The Baltimore Orioles are in a dead heat with the New York Yankees in the race for the American League East crown, and are one of the teams that have legitimate World Series hopes for this fall, but there are some aspects of the team that present concerns, and questions in those areas need to be answered over the next month and a half ahead of the postseason.
As the Orioles battle it out with the Yankees down the stretch this season, the top priority will be to get the team in good shape to play postseason games, whether it be as the division winner in the ALDS, or in the wild card round of the playoffs. Baltimore's lineup is deep, and there are some good pieces in the pitching staff, but there are questions in both areas. Let's get to the three concerns the Orioles need to fix after the MLB trade deadline.
What will the Orioles' playoff rotation look like?
When looking at the Orioles' playoff rotation, the only certainty is that ace Corbin Burnes will start the first game, and the rest is up in the air. The current Baltimore rotation has Corbin Burnes, Albert Squarez, Trevor Rogers, Dean Kremer and Zach Eflin in it. The Orioles acquired Trevor Rogers and Zach Eflin at the MLB Trade Deadline. Eflin is a solid option, while Rogers was a questionable acquisition at the time. It is unknown where those two will slot into the postseason rotation, if they will at all.
The biggest question is whether or not Grayson Rodriguez will be back from his lat discomfort and be in good enough form to start in the playoffs. If he is, he is a no-brainer to be in the rotation. That is the biggest thing to watch, and he just threw for the first time this weekend. Beyond that, we will have to see where things stand in the Orioles' rotation behind Corbin Burnes at the end of September.
Can the Orioles fix their bullpen woes?
Perhaps the biggest problem with the Orioles is the bullpen, it has been disappointing all year and is still an issue. Seranthony Dominguez helps, as he was acquired at the trade deadline, and Yennier Cano is a back end guy as well, although he is not untouchable. Craig Kimbrel is still a big piece too, and he has an ERA just under 4.
In all likelihood, the Orioles' bullpen will not be a huge strength in the playoffs, even if it does get better down the stretch. What could help is a starting pitcher moving to a bullpen role. Someone like Zach Eflin could be a good candidate if he is not slotted in the rotation, but as discussed before, he could be needed to start games. It would be a big boost if one of the starting pitchers is able to slot into a long-relief role. The bullpen as currently constructed is not something to be confident in.
What will the Orioles' playoff lineup be?
This is the least pressing concern of the three, but the Orioles need to zero in on what the exact order will be for the playoffs. New acquisition Eloy Jimenez has been good since joining Baltimore. Can he produce enough to earn a starting spot in the playoffs? Is Jackson Holliday's performance since being called up again sustainable? Where should Adley Rutschman slot in the order against left-handed pitching?
It will be interesting to see how Baltimore's lineup looks in October, and we likely will not get a full answer until Game 1 of the first series the team plays.
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