The Baltimore Orioles secured a playoff spot on Tuesday after beating the New York Yankees and benefiting from the Minnesota Twins’ loss to the Miami Marlins.
This marks their first consecutive playoff appearances since 1996-97. However, they are still in contention for the American League East title but must sweep the Yankees to avoid them clinching the division. The Yankees have already secured their playoff berth and lead by five games.
The Orioles are likely to be the AL’s top wild-card team, holding a four-game lead over both the Detroit Tigers and Kansas City Royals. This puts them in a good position to host a best-of-three Wild Card Series in the first round.
Despite this achievement, there’s some disappointment about their second-half performance. They have a losing record since the All-Star Game, which has led fans to wonder what might have been if they had played better.
Fans might feel mixed emotions about this news.
Gunnar Henderson has been instrumental in their success, leading in Wins Above Replacement and being considered for MVP again. Anthony Santander also shined on Tuesday with his 44th home run of the season.
Orioles’ last five playoff appearances
The O’s haven’t won a World Series since 1983. Last year, they ended a six-year playoff drought only to be swept by the Rangers in the ALDS. They’ve lost eight straight playoff games since sweeping Detroit in 2014’s ALDS.
| Year | Record | Playoff result |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 87-70 | ?? |
| 2023 | 101-61 | Lost vs. Rangers in ALDS |
| 2016 | 88-73 | Lost vs. Blue Jays in AL Wild Card Game |
| 2014
What do you think about their chances this year?  |
