Good morning, Camden Chatters.<\/p>\n
We\u2019ve made it. We\u2019re finally at the finish line of this slog of a 2026 Orioles season. The O\u2019s play their final game of the season today at Yankee Stadium. Or maybe they won\u2019t even play it! The weather forecast in New York isn\u2019t great, and the game time has already been moved up from 3:05 to 1:05, but it\u2019s possible it could be rained out anyway.<\/p>\n
Whatever the case, I can\u2019t say I\u2019ll miss watching the Orioles. I mean, I like baseball, and the O\u2019s had their share of entertaining moments \u2014 mostly from Pete Alonso \u2014 but for the most part this season was a daily exercise in futility from a team that should have been so much better. I\u2019ve had enough of the constant defensive blunders and fundamental mistakes and the Orioles\u2019 irritating habit of blowing winnable games. The 2026 Orioles weren\u2019t the worst team of my lifetime, but they sure were one of the most disappointing.<\/p>\n
This is the Orioles\u2019 second straight year missing the playoffs, but the bad vibes have lingered longer than that. Their magical 101-win season in 2023 was short-circuited by their three-and-out in the Division Series, and the O\u2019s hit a swoon midway through the 2024 from which they\u2019ve never really recovered. Since July 9, 2024, the Orioles have a record of 188-207, a dispiriting 19 games under .500. They\u2019ve gone through three managers in that span and their current one is arguably the worst of the lot.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s an organization that\u2019s in dire need of change, and I\u2019m not convinced we\u2019ll get much if the O\u2019s run it back with the same leadership group next season. It\u2019s now been 43 years since the last time the Orioles made it to and won a World Series, and they don\u2019t seem any closer to reaching that goal. You have to wonder how many more years we\u2019ll need to wait.<\/p>\n
As for today, while the Orioles game (if it happens) is meaningless, there are still postseason spots and seedings on the line around MLB. In the American League, the Guardians clinched the AL Central and a first-round bye yesterday, assuring that the White Sox will be third wild card team. But the AL West race between the Astros and Rangers is coming down to the final day. One team will become the first in major league history to make the playoffs with a .500 or worse record. The other will head home for the winter.<\/p>\n
In the National League, the surging Diamondbacks have a chance to surpass the collapsing Phillies today for the final wild card spot. If that happens, I\u2019m sure the response from Phillies fans will be calm, rational, and even-keeled.<\/p>\n
There\u2019s a lot of fun stuff going on in baseball today. There might also be an Orioles game. Time to say goodbye \u2014 and also say good riddance, if you\u2019re so inclined \u2014 to this underachieving club.<\/p>\n
Rico Garcia: Strong start, strong finish to his 2026 season for the Orioles – Steve Melewski<\/a><\/p>\n The Orioles\u2019 bullpen-building strategy of \u201cthrow things against a wall and see what sticks\u201d has ended up with plenty of duds, but a few some success stories, too. Rico is one of the best examples of the latter.<\/p>\n