Inside The Orioles

Can Baltimore Orioles Survive Their Brutal June Schedule?

The Baltimore Orioles are about to enter a brutal part of their schedule.

Tyler Maher

May 29, 2024; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Orioles third baseman Ramon Urias (29) throws to first base.
May 29, 2024; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Orioles third baseman Ramon Urias (29) throws to first base. / Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
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The MLB schedule is a grind no matter who the opponents are.

With 162 regular-season games packed into six months, there's no such thing as an "easy" stretch. That said, some parts of the schedule are less challenging depending on off days and opponents, while other stretches appear downright daunting.

Unfortunately for the Baltimore Orioles, they're about to enter one of the toughest parts of their schedule.

After their most recent off day on May 30, they now have 30 games over their next 31 days (weather permitting) from May 31 to June 30.

Even worse, all but three of those games are against teams that made the playoffs last year.

The Orioles kick off this stretch with three home games against the Tampa Bay Rays this weekend. The Rays are one game below .500 and have been a disappointment this year, but they're 14-12 in May and have won three of their last four.

In other words, they're no pushovers.

After that, Baltimore leaves town for an eight-game road trip against AL East opponents.

They'll head north of the border for four games with the Toronto Blue Jays, then fly down to Florida for four more games against Tampa Bay at Tropicana Field.

They then return home for a six-game homestand against the Atlanta Braves and Philadelphia Phillies, two of the best teams in baseball. The Phillies have MLB's top record as of this writing, but either matchup could be a potential World Series preview.

After 17 straight days with a game, the Orioles finally get a day off on June 17.

Then Baltimore hits the road for six games against two of its top competitors in the American League, the New York Yankees and Houston Astros. The Yankees series looms large with both teams battling for first place in the AL East.

Following that, the Orioles close out June with a seven-game homestand against the Cleveland Guardians and Texas Rangers. The Guardians are currently leading the AL Central, while the Rangers won the World Series last year after sweeping Baltimore in the ALDS.

Fortunately, the Orioles are well-positioned heading into this brutal stretch.

They've won six of their last seven games, their starting lineup is fully healthy, and their pitching staff is mostly intact despite the brutal news announced on Friday.

Assuming none of their superstars go down, they have the firepower to go toe-to-toe with any team in baseball.

If Baltimore can grind through June and get to the season's halfway point, they will be in good shape come July, especially with the All-Star Break and trade deadline coming up.

This is also a big opportunity for the Orioles to prove they're legitimate contenders this year and potentially do some damage against their division rivals.

If they keep playing like they've been playing for the last two months, they'll be fine.

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Tyler Maher

TYLER MAHER

Tyler grew up in Massachusetts and is a huge Boston sports fan, especially the Red Sox. He went to Tufts University and played club baseball for the Jumbos. Since graduating, he has worked for MLB.com, The Game Day, FanDuel and Forbes. When he's not writing about baseball, he enjoys running, traveling, and playing fetch with his golden retriever.

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