Red Sox all but officially ended Orioles' season and kicked them while they were down

Following Colton Cowser’s insane game-saving catch against the Colorado Rockies, it seemed like the Baltimore Orioles had that “team of destiny” aura about them. The team won six of their last seven games to close out the month of August and even reached the .500 mark for the first since late April.

But then they dropped the final two games to the Rockies and then got swept by the Red Sox to lost six straight. The Orioles are once again in an all-too-familiar position and are looking at another uphill climb. However, this time it might be too late to save their season. 

Even though the Orioles could have easily erased any doubts with a strong showing against the Red Sox, they have only fanned the flames and severely hurt their chances at securing a Wild Card spot. When they needed to win the most, the Orioles let the Red Sox come into town and punch them in the mouth.

Baltimore also failed to respond to adversity following a benches-clearing incident and endless trash talk from Boston.

The Baltimore Orioles let a golden opportunity slip through their fingers 

With the combination of the matchup against a division rival and the tension of letting the postseason slip away, Blaze Alexander appeared to have let his emotions get the better of him. 

After what looked like a slightly aggressive slide by Jahmai Jones in the Orioles loss on Sept. 3, Alexander returned the favor the next day when attempting to break up a double play. This led to some chirping from both teams and the most mild benches-clearing altercation you’ll probably see all year. 

But as noted by Red Sox pitcher Sonny Gray, that slight altercation wasn’t forgotten about in the Boston clubhouse. In fact, the team essentially rallied together in an effort to hit the Orioles where it hurts the most: the standings.  

Before their game against the Rockies on Sept. 1, the Orioles sported a 69-69 record. They trailed the Cleveland Guardians by just half-game for the third Wild Card and were set to begin their most crucial week of the 2026 season on a high note. Starting on Sept. 3, Baltimore began a 10-game stretch where they would face the Red Sox, Guardians, and Toronto Blue Jays. It was a real chance to control their own destiny. 

With each team standing in their way of earning a Wild Card spot, these 10 games were as close to must-win for the Orioles as possible. But they've gotten off to the worst start imaginable. Now they find themselves four games back of Cleveland while also staring up at Toronto, who have leapfrogged them in the standings by three games.

The Orioles worked incredibly hard to regain their positioning in the Wild Card standings, and all it took was a weekend series to flush it all down the toilet. This won't quiet the angry fans who want Mike Elias out. It won't make anybody feel better about the future of the roster.

Unless the O's can make a miracle turnaround over these next six games, they'll be staring down the barrel of their season promptly ending on Sept. 27.

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