The Baltimore Orioles have come out of nowhere to make significant improvements from last year’s 110-loss season and have somehow found their way back into postseason contention.
However, their hopes may be coming to an end here shortly.
With their loss yesterday to the Boston Red Sox, the Toronto Blue Jays clinched a spot in October.
With six games to go, the O’s find themselves five games back of the third AL Wild Card, which is currently occupied by the Tampa Bay Rays.
In order for them to continue their improbable run, they would need to go 6-0 the rest of the way and hope that either the Rays or the Seattle Mariners lose all the rest of their games.
The Orioles’ lone path to the playoffs heading into this weekend’s series in New York:
– Go 6-0 against the Yankees and Blue Jays to close the season
– Either Seattle (three vs. Oakland, four vs. Detroit) or Tampa Bays (three at Houston, three at Boston) does not win another game— Nathan Ruiz (@NathanSRuiz) September 30, 2022
O’s Chances Are Slim
It’s going to take a miracle to get Baltimore back in the postseason for the first time since 2016.
It’s highly unlikely at this point.
Coming back from five games out with six to go is a daunting task, especially given that they’re opening up a three-game weekend series with the New York Yankees, who have already won 96 games.
The Rays magic number to clinch a spot in the playoffs for the fourth straight year sits at two.
Just a win and an Orioles loss puts them in the postseason and sends the Orioles home.
It’s crunch time for the Orioles, and it isn’t looking good by any stretch of the imagination.
It’s not impossible, and we know anything can happen in baseball.
But it’s highly unlikely.
The most likely scenario is that the Orioles are eliminated some time this weekend during their series with the Yankees.
Soon, the entire postseason field will be set.
Some teams will be celebrating, while others will have their hearts broken.
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