No one should try telling the San Diego Padres that the Baltimore Orioles have nothing left to play for. Teams sitting outside the playoff picture often become the most dangerous ones. With no October pressure hanging over them, they play loose, they play hungry, and they play like every at-bat could change their future. For prospects, it’s a chance to flash potential. For fringe big leaguers, it’s an audition, an opportunity to fight for a roster spot, earn a contract extension, or at the very least, secure a spring training invite for next season. Pride fuels it all.
That’s exactly the kind of group the Orioles have become in 2025.