The Baltimore Orioles are in last place in the AL East, but this weekend’s series could be hugely helpful in their quest to climb out of the cellar. They’ll host the Tampa Bay Rays for a four-game slate, including a doubleheader on Saturday.
At 10-27, this hasn’t been the Birds’ year, but at least they’re heading into the series on a two-game winning streak, their first since the beginning of last month. They’ve also won back-to-back series at home, a factoid that belies their 5-19 record since April 13.
The Orioles are miles away from the playoffs, but with a $152 million payroll, they’d love to escape the embarrassment of finishing last in their division.