Around the Orioles clubhouse recently, there has been a lot of mentioning the dog days of August, that time of the season when bodies ache, travel becomes extra burdensome and good teams find a way to push on to the finish line.
And after spending nearly the entire season viewed as the team's Achilles heel, the Orioles' starting rotation is finding its groove in the second half.
The Orioles rotation went into the All-Star break with the third-worst ERA in the majors (5.15). Since then, Orioles starters have pitched significantly better, entering Friday with a 3.73 ERA collectively in the second half of the season.