The second half has been smooth sailing for the Orioles so far, but much choppier waters await.
Twelve of the Birds’ first 15 games out of the All-Star break came against sub-.500 teams, with the O’s going 9-6 in that span. Tonight, though, the Orioles enter a stretch in which 13 of 16 games come against winning teams, all in their own division. That gauntlet begins in the Bronx with three games against the revamped New York Yankees.
The Yanks have been sputtering around all season, playing well enough to keep their heads above water but not well enough to keep pace with the division behemoth Rays and Red Sox.