The Orioles survived the Bronx gauntlet—barely. After a brutal four-game sweep at the hands of the Yankees, Baltimore is packing its bags and heading south to loanDepot Park for a three-game set against the Miami Marlins. And honestly, a change of scenery couldn't come soon enough.
The Marlins may not strike fear into opponents like the Bombers do, but they're no pushover either. Sitting at 16-19 and holding down second place in the NL East, Miami has shown its own streaky tendencies. They took two of three from the mighty Dodgers last week, only to drop series to St. Louis and Milwaukee. For an Orioles squad that has a habit of playing down to the competition, this series is a classic trap waiting to spring.
What makes this Marlins team unusual is their hitting. They're not a power-hitting club—their 25 home runs rank fourth-lowest in the majors—but they're making consistent contact. Their collective .252 batting average is better than all but seven teams. Leading the charge are three players who are simply on fire: shortstop Otto Lopez (.341 BA, and a MLB-leading 45 hits in just 33 games), second baseman Xavier Edwards (.336 BA, .896 OPS), and catcher Liam Hicks (.309 BA, .923 OPS). Hicks, in just his second season, has nearly matched his WAR total from a 120-game rookie campaign.
Former Orioles haven't fared as well in Miami. Kyle Stowers has been hampered by a hamstring injury, while infielder Connor Norby has been just okay, posting a .238 average with a 107 OPS+.
On the mound, Miami's rotation has been a weak spot over the past two seasons—despite having ace Sandy Alcantara—but this year they're hovering around league average. The real Achilles' heel is the bullpen. The Marlins have blown nine games in which they held a lead, a staggering number. Closer Pete Fairbanks is on the 15-day IL with nerve irritation, and relievers like Anthony Bender, Andrew Nardi, and Calvin Faucher have all struggled with consistency.
For the Orioles, injuries to Trevor Rogers and Dean Kremer have left the rotation thin. Baltimore will counter with Chris Bassitt, Brandon Young, and Cade Povich. Young and Povich, in particular, bring that "Little Engine That Could" energy—you root hard for them, even if the results sometimes make you wince. This series is a chance for the O's to right the ship, but only if they respect the fight in these Fish.