardless of being the street crew in an extra-inning recreation, resulting in a run within the tenth and a win after Félix Bautista slammed the door shut. On Saturday, after a dangerous choice to pitch newcomer Shintaro Fujinami in a high-leverage spot, his selections led to the successful run within the ninth, with each of his pinch-hitters sandwiching singles between a James McCann bunt. On Sunday, he pulled Tyler Wells early in favor of Mike Baumann, who pitched 2 2/3 scoreless innings, and he left Ryan O’Hearn in for a uncommon at-bat towards a left-hander and was rewarded when O’Hearn hit a go-ahead house run.
What wasn’t?
The latest member of Baltimore’s bullpen.
Fujinami flashed the plus stuff that made him a tantalizing prospect in Japan and an intriguing addition forward of the deadline, however he gave up a solo house run in his Orioles debut Friday and misplaced his command in Saturday’s loss. Of his 36 pitches between the 2 outings, he threw 15 strikes and 21 balls. Between the 2 outings, the right-hander allowed two hits, two walks and three runs in 1 2/3 innings.
Tyler Wells (eight runs in 6 1/3 innings) and Austin Hays (3-for-24) additionally struggled, however Wells was the Orioles’ finest beginning pitcher within the first half and Hays was their most constant hitter.
On the farm
Top prospect Jackson Holliday hit his first Double-A house run Saturday, blasting a solo shot to heart discipline within the seventh inning of Bowie’s win.
The lengthy ball was Holliday’s eighth of the season in 80 video games. Between Low-A Delmarva, High-A Aberdeen and Bowie, the 19-year-old is slashing .333/.459/.522 — good for a .981 OPS. Holliday, the game’s high prospect in keeping with Baseball America, additionally has 20 stolen bases and 53 RBIs.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com