Last year, I wrote that the Orioles were limping into the All-Star break before Alex Verdugo handed them a gift in the first-half finale. Kyle Stowers pulled a reverse Verdugo last week by ushering bad vibes into Birdland.
Fresh off a division crown in 2023, the Orioles held a legitimate chance to repeat as AL East champions. Gunnar Henderson and Anthony Santander were cruising toward a combined 80 home runs, and Grayson Rodriguez was set to eclipse 15 wins in a season.
The Birds were gearing up to buy at the trade deadline, and Jackson Holliday had yet to return from Triple-A Norfolk.