Last night’s eight-run explosion aside, the Orioles’ offense hasn’t been worth writing home about lately; let’s talk fielding instead.
For the length of this season, defense has been one of the clear separators between these Orioles and their less successful iterations of the recent past. In 2022, this team has saved 37 runs in the field. The 2021 team actually lost 30 runs. Before that, in 2019: 53 runs squandered.
To anyone who follows this team closely, this should come as no surprise. Compare Pedro Severino blocking curveballs behind the plate with Adley Rutschman, the range and agility of DJ Stewart in left field with a healthy Austin Hays, or the lumbering Mark Trumbo in right field versus a rangy Kyle Stowers.