Asked the other day by The Sun to name his preferred defensive alignment, Orioles manager Brandon Hyde demurred: “It’s like saying ‘Who do you like better?’ I got Gold Glovers all over the place.”
On Wednesday night, the Orioles’ defense didn’t inspire much confidence in a 5-2 loss to San Diego—especially not during a seventh inning where Fernando Tatis Jr. singled, took third on a failed pickoff throw by Cionel Pérez, and then stole home. It was a deflating sequence that reminded you how important defense is to winning games.
Fortunately, the Orioles haven’t forced their fans to deal with much similar incompetence this season.