With six weeks remaining in the regular season, the Baltimore Orioles have a sub-.500 record and are hovering near last place in the American League East, but they somehow find themselves in contention for a playoff spot.
An implausible scenario that has Orioles fans in Maryland cautiously optimistic.
“I think it’s crazy,” said Sheivon, of Clarksville, at Camden Yards. “We’re still in the hunt. It’s awesome. I’m excited.”
Entering Tuesday night’s home game with the division rival New York Yankees, the O’s were tied with Texas and Detroit for the third and final AL wild card spot.
Seven teams fighting for that last AL playoff spot are within two games of each other. With less than 40 games left, it’s an all out free-for-all.
“I believe they can make the playoffs,” Joell, from Clarksville, said.
“I’m into this,” said Cathy Keeney, from Ellicott City.
The Orioles dealt away four key pieces of their team at the trade deadline, including catcher Adley Rutschman, pitchers Dean Kremer and Tyler Wells, plus outfielder Taylor Ward. When teams are “sellers,” it typically means they’re giving up on the current season and planning for next year and beyond.
But baseball can be a funny game.
“It’s inexplicable in some ways,” Dave Smith, from Catonsville, said. “But sometimes baseball is inexplicable.”
Phil, from Ellicott City, used to be a Washington Senators fan until he moved in 1971 and became an Orioles fan.
“They’re going to make the wild card. We’ll see how far they go,” Phil said.
Tina Brown, from Montgomery County, started watching the Orioles when they played at Memorial Stadium.
“I would be beyond excited because the last time we won a World Series, I was like 14,” Brown said.
If the Orioles do indeed make the playoffs with a losing record, it would be the first such occurrence in MLB history in a full season.
Asked if that could really happen, Sheivon said, “This is not fool’s gold but we still have a lot of work to do,” he said.
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