Orioles’ powerhouse bullpen key to success
TORONTO Almost without exception, the aim of a major league baseball team’s offence is to wear the opponents’ starters down to get at the soft underbelly of the bullpen. It is a game plan that, more often than not, will lead to victory.
The Baltimore Orioles, in Toronto for a key penultimate series of the season against the Blue Jays, pose a much different problem than most. The goal is still to lay waste to their starters, but when that is accomplished, you end up facing a seemingly endless supply of quality relief arms who can hold the fort in a close game long enough for Baltimore’s potent offence to come to the rescue.
That’s been a recipe for success the O’s have used for years and they’ve always had a relief corps capable of delivering. Baltimore hit a high water mark of 18 games over .500 on July 25. From that point until late August, they went 14-21 in their next 35 games.
The Baltimore bullpen hit a wall in August because of injuries and overwork but in September, that same bullpen has once again stood tall. Overall, on the season, the Orioles relief corps is on a pace to pitch 565 innings — only a handful of teams in history have pitched more relief innings than that. Most of the time, when a bullpen is asked to do that much work, it means the team is having a horrible year.
This season, the only AL team that has logged more bullpen innings than the Orioles are the Minnesota Twins, who sit dead last in all of MLB.
In August, the Orioles bullpen had a bloated 6.43 ERA. In September, with mainstays like Brad Brach and the inimitable Zach Britton leading the way, they have a 1.56 ERA, having allowed just 14 earned runs in 22 games this month.
Prior to the start of September, the Orioles had scored three or fewer runs in 55 games and their record in those games was 12-43. Since the start of September, they have scored three or fewer runs in 14 games and their record in those games is 6-8. In those games, the Baltimore bullpen has been averaging just under four innings per start.
Add to that the fact they are now getting some better, though still unpredictable, work from their starters and the O’s become a dangerous team. WHO’S HOT:
Over the last 30 games, J.J. Hardy has been the O’s steadiest offensive player, with a .302 average, a .794 OPS and 14 RBI.
1B Trey Mancini has opened up some eyes with three homers, a .455 average and five RBI in his last 11 at-bats.
Mark Trumbo and Chris Davis aren’t hitting for average (.203 in their combined last 192 at-bats) but they continue to pound the ball with a combined 15 home runs and 26 RBI in that span.
Closer Zach Britton continues with a perfect 46-for-46 record in converting save opportunities. WHO’S COLD:
Jonathan Schoop, so steady earlier this year, has fallen off the map this month with just 20 hits in his last 111 at-bats (.180) with 28 strikeouts.
Starters Chris Tillman, Dylan Bundy, Yovani Gallardo and Wade Miley have, in their most recent 18 starts, combined for 88.1 innings (under 5 innings per start) and a whopping 5.30 ERA.