The surprising thing is how little they have come close to ending the losing streak.
A campaign of shame for Orioles
Baltimore’s losing streak is the longest in the majors since the 19 players from Kansas City in 2005. The Orioles have been outscored during their slide by 102 runs, an average of 5.7 per game. Only one of his losses has been by one run and another two by two. They have lost by seven or more races seven times during this nightmare stage.
Baltimore’s best chances of winning came early in the streak. The Orioles led the Yankees 3-0 in the fourth inning on Aug. 4 before losing 10-3. They led 5-2 in the next sixth game, but Tampa Bay rallied for a 10-6 victory.
Orioles has not put their hands to avoid the debacle
On August 8, in the fifth game of the slump, Baltimore led the Rays 5-2 in the seventh. But Tampa Bay scored six runs in the eighth and won 9-6. The Orioles had a 93.8% chance of winning in the seventh inning of that game, according to Baseball Savant. That is the highest he has reached during this skid.
Since that loss to the Rays, Baltimore has not led at any point after the fourth inning, and the Orioles have held a multi-series lead just once. That’s when they scored two runs in the top of the first at Tampa Bay on August 18. The Rays immediately tied in the lower half and won 8-4.
On track for a 100-loss campaign in 2021, although their future doesn’t look so black
The Orioles are 38 games out of first place in the AL East and 26 1/2 games out of fourth place. Every other team in the division is at least six games above .500, underscoring the difficult task Baltimore will have in the years to come. But help may be on the way.
According to MLB Pipeline, the Orioles have the number one prospect in baseball in Triple-A catcher Adley Rutschman, the top pick in the 2019 draft. Baltimore also has the top-ranked pitching prospect, Double-A right-hander Grayson Rodriguez. .