Cedric Mullins shares unique perspective on Orioles' second half challenges

While the Orioles season hasn't been perfect, they were finally able to clinch a postseason berth with a victory against the Yankees on Tuesday night in New York. After getting out to a scorching 58-38 start with a +80 run differential in the first half of the year, the Orioles went through some growing pains and struggled heavily after the All Star break.

From July 19 onward, the Orioles have gone 29-32, thanks in large part due to a variety of injuries that have decimated both the rotation and the entire lineup. The O's have been pressed into calling up top prospects to fill the void, with some players working out better than others.

But as Cedric Mullins told reporters this week, things aren't quite as bad in Baltimore as many of us have suggested. It's been difficult to watch the team fall apart in the second half but at the end of the day, the O's are still guaranteed a spot in the postseason and have a good a chance as anyone to make a run in October and bring home a World Series title.

Cedric Mullins knows what real losing looks like, and he wasn't afraid to let his teammates know

After the Orioles clinched a playoff spot on Tuesday, Mullins was quoted, stating "I was telling guys that you don't know what real losing is. We're in a good spot". Mullins has some unique perspective in that regard, as he was part of the horrific 2018 squad that lost 115 games in arguably the worst season in franchise history.

That 2018 season was Mullins' debut year and he wasn't particularly good in his limited time in center field. He'd hit .235/.312/.359 in 45 games during a season that will unfortunately never be forgotten by Orioles fans.

Mullins was again terrible in 2019, spending most of the year in the minors while the Orioles went on to lose 108 games, barely besting their dismal record from the year prior. Having been in Baltimore for those difficult rebuilding years has given Mullins a unique perspective. Not everyone knows what it feels like to play for a team that bad, especially one with a .328 winning percentage over a three year span.

Mullins has had some challenges himself in 2024. He was so bad in the first half that some of us were considering what an Orioles future would look like without him. However, he completely turned his season around and was one of the best hitters on the roster in the second half.

If the Orioles are going to succeed in the postseason, they'll need both Mullins' bat and his leadership. This is a young team without much playoff experience. Having Mullins in the locker room to help guide the young guys will be important for this Orioles team if they want to win in October.