Baltimore Orioles Accomplish Something Not Done Since Divisions Were Introduced

The Baltimore Orioles accomplished something that hasn't been done since 1969, which is when divisions were introduced.

Jun 19, 2024; Bronx, New York, USA; Baltimore Orioles center fielder Cedric Mullins (31) hits an RBI single in the tenth inning against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium. / Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

The Baltimore Orioles went into the Bronx and showed the New York Yankees that they aren't to be messed around with. Winning the series on Thursday afternoon with a ridiculous 17-5 win, the Orioles have to feel good about this dominant win.

The offensive production out of this lineup again was special, and they've now beaten arguably the three best teams in baseball in three straight series.

And more important than anything else, Baltimore is now only 0.5 games out of first place in the American League East.

The Yankees seem to have success against every team not named the Orioles, so perhaps they continue to build upon their 0.5-game lead.

Baltimore accomplished some history in this game and series in multiple ways, according to Jake Rill of MLB.com.

According to Rill, the 17 runs scored is the most plated by the team since an 18-5 win against Cleveland on June 6, 2021. It was also only the third time in history that the Orioles scored that many runs against New York.

While those stats are impressive and show the dominance of the win on Thursday, they accomplished something not done since 1969, when divisions were introduced.

"This was the 22nd consecutive divisional series the Orioles have either won or split, a streak that began in April 2023. It’s the longest such run for any MLB team since divisions were introduced in 1969," Rill wrote.

Their ability to win series, in general, has been impressive, but this might be the most impressive of them all. The American League East is arguably the best division in baseball, so beating teams in the division 22 times in a row can't be overlooked.

The Yankees were viewed as the best team in baseball entering this series, but there's now a strong argument that Baltimore has that top spot.

Corbin Burnes also didn't pitch, and with all of the injuries to the pitching staff, it makes it an even more impressive sweep.

With the trade deadline approaching and all of the injuries to the rotation, the expectation is for the front office to make a few moves to help with that.

Those moves won't only help win the division, but ultimately, a World Series.

Winning the division is as important as anything, especially for a team this young. If they can have home field advantage in the American League, it could set them up well to accomplish their goal.