With the Orioles losing two out of three to the Chicago White Sox to finish a disappointing 2-4 homestand, I’ve offered a dozen thoughts, each in 50 words or less:
1. A stretch of 12 of 15 at home before the All-Star break was supposed to be an opportunity to get back to .500, but it began with two series losses and a four-game losing streak. Between that and Ryan Helsley’s latest injury, will this go down as the season-defining homestand?
2. Accountability starts at the top with Mike Elias and ownership, but there aren’t enough individuals looking like meaningful parts of the solution going forward. This club dropping four in a row immediately after Elias declared intentions to be a buyer at the trade deadline didn’t reflect well on anyone.
3. Though Dean Kremer said he felt like “a waste of space” spending 2 1/2 months on the injured list, he reminded why he was a useful contributor over the previous four seasons. Save for the leadoff homer on Wednesday, he was very solid in his return to the rotation.
4. Baltimore ranks fourth in the American League in starter ERA (3.67) since May 22 and just replaced its weakest link with Kremer. Even factoring in the injuries, the starting rotation is arguably the biggest factor working in this club’s favor, which is also an indictment of other areas.
5. The juxtaposition of pulling Trey Gibson after 66 pitches in Anaheim last week to letting him walk six and allow eight runs in 2 2/3 innings Tuesday was certainly interesting. The rookie has flashed some promise, so giving him some time to make adjustments in Triple-A should be helpful.
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6. The defense remains the worst element of this club to watch, and it isn’t close. Seeing the Orioles melt down late in Monday’s loss prompted boos from the fans who stuck around. You could hardly blame their disenchantment as a tight 2-2 game turned into an 8-2 laugher.
7. The Orioles scored 3.5 runs per game over the homestand and now rank seventh in the AL in OPS. Even with a walk rate ranking fifth in the majors, this offense being so painfully average remains very disappointing when considering the many resources invested in it for years.
8. Gunnar Henderson was arguably the AL MVP through the first three months of 2024. Since then, he owns an unspectacular .260/.333/.434 slash line over 1,389 plate appearances. You hope the move back to the leadoff spot finally gets him going, but we keep waiting.
9. While his 4.19 season ERA isn’t going to prompt any celebration, Shane Baz has pitched to a 3.18 ERA over his last nine starts and has failed to complete five innings just once all season. You still hope to unlock a higher ceiling, but the floor has been very dependable.
10. Tyler O’Neill homered for the first time since May 16 and made a highlight catch to help Kremer escape trouble Wednesday. It was a nice afternoon for the British Columbia native on Canada Day, but that feeling so notable says plenty about the worst free-agent signing of the Elias era.
11. The Orioles went 15-16 in March and April, 13-16 in May, and 11-16 in June. They’re just one of two teams — the other San Francisco — to not have a four-game winning streak in 2026. Many continue using “inconsistent” to describe this club, but that descriptor is pretty kind in reality.
12. When the Orioles went through their 2024 second-half struggles, I compared it to what Houston endured in 2016 and sincerely believed they’d be better in the long run for it. Overcoming adversity is in the DNA of any team worth remembering. Still questioning that ability two years later seems telling.
