Baltimore Orioles in Running for No. 1 Seed Due to One Aspect

The Baltimore Orioles pitching staff hasn't helped them in recent weeks.

Aug 16, 2024; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Corbin Burnes (39) throws a first inning pitch against the Boston Red Sox at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. / Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

The Baltimore Orioles have struggled a bit again in recent weeks, a concerning sign as October approaches. Their pitching staff hasn't done the job since the All-Star break, and if it continues, the Orioles could kiss their World Series chances goodbye.

There isn't anything worse than a bad rotation in the postseason. While hitting is a big factor in who does and doesn't find success, pitching wins games.

Fortunately, their offense has still remained one of the best in baseball. If Baltimore weren't swinging the bats the way they have, they wouldn't only be 1.5 games behind the first-place New York Yankees in the American League East.

They're also in second place overall in the American League, but if they don't win the division, they'll be playing in a Wild Card series, nonetheless. Winning the division and having the No. 1 seed in the postseason is a huge advantage.

With all of the injuries they've dealt with over the past few months, it's catching up to them. The Orioles also recently optioned Trevor Rogers to Triple-A after sending a massive package to the Miami Marlins for him. It was viewed as a questionable trade when it took place, but four starts later, it looks even worse than it did just three weeks ago. 

Despite these issues, Baltimore is right in the mix to earn the top seed in the American League.

Kerry Miller of Bleacher Report believes that's because of their potent offense.

"The number of O's starting pitchers on the IL is getting out of control, with Zach Eflin (shoulder) joining that group this week, but having one of the most potent offenses in the bigs has kept Baltimore in the running for the AL's No. 1 seed."

Their offense has been a big part of the year they've had, but in recent games, they've struggled at the plate a bit, too. The Orioles have only scored more than four runs once in their past six games.

Every team goes through a rough stretch at some point, even the best teams in the history of the game. That's a part of baseball and it'll always be the case. However, they need to start putting it together soon as this is the worst time to struggle.

It'll be interesting to see how the remainder of the season plays out, but there's a lot to be concerned about for Baltimore with their recent play.