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Well, here we are, a place I honestly didn't expect to be. The Orioles can get back to .500 if only they win tonight's game. Getting to .500 is just one part of the journey if they actually want to be playoff contenders for the rest of the season, but it's a significant part nonetheless. If they never cross back over the mark, they'll never be in the race. The end.
The Orioles have gotten here by winning their last five games. It's been fun, hasn't it? Winning is fun! Good starting pitching is fun. The thing about those five games is that not a single one of them featured Chris Tillman, the season's worst starting pitcher, in action.
If even Tillman can get on board with this renaissance that is hopefully not going to be short-lived, that will really be something and perhaps a sign that the team is going somewhere good.
Based on everything we've seen of him this season, I don't have a whole lot of hope for Tillman, even with the extra day of rest. But maybe he'll surprise me, and maybe he'll be able to do something good against a Tigers team that's disappointed this season.