Orioles head into the MLB playoffs with the most exciting storyline on display
USA TODAY Sports’ Steve Gardner breaks down what made the Orioles great in 2023 and what we can expect from them in the playoffs.
Sports seriously
BALTIMORE – After an upset on the road in the wild card round, the Texas Rangers picked up another road win, winning Game 1 of their ALDS against the Orioles 3-2.
Rookie Josh Jung’s solo home run in the sixth inning made the difference as the shaky Texas bullpen prevented the Orioles from staging one of their trademark comebacks.
After starters Andrew Heaney of Texas and Kyle Bradish hit zeros in the first three innings, the Rangers finally pulled ahead with two runs in the fourth inning, thanks to an RBI double from rookie Evan Carter and a run-scoring single from catcher Jonah Heim .
The Orioles scored single runs in the fourth and sixth innings, but couldn’t even break through against a Rangers bullpen that posted a 4.77 ERA this season, seventh-worst in the majors and last among the eight remaining in the playoffs -Teams.
Baltimore’s best chance came in the eighth when Aroldis Chapman walked Austin Hays and Adley Rutchman to start the inning. But Anthony Santander hit a double play and Chapman blasted Ryan Mountcastle with a 101 mph fastball to end the threat.
Game 2 is tomorrow at Camden Yards, with rookie right-hander Grayson Rodriguez facing off against veteran left-hander Jordan Montgomery of Texas for Baltimore.
Meanwhile, three more matches will be played today. The Minnesota Twins visit the Houston Astros in the best-of-five series. In the National League, the Atlanta Braves host the Philadelphia Phillies and the Los Angeles Dodgers host the Arizona Diamondbacks.
The winners of the LDS advance to the best-of-seven league championship series. −Steve Gardner
Stay here on Saturday for live coverage, highlights and results from the quadruple header:
Yordon Alvarez’s postseason success continues.
The bat moved deep to right field from the Twins’ Bailey Ober and hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the third inning. The Astros storm to a 3-0 lead in front of a loud crowd at Minute Maid Park.
Jose Altuve’s October magic continues.
The Astros second baseman led off Twins starter Bailey Ober with a home run in the bottom of the first inning to give Houston a 1-0 lead. It was his eighth postseason home run in the first inning, two more than Albert Pujols and the 24th of his career.
While the Rangers-Orioles game is still underway, the Twins-Astros game is also underway. Bailey Ober of the Twins faces former Cy Young winner Justin Verlander of the Astros at Minute Maid Park.
BALTIMORE – Anthony Santander thrilled a sellout crowd of 46,450 at Camden Yards with a booming 420-foot home run to right-center field, cutting the Rangers’ lead to 3-2 in the bottom of the sixth inning.
The switch-hitting DH scored the Orioles’ first run of the game in the fourth when he scored on Ryan Mountcastle’s double.
The home run was the only run allowed by Texas right-hander Dane Dunning, who took over for starter Andrew Heaney in the fourth. Experienced left-hander Will Smith made the final in the sixth round, while he eliminated Gunnar Henderson due to hitting. −Steve Gardner
BALTIMORE – Josh Jung hammered Orioles reliever Jacob Webb’s third pitch 403 feet over the center field wall, giving the Rangers a 3-1 lead early in the sixth inning.
Webb had just come into the game as a replacement for left wing Danny Coulombe, who scored the final goal in the fifth. The veteran has pitched well since being picked up on waivers by the Angels, posting a 3.27 ERA in 22 innings. The home run was the first he allowed as a member of the Orioles. −Steve Gardner
BALTIMORE — The Orioles, never one to worry after falling behind this season, responded to a Rangers rally in the top of the inning with a layup of their own in the bottom half of the inning.
After trailing 2-0, Anthony Santander had a one-out walk and scored on a Ryan Mountcastle double off Texas left-hander Andrew Heaney. Mountcastle was the O’s strongest hitter against southpaws this season with a 1.052 OPS in 161 plate appearances.
After Gunnar Henderson came up short, Rangers manager Bruce Bochy pulled his starter in favor of right-hander Dane Dunning, who was able to hit pinch-hitter Adam Frazier on a popup to end the inning and make it 2-1 -Secure leadership for Texas.
The Orioles won 48 straight games this season, tied for the most wins in the majors. −Steve Gardner
BALTIMORE – Jonah Heim’s RBI single capped a two-run fourth inning as the Rangers took a 2-0 lead over the home Orioles.
The Rangers ended a pitching duel between Kyle Bradish and Andrew Heaney when Adolis Garcia blasted a one-out double into the left field corner and came to right after a double by rookie Evan Carter. The hit was Carter’s eighth in 10 at-bats this postseason. All eight hits were doubles.
To this point in the game, Bradish had only allowed two baserunners in the first three innings.
The Rangers could have extended their lead even further, but the bases were loaded when Bradish struck out leadoff man Marcus Semien to end the inning. −Steve Gardner
The Orioles-Rangers were scoreless after two innings. Starting pitchers Kyle Bradish and Andrew Heaney both got off to clean starts. The sun is shining and rain is no longer expected.
The British singer with the pop hit about loneliness and heartbreak – one with the lyric “Does she love you better than I can?” – is as amazed as anyone that the song is unlikely to become a postseason anthem for the Philadelphia Phillies has developed.
However, Calum Scott sounds like any other guy from South Philadelphia these days.
“Ring,” he says, laughing.
If Bryce Harper and the Phillies win the World Series, secure a spot at the end of the Broad Street parade route for Scott. Scott insists he come to Philly wearing the jersey the team sent him last season as a thank you for his part in making “Dancing On My Own” a staple on the postseason soundtrack at Citizens Bank Park.
“You win the World Series, I’m there, man,” Scott said. “I think at this point you have to stop me.” − Associated Press
BALTIMORE – With Camden Yards covered in a light drizzle throughout the morning, the opening game of today’s MLB playoff quadrupleheader will be delayed a little more than an hour past its scheduled start time.
MLB announced that the Orioles and Rangers are now scheduled to kick off at 2:15 p.m. ET.
The tarp was on the field all morning, but a few minutes before the original start time of 1:03 p.m. the rain stopped and the ground crew went to work raking the infield ground.
Sunny skies and temperatures around 60 are forecast for the remainder of the afternoon. −Steve Gardner
BALTIMORE — As the eight remaining baseball playoff contenders take the field in the Division Series round beginning Saturday, their best pitching plans are as clear and orderly as the chalk lines the infields draw.
Over the next five weeks, they will be transformed into finger paintings that a toddler could have invented.
With a five-game Division Series and a best-of-seven league championship and World Series to follow, even the boldest and deepest teams in a typical year look nothing like the groups that began this journey.
And this year, even the biggest clubs will often have to rely on baseball’s new best friend – “TBA” – to get through this month. — Gabe Lacques
After four wins in the wild card round, the Major League Baseball playoffs continue on Saturday with the best-of-five Division Series.
The LDS winners advance to their respective best-of-seven League Championship Series, with the 2023 World Series scheduled to begin on October 27 at the home stadium of the team with the better record.
Here’s who USA TODAY Sports baseball writers and editors believe will win the World Series:
- Bob Nightengale:Atlanta
- Gabe Lacques: Phillies
- Steve Gardner: Atlanta
- Jesse Yomtov: Orioles
- Scott Boeck:Atlanta
- Steve Borelli: Dodgers
Read USA TODAY Sports’ complete MLB playoff predictions here
BALTIMORE – Max Scherzer is still recovering from a shoulder injury that has sidelined him since mid-September and will not be on the Texas Rangers’ roster for the American League Division Series against the Baltimore Orioles.
The two teams have finalized their 26-man rosters before the start of their best-of-five series, which begins today at Oriole Park at Camden Yards.
Rangers manager Bruce Bochy said Scherzer “threw well” in yesterday’s bullpen session as he faced real hitters for the first time since his teres major strain a few weeks ago.
“But we still didn’t feel like we had enough information to add him to the squad now,” Bochy said. “He wouldn’t be available for the first two games, so we decided not to use him for that reason.” However, Bochy said the three-time Cy Young Award winner could potentially be available when the Rangers are in move on to the next round.
Scherzer, 39, was acquired from the New York Mets at the August 1 deadline. Before his injury, he compiled a 4-2 record with a 3.20 ERA in eight starts with the Rangers.
– Steve Gardner
With Major League Baseball’s postseason standings reduced from twelve to eight hopefuls, the formality of the four wild-card series has certainly created a new set of challenges for the higher-seeded and seemingly superior division winners in the American League and National League they wait series.
And the clearest path to a pennant and subsequent World Series looks a lot more confusing.
Nonetheless, USA TODAY Sports will aim to rank the remaining playoff pool based on the best path to the World Series as the four Division Series begin Saturday: