5 things to know about Rangers’ ALDS opponent: The Baltimore Orioles
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After sweeping the Tampa Bay Rays in the AL Wild Card Series, the Texas Rangers have moved on the the AL Division Series to face the Baltimore Orioles. Here are five things to know about the AL East champs:
AL’s No. 1 overall seed
The Orioles went 101-61 this season, earning the top record in the American League and the No. 1 seed this postseason.
Baltimore won the AL East five times in six years after divisional play began in 1969, but this is only the fifth division title for the Orioles since then — and first since 2014.
The Orioles had to work for this AL East crown. Tampa Bay began the season with 13 consecutive victories and led Baltimore by 6 1/2 games after a win at Camden Yards on May 8. But the Orioles took the last two games of that series, stayed close to the Rays and passed them shortly after the All-Star break.
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Down a closer
Texas isn’t the only AL contender with bullpen issues. Baltimore lost its All-Star closer Félix Bautista to Tommy John surgery at the end of August. In the time since, the Orioles have opted to use other top relievers in matchup-based spots, and that’s what they plan to do in the postseason.
However, unlike the Rangers, the Orioles have had many capable arms in the bullpen step up in moments of need. Over 128 games from March 30-Aug. 25 (with Bautista), Baltimore’s bullpen ERA was 3.55. In 34 games from Aug. 26-Oct. 1 (without Bautista), the club’s relief corps posted a 3.54 ERA.
Young guns
The Rangers have Evan Carter, Josh Jung and their share of young talent making big debuts on the national stage. So does Baltimore.
Remember these names: 22-year-old infielder Gunnar Henderson, 25-year-old catcher Adley Rutschman, 23-year-old right-hander Grayson Rodriguez, 24-year-old infielder Jordan Westburg and 25-year-old left-handed pitcher DL Hall.
Like the Rangers, the Orioles have arrived on the postseason scene earlier than most expected, but are by no means short on talent.
Familiar face
Last year, Kyle Gibson, who was a starter all season for the Philadelphia Phillies, was in the bullpen for the postseason. (Texas traded Gibson to the Phillies at the 2021 trade deadline.) This season, he leads Baltimore with 15 wins and 192 innings, but his place in the postseason rotation isn’t certain.
“They’ll figure that out,” Gibson said recently. “I don’t know what they’re going to do. I don’t know that any of us really do. Be ready whenever they tell you that it’s your chance to pitch and you take the ball whether it’s in the first inning, the fourth inning, the eighth inning.”
Orioles’ recent postseason history
Baltimore reached the postseason as a Wild Card team in 2016, then lost at Toronto in the winner-take-all AL Wild Card Game. In 2014, the O’s won the AL East, then swept the Tigers in the ALDS (3-0) before getting swept by the Royals in the ALCS (4-0).
Baltimore has won three World Series titles, but hasn’t claimed one since 1983.
The Associated Press contributed to this post.
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