Sunday afternoon Orioles game thread: vs. Rays, 1:35

After getting out of Toronto with a series win and a .500 record, the Orioles had designs on getting themselves back up closer to the top of the American League East. Two days later, here we are with the Orioles looking to avoid a sweep at the hands of the Rays at home in Baltimore.

To avoid the sweep, the Orioles are going to have to play a good game in the daytime, which simply hasn’t happened very much this season. They are 10-13 in day games. Well, I guess that’s not very far off their regular record, come to think of it. The Orioles just might not be a very good baseball team.

Oh, and if you’re wanting to see the Orioles salvage a win and avoid the split, you’ll be looking for a good start from Kevin Gausman. That also hasn’t happened much this year. Not that any Orioles starter is doing great. After Dylan Bundy was torched in yesterday’s game, the Orioles no longer have a starting pitcher with an ERA under 4.

That seems like a team that should be farther out of the division than 6.5 games back and farther out of a postseason spot than 2.5 games back of the wild card. It’s not. If the Orioles can start winning again they will be right back in a race for something. That’s a big if. Players who are playing poorly would need to start playing better.

If the Orioles win today, they will be on pace to win 80 games. If they lose today, they will be on pace to win 78 games. Neither of those are going to get them anywhere.