Baltimore Orioles Success in the Division from 2021-2023

To the surprise of many, the Orioles are red hot and are amongst the top teams in baseball. They have won 12 of their 16 series (1 tie) and are competing with the best of the best. Moreover, much of the Birds’ success has come in AL East competition. Here is a look at how the Orioles have fared in the division over the last three seasons.

How have the Baltimore Orioles fared in the AL East in recent seasons?

To this point in 2023, the Orioles have won four out of six divisional series including having won the last four. According to Elias Sports Bureau, per Roch Kubatko, it is the first time since 2016 the Orioles have accomplished such a feat. In AL East contests, the Orioles are 11-7, and are coming off a series victory over the New York Yankees.

After dropping game one, the Orioles came back and took the final two games in the Bronx. The Birds have now won the last two series in the Bronx, including one last October, marking the first time since 2014 the club has done so. Success in the division helps the team towards the postseason, and the last time the Orioles were competing at similar levels, they punched their tickets to the playoffs with appearances in 2014 and 2016.

In 2022, a year the Orioles made a big jump, increasing their win total to 83 from 52 in 2021, the Orioles also showed promise in the division. In total the team went 34-42 in AL East play, but played the Boston Red Sox, Tampa Bay Rays and Toronto Blue Jays very closely, going 9-10 against each team over the course of the season. The Yankees proved to be the toughest battle, who the Birds went 7-12 against.

Two seasons ago, in 2021, Brandon Hyde’s Orioles went a miserable 20-56 in the division. That year, the Orioles went 1-18 against the Rays and were outscored by 79 runs in those contests. The Blue Jays also took 14 of 19 games from the Birds and outscored the team by 69 runs. These were the days in which Jorge Lopez, Matt Harvey and Keegan Akin comprised the starting rotation, each with ERAs over the 6-mark.

Now, the Orioles are fun to watch again and have even had some spectacular comeback victories. With this new look roster headed by Adley Rutschman, Ryan Mountcastle and Cedric Mullins and veterans such as Adam Frazier and Kyle Gibson getting it done, the Orioles have turned it around in the division and fans can feel the excitement in the air. No longer are the days the Orioles are getting blown away by AL East competition. These Orioles are here to compete with anybody.