Baltimore Orioles Historic Comeback Within Reach as Playoff Hopes Stay Alive

Baltimore Orioles reporter Jake Rill, noticed something about the team's playoff chances: there is a chance.

Four teams in Major League Baseball history have made the playoffs after a 30-40 start: the 2013 Los Angeles Dodgers, 1981 Kansas City Royals, 1974 Pittsburgh Pirates, and 1914 Boston Braves.

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This is a different era of post season baseball, though. None of those teams made it in the era of three Wild Card spots. This means that three additional teams with the best records from both the National and American Leagues will earn a spot in the post season. 

The O’s just finished a clean sweep of the Los Angeles Angels, who have a record of 33-36. Today they are in Tampa Bay taking on the Rays who sit second in the division.

Baltimore is 11-4 in their last 15 (since May 30), starting this run with sweeps against the Chicago White Sox and Seattle Mariners. 

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How did this turn around come about? Well Baltimore fired Brandon Hyde, they announced on May 17. They went 3-10 before their hot streak, so maybe it just took some time for the new voice, Tony Mansolino, to start making an impact. 

The Orioles have a tough stretch ahead of them as their division is a gauntlet. The worst team they will face this month is a .500 Texas Rangers who sit third in the AL West. 

But, it is proven that it is not impossible to make the playoffs. They actually have better odds to make it compared to those other teams now that three additional programs will come out of both leagues. 

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The Boston Braves actually ended up finishing their year winning the National League. While the Pirates (NL East) and the Dodgers (NL West) both won their division.

For Baltimore to make history they’re going to have to keep up the momentum they have had this month. All of their hitters are doing significantly better in June than the rest of the season throughout the entire batting order.

That will be huge down the stretch and their statistics show improvement in many categories.

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The second half of the season is almost under way and the Orioles have the potential to join these other four incredible programs in the record books. They have to capitalize on this momentum and maybe, just maybe, fans could see them in the postseason.

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