Baltimore Orioles: Does the 2020 Schedule Hurt or Help the Team?

If you’ve looked at the Baltimore Orioles 2020 scheduled and thought to yourself, they aren’t going to win much past the first week, you might want to think again.

After looking at the toughest 2020 schedule in the MLB, there’s someone out there who thinks the Baltimore Orioles might win more than expected.

Now, keep in mind, that this isn’t a prediction that the Orioles will get to a Wild Card game, but it’s a prediction that they win more than 20 games in 2020. And, that’s surprising.

In a post titled Five Thoughts on the 2020 Schedule, Craig Edwards of Fangraphs believes the Orioles will win about 22 games. This comes to a .366 win-loss record. He came to this decision after seeing the Orioles schedule. And, despite calling the Orioles the biggest gift to the Nationals in their interleague schedule.

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Unfortunately, Edwards does not explain why he gave the Orioles 22 games in 2020, or what his thoughts were prior to the schedule release. He sees the Marlins hovering around .500, which seems a bit of a gift, too. It’s tough to tell if the Marlins are in a rebuild, or if they just are who they are.

My prediction for the 2020 season, before seeing the schedule, was a to win 19 games. There could be a bit of wiggle room for a game or two – especially against the Braves. The announcement that Freddie Freeman is sick with COVID-19, and is suffering with symptoms is a brutal blow to the entire MLB. I hope he has a speedy recovery and does not suffer any lingering symptoms. With Freeman out, and Nick Markakis announcing he will sit out the season, the Braves lose two of their biggest bats. This could change some of the dynamic in the East, and possibly give the O’s a win or two.

Fangraphs might be alone in their wee win bump for the Orioles. Mike Petriello of MLB.com did not like what he saw on the Orioles schedule in regards to a metric called “strength of schedule.” In a mass of math, the thought the Orioles might actually lose one or two more games after seeing who they face and when. Petriello figured that the Cincinnati Reds benefit from seeing so many rebuilding teams in the AL Central, and that the Seattle Mariners have the toughest schedule in the West.

Analyzing the First Few Series of the 2020 O's Schedule. dark. Next

One this is certain, when looking at the combined service time, the Orioles have the most inexperienced Major League team. This will most likely count against the team as games begin in late July. But, it could help them, especially if more veterans choose to opt out.

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