{"id":85987,"date":"2024-09-19T15:12:02","date_gmt":"2024-09-19T19:12:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/?p=85987"},"modified":"2024-09-19T15:12:02","modified_gmt":"2024-09-19T19:12:02","slug":"orioles-struggles-postseason","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/2024\/09\/19\/orioles-struggles-postseason\/","title":{"rendered":"Orioles Postseason Chances Could Be in Jeopardy"},"content":{"rendered":"

Riddled with injuries and stuck in a second-half slump, the Baltimore Orioles could fall out of contention if something does not change. While nobody expected the Orioles to win 102+ games this season, playing sub-.500 baseball since the All-Star break was not on anyone\u2019s bingo cards either.<\/span><\/p>\n

Baltimore\u2019s 5-3 loss to the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday marked their ninth loss in 12 games. Something the Orioles have not done since their 110-loss season in 2021. At 84-68, the Orioles are 16 games above .500 for the first time since they were 35-19 on May 29th. Baltimore has scored three or fewer runs in 10 of their past 12 games, plating just 24 total runs.<\/span><\/p>\n

“The mojo that we’ve had has just drifted away from us the last few months,” Orioles general manager Mike Elias said Tuesday<\/a>. “There are reasons for it that are obvious, but a lot of it is we’ve got people here that are experiencing a downturn – whether it’s themselves or the team.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Reasons Behind the Orioles’ Late-Season Slump<\/h2>\n

One of the \u201cobvious reasons\u201d Elias referred to are injuries. Baltimore lost three members of their starting rotation to <\/span>season-ending elbow surgery<\/span><\/a> in the first few months of the season. Starter <\/span>Grayson Rodriguez<\/span><\/a> is also sidelined with <\/span>a shoulder <\/span>injury<\/a> but is expected to return in some capacity before October. Injuries have also plagued Baltimore’s offense with infielders <\/span>Jordan Westburg<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>Ryan Mountcastle<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>Ram\u00f3n Ur\u00edas<\/span><\/a>, and <\/span>Jorge Mateo<\/span><\/a> also sidelined. Even though Mateo\u2019s <\/span>season is over<\/span><\/a>, both Westburg and Ur\u00edas will begin a rehab assignment<\/a> with Triple-A Norfolk on Thursday. Elias hopes to have the three infielders back in time for the postseason, as long as Baltimore can hang onto a Wild Card spot.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

The Orioles’ record since …<\/p>\n

Danny Coulombe’s injury (June 8) — 44-46
\nKyle Bradish’s injury (June 14) — 39-45
\nJordan Westburg’s injury (July 31) — 20-24
\nGrayson Rodriguez’s injury (Aug. 6) — 17-22
\nRyan Mountcastle’s injury (Aug. 22) — 10-14<\/p>\n

\u2014 Jacob Calvin Meyer (@jcalvinmeyer) September 19, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n