MLB’s All-Star week is a celebration, an exhibition, an honor and a party. It is also, as the unofficial midway point, an opportunity to take stock of the season that it bisects. Storylines of 2022 include the unstoppable New York Yankees led by a giant chasing legends, their crosstown would-be rivals making a new reputation for themselves under new ownership, and Shohei Ohtani putting up a sequel to his historic season that is somehow equally unparalleled.
Those are the headlines, anyway. But look a little closer — especially around the festivities in Los Angeles this week — and you’ll see a surprising story taking shape just below the surface: The big, bad Baltimore Orioles are coming and the rest of baseball better watch out.