Wednesday Bird Droppings: The Orioles’ Turnaround Isn’t Coming

So what went wrong? Well, everything.

The Orioles entered the 2023 season with high hopes. Coming off a surprising 83-win season in 2022, many experts predicted the Orioles would take the next step and contend for a playoff spot. But through the first 50 games of the season, the Orioles are just 22-28, and they’re already 10 games behind the first-place Tampa Bay Rays in the AL East.

So what went wrong? Well, everything.

The Orioles’ offense has been one of the worst in baseball. They rank near the bottom of the league in runs scored, hits, and home runs. Their starting pitching has also been a disappointment. John Means, last year’s Opening Day starter, has been injured, and the rest of the rotation has been inconsistent.

The bullpen has been a disaster.

The Orioles’ bullpen has been a disaster. They rank near the bottom of the league in ERA, WHIP, and save percentage. They’ve blown several late leads, and they’ve been unable to hold down opponents in the late innings.

The defense has been porous.

The Orioles’ defense has been porous. They rank near the bottom of the league in fielding percentage and errors. They’ve made several costly mistakes in the field, and they’ve allowed opponents to score unearned runs.

The Orioles have a lot of problems to fix.

The Orioles have a lot of problems to fix. Their offense is anemic, their starting pitching is inconsistent, their bullpen is a disaster, and their defense is porous.

At this point, it’s hard to see how the Orioles can turn things around. They’re already 10 games behind in the AL East, and they don’t have any easy games left on their schedule.

The Orioles’ turnaround isn’t coming.