How Coby Mayo's addition can spark Baltimore's offense

The Orioles' lefty mashers haven't been mashing lefties to kick off 2025.

A 600-game sample size would suggest that Tyler O'Neill's addition would've greatly bolstered the O's lineup against left-handers. The former Cardinals and Red Sox outfielder has an OPS close to .900 in his career against lefties, slugging .526. In an Orioles uniform, however, O'Neill has yet to record an extra-base hit against a left-handed pitcher, with an OPS down at .190.

Ryan Mountcastle is hitting just .167 against lefties, Adley Rutschman is only 10 points better at .177, and Jordan Westburg's OPS facing southpaws is down at .599. Ramon Laureano only has one extra-base hit off a lefty, and Gary Sanchez is hitless.

All in all, it leaves the Orioles with the worst OPS in baseball against left-handed pitching at .492. The Birds have combined for just 12 extra-base hits and four home runs against lefties, and they've struck out 94 times. At least the American League doesn't have lefty aces like Tarik Skubal, Garrett Crochet, and Max Fried.

Needless to say, Baltimore's lineup could use a spark. Enter Coby Mayo, who is being recalled to the active roster ahead of tonight's matchup against the Royals, per Matt Weyrich.

Mayo has put up video game numbers against left-handers for Triple-A Norfolk this season, to the tune of a .529/.579/1.471 slash line. That's good for an OPS of 2.050. Yes, 2.050. Granted, those numbers have come in just 19 plate appearances, but it's a step in the right direction for the right-handed masher who has typically had reverse splits in his minor league career.

Coby Mayo coming at the right time for the Orioles' lineup

Despite not making the Opening Day roster, the former fourth-round pick in the 2020 draft has continued to show why he's considered one of the best prospects in baseball. Over his last 20 games, Mayo is slugging over .600 with an OPS close to 1.000.

With a .918 career OPS in the minors and improvements on the defensive side of the ball, it's clear that Mayo has proved all he needs to down on the farm. But this isn't the O's of old, when clearing a path for top prospects like Rutschman and Gunnar Henderson to get every day at-bats went with the grain of the team's outlook. Baltimore wasn't expecting to compete, and top prospects could learn through their growing pains.

The challenge for prospects like Mayo, in this new era of Orioles baseball, is to contribute right away, because the big league team expects to win, tough April or otherwise. Usually, that's swimming upstream with talented veterans in front of you. But with injuries to Westburg and Ramon Urias at Mayo's hot corner, the window of opportunity is ajar.

Only time will tell if Mayo's stay in the majors will be a lasting one. But without a logjam at third base, the 23-year-old will have the opportunity to prove that he's meant to be in the big leagues. And if his offensive prowess can translate better than we saw last year, he could be a vital piece of turning the O's ship around.