Baltimore Orioles Still Behind in MLB Power Rankings

While the Baltimore Orioles are still playing catch-up from their awful start this MLB season, the team has shown signs of improvement recently.

Don't expect to see the same team taking the field, though, later this season. Baltimore looks like it's going to be sellers at the MLB Trade Deadline later this month.

The Orioles remain stuck in No. 24 in the most recent MLB Power Rankings, according to The Athletic. It will take a Herculean effort over the final weeks this season to even get Baltimore in any type of postseason play discussion.

"Thanks to a weekend sweep of Atlanta, the O’s are 21-13 since their low point in late May, and they’re playing the kind of baseball that was expected of them at the start of the season," Tim Britton of The Athletic wrote. 

Ryan O'Hearn continues to set offensive pace for Orioles

"An optimist can squint and chart a path from 13th in the AL to October, past the mediocre middle of the AL Central and the .500 laggards in the AL West, by Boston in the division to where they only need the (Seattle) Mariners, (Toronto) Blue Jays or (Tampa Bay) Rays to falter to give them a legit chance," Britton wrote.

"A pessimist notes that yeah, that sounds like it has a 4.1 percent chance of happening, and that’s why Baltimore is still poised to sell impending free agents like Cedric Mullins and Ryan O’Hearn at this month’s trade deadline." 

In 76 games this season, O'Hearn is hitting .287 with 11 home runs, 30 RBI, 74 hits and 36 runs scored, according to StatMuse. Mullins is hitting a paltry .213 with 13 homers and 41 RBI in 73 games for Baltimore.

Starting pitcher Charlie Morton has shown signs of coming around for the Orioles. But Baltimore needs a lot more help than simply getting mound production from Morton himself. The 10-day injured list hasn't been good for the Orioles with four catchers among those on it.

Look for Baltimore to be active sellers when trades start picking up. The O's probably are looking ahead to next season already.