On Facebook
On Flipboard
On Twitter
On April 20, when the Baltimore Orioles got destroyed by the Cincinnati Reds, 24-2, many pointed to that moment being rock bottom for the current iteration of the franchise.
I stated it could get a whole lot worse, though, and this past week proved me to be correct.
That isn't to pat myself on the back.
It's just a statement that shows how far from grace the Orioles have fallen compared to where they were in 2023 when they finished that season with the best record in the American League and looked like they would be the next powerhouse in Major League Baseball for years to come.
Coming off their disastrous defeat on April 20 against the Reds, Baltimore followed it up by being one-hit against the Washington Nationals after a day off.
The Orioles dropped that set to their Beltway rivals, and with another opportunity to regroup that was given to them by Mother Nature after their series opener against the Detroit Tigers on Friday was postponed, they lost both legs of the doubleheader on Saturday that handed them another series defeat.
Sunday was the icing on the cake.
Facing reigning American League Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal, there was little confidence that Baltimore would get their bats going against that caliber of pitcher, and that turned out to be exactly what happened.
The Orioles were shutout, losing 7-0 to get swept for the first time in 30 series.
Baltimore was atrocious on offense once again, going 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position and striking out 15 times.
Since Easter, they have gone 6-for-60 when runners are in position to score.
It's hapless for the Orioles right now, and there doesn't seem to be a way to fix things unless they are able to start producing in these situations like they did in 2023 when they led the Majors in batting average when runners were in scoring position.
What has happened to this club is downright shocking.
And it's even more concerning when comparing how Baltimore has looked against the Nationals and Tigers, two other franchises who underwent rebuilds of their own and are starting to come out of it with young stars littered throughout their rosters.
So far this season, both of those teams have found a way to produce hits when they need to, either putting up dominant results against their opponents or creating late-game drama by winning in comeback fashion.
The Orioles have largely done neither of those things.
There is still time to right the ship for Baltimore, but things have to change in a hurry.
Hopefully this past week can be looked back upon as the moment where things turned around for this team and they get themselves going in the right direction after they hit a new low.
More must-reads:
- Blue Jays' Trey Yesavage is already making the rest of MLB look foolish for passing on him
- Nationals set to hire MLB's youngest manager in over 50 years
- The 'World Series single-game K leaders' quiz
Breaking News
Trending News
Customize Your Newsletter
+
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!
TODAY'S BEST
George Springer's status for Game 6 is becoming more clear
George Springer’s status for Game 6 of the World Series is becoming more clear. Springer has missed the last two games of the World Series after hurting his side on a swing in his Toronto Blue Jays’ 18-inning loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 3. The Blue Jays were able to win Game 4 on Tuesday and Game 5 on Wednesday despite the outfielder’s absence. On Thursday, Blue Jays manager John Schneider said that Springer is physically ready to play in Game 6. “He’s checked every box physically so far,” Schneider said of Springer. Getting Springer back would be a nice boost to the Blue Jays’ lineup, which has performed well even without him. Springer went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts in Game 3 before leaving the game. He’s batting .246 with an .884 OPS this postseason and has mashed 6 doubles and 4 home runs in 57 at-bats. Springer went 1-for-3 in Game 2 against Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who is the Dodgers’ scheduled starter for Game 6. Springer’s double was the Blue Jays’ only extra-base hit of the game, and he scored their only run that contest. His presence would be a big help for Toronto.
Cowboys WR George Pickens has telling response to question about contract
George Pickens is having an outstanding first season with the Dallas Cowboys, and the career-best pace has come at a time when he is preparing for potential free agency. Is it possible the star wide receiver could sign an extension before he gets to that point? Pickens says that is up to his boss. Pickens, who was drafted in the second round by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2022, is in the final season of his rookie contract. He was asked on Thursday if he would consider signing a new deal with the Cowboys before he becomes a free agent after the season. He had a noteworthy response. "That’s kinda up to what (Jerry Jones) wants to do. All I can do is perform at my best," Pickens said. George Pickens has earned No. 1 wideout money Pickens has 685 receiving yards through the first eight weeks of the season, which ranks third in the NFL. His six touchdown catches are already the most of his four-year career. CeeDee Lamb missed several games this season with an ankle injury, and Pickens showed during that time that he is more than capable of being the featured wideout in a quality offense. That should go a long way toward setting his market, whether he re-signs with the Cowboys or becomes a free agent. With Lamb making an average of $34M per year, the Cowboys probably cannot afford to keep Pickens. For now, the 24-year-old is at least giving off the impression that he is open to the possibility. He also suggested recently that money is not the most important thing to him with his next contract, which could keep Dallas in the running.
Warriors castoff has a career night against his old team
The Golden State Warriors traded away Ryan Rollins in 2023 after one season and 12 games with the team. Thursday night, Rollins showed the Warriors what they missed out on. With Giannis Antetokounmpo out with an injury, Rollins scored a career-high 32 points and dished out eight assists as the Milwaukee Bucks beat the Warriors, 120-110. Rollins went 5-for-7 from three-point range, tying his career best, and went 13-for-21 overall. In the last four minutes after the Warriors got within points, Rollins had eight points and an assists. Oh, and he outscored Stephen Curry, 32-27. Warriors gave up on Ryan Rollins after one season Golden State traded up to draft Rollins with the No. 44 pick in the 2022 draft, believing that the then-19-year-old guard from Toledo could help it reload their championship roster, which was getting up in age. But Rollins missed Summer League due to a foot injury, then suffered a season-ending Jones fracture. After the season, the Warriors sent Rollins and fellow 2022 draftee Patrick Baldwin, Jr. to the Washington Wizards along with Jordan Poole. In exchange, they got 38-year-old Chris Paul, a serious reversal in the team's earlier youth movement. Rollins was included in the deal to help the Warriors dump Poole's contract, which spanned four more seasons, and to ditch his own guaranteed deal. After a troubled partial season in Washington, the Wizards waived Rollins and he caught on with the Bucks in February 2024. Ryan Rollins' huge night showed the 23-year-old's improvement One game after Rollins had a career-high 25 points against the New York Knicks, he set another career high, this time without Antetokounmpo there to score 37 points and take up the defense's attention. Even with a great defensive player like Jimmy Butler on him, Rollins delivered in the clutch. Rollins has gone 9-for-11 from three-point range in his last two games, but it doesn't feel like a fluke. Last year he shot 40.8% on threes and hit 80% of his free throws, a strong indicator Rollins can truly shoot the ball. He also had 12 steals in his first four games, and while he didn't have a takeaway Thursday night, Rollins has more steals than turnovers (10) on the season and an excellent assist-to-turnover ratio of 5-to-2. Last season, Rollins was a solid reserve, averaging 6.2 points and 1.9 assists while starting 19 games. But with Damian Lillard suffering an Achilles tear and then being waived by the Bucks, Rollins got an opportunity, and got an even bigger one when Kevin Porter, Jr. sprained his ankle in the season opener. Rollins looks like he's going to have a serious future in the NBA. Unfortunately for the Warriors, that future won't be with them.
Steelers' Jabrill Peppers drops bold statement about reuniting with Kyle Dugger
The Pittsburgh Steelers now have the New England Patriots' starting safety duo from the last couple of seasons. The organization signed Jabrill Peppers after he was cut at the end of training camp, and the franchise just completed a deal to acquire Kyle Dugger from New England via trade. The trade was necessary as Pittsburgh just lost starting safety DeShon Elliott for a minimum of four games as he was placed on injured reserve with a hyperextended knee. He could miss the rest of the season, which means Dugger could be playing a big role for Pittsburgh throughout the rest of the regular season. Jabrill Peppers offers take on reunion with Kyle Dugger The Steelers were able to acquire Dugger for a pretty cheap deal, as all it took was a late-round pick swap. The organization was also able to wipe out the remaining years on his contract, and New England is taking on most of the money for the remainder of the 2025 season. It is a bargain deal for Pittsburgh that could have a ton of upside. Peppers is likely moving into the starting lineup for the Steelers on Sunday as they will take on the Indianapolis Colts, and it is expected that Peppers and Dugger will be the main safety duo for the franchise moving forward. Peppers spoke with Jim Wexell of "The Steel City Insider" about what he and Dugger can do at safety. He was asked about either player's flexibility when it came to strong safety and free safety, and the veteran had a clear message. "We both play safety," Peppers said. "Just watch the tape. Watch the tape." Whenever a new acquisition is made, fans immediately jump to conclusions, trying to figure out where certain players fit in and how it affects the rest of the roster. In this instance, it seems pretty clear that both Peppers and Dugger can line up at either safety position and be effective. Peppers spoke of the safety style in New England, and he said that it was just left and right. So, that is probably how the two will approach things in Pittsburgh. Peppers and Dugger played together in New England for three seasons, and the two started alongside one another for most of that time. That is expected to happen for the Steelers as soon as Dugger gets himself acclimated to the team and the defensive system. The deal was made official on Thursday, so the newly acquired safety will have two days of practice and a walkthrough on Saturday. That could be enough for him to see the field a little bit against the Colts on Sunday. Further on in the year, Dugger should become more and more of a contributor within the defense. That is great news for fans, as it didn't seem like the Steelers made much of an effort last year to get their acquisitions at the trade deadline involved. That shouldn't be the case for Dugger, as the defense is seriously struggling, especially on the back end. Steelers could see communication issues on Sunday It is sometimes difficult for a secondary to communicate with one another on game days, especially when there are new pieces being inserted into the lineup. Peppers is new to the starting lineup, and Dugger is new to the team. It is unclear how much he will play, if at all, but that will create its own set of challenges. Another contributing issue to communication on defense will be the crowd noise. It is a home game for Pittsburgh, but that means the home crowd will be loud when the opposing team is on offense. That makes life hard for the secondary as everyone in the group tries to get on the same page ahead of the snap. That will be something to watch, especially if Dugger plays.
PRIVACY POLICY EDITORIAL POLICY CONTACT US
ABOUT YARDBARKER TERMS OF SERVICE
Use of this website (including any and all parts and
components) constitutes your acceptance of these
Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
This site is for entertainment purposes only.
There is no gambling offered on this site.
Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-Gambler.
