Orioles Need Inspired Performance vs Thriving New York Yankees Team

State of the Orioles, Need for Team Leader

As of April 28th before the game on Monday night.  The Orioles sit 6.5 games back in the AL East standings.  They have the second worst record in all of the American League with only 3 wins more than a Chicago White Sox team who’s building on a historically bad 2024 roster.

The 2025 Baltimore Orioles are in bad shape in more ways than one.  The attributes that made this a gutsy regular season team in the past are not present.  People will blame the manager, but I believe it's important to hold the players on the field accountable as well.

Cedric Mullins is a prime example of a leader in the clubhouse.  He covers a relatively weak arm with excellent range, and effort in centerfield.  At the plate he shows how he’s able to make adjustments in game.  The reason he’s leading off is because he’s one of the only players consistently taking good at bats.

With the Orioles they’ve been going through changes, and with changes comes growing pains.  One key growing pain is players that had an edge in the past couple years in a young Baltimore clubhouse are gone.  

While the Orioles may have had reasons to let these guys go, or even trade them - one thing I don’t think a statistician can predict is the growth of leadership qualities.

When you look at Anthony Santander, Austin Hays, Adam Frazier, 2023 Kyle Gibson, etc.  What these players brought was the habits that made them able to play key moments in Baltimore, but also get opportunities elsewhere.

The Orioles clubhouse needs vocal player leaders to speak up.  New faces can lead by example, but until they can really get on the level of a Orioles team that has been the best in the business the past couple of years in the regular season - it could be tough to gel.

Brandon Hyde’s message is very clear to a struggling team.  We cannot win baseball games if we play the way we do most days.  Most of it comes to effort on the field.  Communicating defensive assignments, executing pitches to hold runners, and getting key at bats to chase opposing pitchers, etc.  The fundamentals.

These are little things the Orioles of 2023 and 2024 did, and no longer do.  One young player has been echoing a similar message to the skipper.  One that’s been battling for playing time.

Brandon Hyde Lineup Cards Confuse Orioles Fans

Brandon Hyde has been making a big effort to keep guys fresh.  People don’t realize this is an effort to get infielders like Jorge Mateo, Ramón Urías getting at bats, and in-game fielding.  But on the flip side, he’s aiming to keep his young ailing infielders fresh.

Gunnar Henderson missed the majority of Spring Training.  Jordan Westburg is working back from a broken hand.  Adley Rutschman played through injury in what was a career worst year for him last year.

The Orioles have been hit with a big wave of pitching injuries, and minor ailments to their position players.  Getting veterans like Urias, and Mateo at bats have been key.  Mateo adds a speed element, and any single can easily turn into an extra 90 feet and distraction for the pitcher and catcher.  Urias brings a gold glove with positional utility, and a veteran bat.

With the majority of the Orioles lineup struggling, Brandon Hyde is looking for any sort of spark.

Orioles Cannot Find a Way to Hit With Runners On, Can’t Get Baserunners

The Orioles team is so confusing.  Their advanced metrics say they should be closer to old versions of the team than what they are.  They are continuing to hit the ball hard - they’re 9th in homers, but they are 21st in runs batted in.

That’s due to a horrid .223 with runners in scoring position, good for third to last in the league.  Compare that to 2024 when they batted .250 good for 6th in the league.  The plate approach this season has got to change.  These guys are still hitting hard when they make contact, but their approach is leading to too many unproductive outs.

The Orioles manager Brandon Hyde is trying to find the right combination of messaging to a young team, and lineups to get wins while they fill into their roles for a long season.  Look for key leaders in veteran groups like Cedric Mullins, Tomoyuki Sugano, and more to step up and provide dependable play day in and out for an Orioles team that needs it.  Young guys need to step up as well.

Second Baseman Jackson Holliday Poised Beyond his Years

Jackson Holliday may be in Orioles fans' discussions these days.  The 21 year old middle infield magician has been a bright spot on an Orioles team.  Fans want him to get more playing time, especially against left handed pitchers.  He brings an elite glove, elite speed, and a great contact bat and eye to get on base.

Orioles fans are eager to see how a full season of the kid will play out, especially when he’s losing time to veterans like Urias, and Mateo.  But the kid has a lot to learn, and he’s gotten a perspective that is unique to him as the son of legendary playoff performer Matt Holliday.  And with pops on the couch to coach him up over the phone, Holliday might be getting a lot of great intel and perspective that other players could use.

Holliday has kept his mindset positive when other players might be frustrated with not getting a full amount of at bats, and playing time.  In a recent interview after a tough Washington Nationals loss Holliday explained part of his mindset with losing a tough loss where they played well in a lot of ways.

He explained how you can always look at results and regret not cashing in on runs, but you have to take the positives from the game.  Some fans might be a bit irritated by the calmness of his perspective, but you have to imagine these guys are feeling the pressure.

A vocal leader from a 21 year old is just what the Orioles need.  A young guy to echo the sentiment of the manager, and of his father who’s been in the exact same spot.  Every player that played into his 30s has dealt with expectations that ended up being too high or low.  Jackson Holliday will end up growing on and off the field this year - make sure you lock in.

Game 1 Preview - Tomoyuki Sugano RHP 2-1, 3.54 ERA vs Will Warren RHP 1-0, 4.79 ERA

Tomoyuki Sugano Looks To Deliver Third Straight 7 Inning Start

The Orioles managed to line up their most consistent pitcher against their AL East foes in the New York Yankees.  Sugano has not been excellent like Corbin Burnes that the Orioles are missing extra to start the year, but Sugano has been a bright spot in a struggling rotation, and an interesting story to start the year for the Orioles.

Sugano is the only Baltimore Orioles current rotation piece to have a sub 4 ERA.

3.54 - Tomoyuki Sugano

5.04 - Cade Povich

6.23 - Brandon Young

7.04 - Dean Kremer

10.36 - Charlie Morton

The Orioles are hoping Tomoyuki Sugano can replicate his last 7 IP with 3 ER in his last start vs the Washington Nationals.

The 7 innings marked the second consecutive time that the 35 year old MLB rookie was able to reach the 7 inning milestone as he did so on April 17th against the Cleveland Guardians.

The Baltimore Orioles are 3-2 when Sugano takes the hill, and Sugano has registered his only traditionally attributed loss on his first start of the season.  Tomoyuki Sugano would deliver a huge confidence boost to a team that needs it if he is able to lock in for another pitch location masterclass.

After Sugano’s performance against the Nationals, youngster Cade Povich came out and delivered a similarly excellent performance where he outdueled MacKenzie Gore.

Cade Povich and Tomoyuki Sugano have similar pitching styles.  They rely on changing speeds, locations, and eye levels to deceive hitters into believing they’re getting another pitch.  Povich gets the advantage of working with Sugano who’s been able to win MVP in a very competitive Japan baseball league.

Brandon Hyde lined up Sugano for game 1 surely on purpose.  As a strong start in game 1, and a win in game one against the Yankees might not be a want - it might be a must.  The Orioles need to get back on track, and at home with a rocking crowd the skipper turns to his ace.

Aaron Judge in a MVP League of His Own Once Again

Aaron Judge is having an absolutely nuts start to the season.  Tomoyuki Sugano will have his hands full with the 3 time American League MVP winner who’s hitting an absurd .388 batting average against right handed pitchers, and .476 against left handed pitchers.

Look for Sugano to have a tough time working through a Yankees lineup that looks like they zapped the power of the Baltimore Orioles like the Space Jam Monstars did in the NBA.

Obviously the Yankees are a good team, and made the playoffs last year, but it's hard to imagine that these team-wide video game numbers continue.  Other players on the team are posting absurd numbers.  Five Yankees hitters are hitting above .290 against right handed pitchers this year with at least 29 at bats.  Four are above .290 with 50+ at bats.

Expect Sugano to work very carefully against Judge, and lefties.  Sugano will hope to be able to outduel Will Warren on the other side of the hill, and go further than him.  That’s Sugano’s job - to give the team a chance to win.  The Yankees have been a bit up and down.  Especially their starting pitchers.

Will Warren a Sight for Sore Orioles Lineup Eyes

The New York Yankees who have won 6 of their last 10 have dealt with similar injury issues as the Orioles.  Will Warren is the direct result of a lack of pitching depth, and the Yankees trying to rely on a young arm to take a big step.  The 25 year old youngster pitched a bit at the major league level in 2024, but for the most part struggled.

In 2025 he’s looking to turn a new leaf, and has been able to limit big earned run outings for the most part, but he’s only been able to complete a maximum of 5 innings which he’s done 3 times.  The Yankees played and travelled yesterday just like the Orioles, and their game featured 5 pitchers.

The Orioles should be aiming to knock Warren out of the game as early as possible to tire out an already strained bullpen.  The Orioles are expected to avoid having to face Yankees ace Max Fried, and they need to punish a pitching matchup mistake that should allow Baltimore to put on a show with a lefty heavy lineup.  

Warren features one of the worst allowed exit velocities in all of baseball in the 8th lowest percentile… meaning if the Will Warren Orioles fans know and love shows up tonight, and the old Orioles come too. Start your engines around the basepaths.

Warren features a five pitch mix, relying mainly on a four seam fastball, and a sweeper.  To right handed hitters Warren mixes in 3 pitches mainly to keep them off balance.  He’s quite effective against right handers overall, only allowing a .154 /.207/.346 (BA / OBP / SLG).

Against lefties, it's been a different story. He’s allowing a much more favorable 245/.345/.388 (BA / OBP / SLG).  And the Orioles lefty lineup features some of the best left handed hitters in baseball.

Gunnar Henderson, Jackson Holliday, Heston Kjerstad Primed for Big Nights

The Orioles hitters across the board have struggled mightily.  But the main thing these guys need to do is to get going, and soon.

Expect Orioles manager, Brandon Hyde, to get these guys in a lineup spot that allows them to contribute key at bats.  Against a right handed pitcher, it’ll be key for these hitters to hit him hard, and make him work for outs.  Pitch selection on what to swing on will be crucial.  Left handers should be looking to punish his sweeper and curve ball which left handers have been hitting well.  The Orioles lineup also features veteran left hander Ryan “turn and burn” O’Hearn.

Right-handers in the lineup include Ramón Urías, Mountcastle, Laureano, and switch hitter Adley Rutschman.  Hyde is clearly leaning on players he feels have been producing each at bat when it comes to selecting the right pitches to swing at.  A couple of these names might make fans scratch their head as Urias starts in front of Westburg, and Laureano gets the outfield nod.

Orioles Lineup Card Favors Left Handers Against Righty Warren

The posted lineup card before today’s action goes as follows.

1 - Mullins - L - CF

2 - Henderson - L - SS

3 - Rutschman - R/L - C

4 - O’Hearn - L - DH

5 - Mountcastle - R - 1B

6 - Kjerstad - L - RF

7 - Urias - R - 3B

8 - Holliday - L - 2B

9 - Laureano - R - LF

Look for the left handed hitters to work Will Warren especially as he has struggled with getting outs on good left handed hitters.

The Orioles have plenty of those, and a bunch of them got a day off yesterday during the 7-0 shutout at the hands of Tarik Skubal and the Detroit Tigers.

The Orioles have clearly circled this series on the calendar, and fans are eagerly awaiting for some semblance of the Orioles team they’ve grown to know and love to show up.

What better time than when a bunch of stinking New York Yankees come to town?  I can’t think of a better time.