Good morning, Birdland!
The All-Star break is over, and the Orioles now face a crucial stretch of their season. They face nothing but playoff contenders for the rest of the month, taking them right up to the all important trade deadline.
That includes a massive four-game set in Tampa from July 20-23. If the two-game gap between the teams maintains until then, that series will put whomever wins it in the AL East driver’s seat.
But for now the focus will be on the incoming Miami Marlins, who are the Orioles’ NL counterpart. They have the second-best record in their league, but it’s behind the East division leaders.