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Orioles can be most dangerous spoiler in baseball down the stretch

Originally posted on Baltimore Orioles on SI
By Kenneth Teape | Last updated Aug 18, 2025 11:00 AM ET

The odds of the Baltimore Orioles making the MLB postseason this year are virtually zero, which was hammered home by how they approached the trade deadline at the end of July.

An early-season hole proved too much to climb out of, causing the Orioles to fall woefully short of expectations. They are the biggest disappointment in baseball, but over the last few weeks, they have made the most of a lost campaign. General manager Mike Elias did a wonderful job in the 2025 MLB Draft and ahead of the deadline, adding talent to replenish the farm system.

The long-term outlook of the team has been improved, and Baltimore could be right back in the American League's playoff race next year if some of their young players get back on track after struggling at points in 2025. A glimpse of the future is being shown with the recent call-ups the team has made.

Outfielder Dylan Beavers, one of the team’s top-ranked prospects, was called up on August 16. The next day, the team’s No. 1 prospect, catcher/first baseman Samuel Basallo, was called up to join. They’re both going to receive ample opportunities to play down the stretch, making the Orioles an even more dangerous team than they were.

Orioles are dangerous spoilers down stretch

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Despite their overall record not being great at 57-67 entering play on August 18, this isn’t a team that any contender wants to face off against down the stretch. Baltimore isn’t going to factor into the playoff race itself, but they are going to have a major impact on how things shake out. They showed just how much chaos they could stir up last week.

The Orioles faced off against the red-hot Seattle Mariners, followed by a series against the Houston Astros. Both teams are battling it out at the top of the AL West and were delivered losing series at the hands of Baltimore. They won four out of six games, including their first walk-off win of the season against the Mariners and a true domination of the Astros, outscoring them 23-5. Their only losses were a 1-0 pitcher's duel against Seattle and a 5-4 extra inning battle against Houston.

Jackson Holliday wins it for the @Orioles! #Walkoff pic.twitter.com/UnT4BVAEVQ
— MLB (@MLB) August 14, 2025

With their starting pitching staff showing signs of life recently, the Orioles aren’t the pushovers they were earlier in the campaign. Their lineup is full of youth, anchored by shortstop Gunnar Henderson playing like an MVP once again. Despite the amount of talent traded ahead of the deadline, their level of play has remained at a more-than-respectable level.

With 16 games remaining against AL East foes in the Toronto Blue Jays, Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees, they are going to have a say in how things shake out one way or another. The spoiler role is one they are embracing and will look to continue playing after playing so well against AL West contenders.

This article first appeared on Baltimore Orioles on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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