Orioles, Rangers took different paths into ALDS
BALTIMORE » In two years, the Baltimore Orioles and Texas Rangers went from triple-digit losses to the postseason.
That's about the extent of their similarities.
Baltimore rebuilt through high draft picks and a loaded farm system. Texas was aggressive in free agency. The Orioles have the lowest payroll of any postseason team, while the Rangers have the highest. Even in the dugout, it's a battle of youth vs. experience. Baltimore's Brandon Hyde is managing in the postseason for the first time, while Texas' Bruce Bochy is trying to win his fourth World Series.
The Orioles and Rangers begin their AL Division Series today in Baltimore.
Hyde previously was a bench coach for the Chicago Cubs. He was with them for their World Series title in 2016, when the Cubs beat Bochy and the San Francisco Giants in the Division Series.
“He's so good,” Hyde said. “Especially at that time without with threebatter minimum, the way he could match up out of the bullpen. The players love playing for him. You never heard a bad thing, ever, about Boch from a player.”
Hyde went through some lean years after taking over the Orioles, including a 110-loss season in 2021. Now catcher Adley Rutschman (the No. 1 pick in the 2019 amateur draft), infielder Gunnar Henderson (a second-round pick in 2019) and right-hander Grayson Rodriguez (a firstround pick in 2018) are in the majors making big contributions.
Texas moved quickly to upgrade its roster after losing 102 games two years ago. The Rangers signed infielders Corey Seager and Marcus Semien that offseason, along with right-hander Jon Gray. Then after last season, they added more pitching help in Jacob deGrom, Nathan Eovaldi and Andrew Heaney. After losing deGrom and Eovaldi to injuries, Texas traded for right-hander Max Scherzer and left-hander Jordan Montgomery at this year's deadline.
Eovaldi is back now and pitched well in the AL Wild Card Series against Tampa Bay, but Gray is injured and Scherzer's status is unclear because of shoulder problems.