Game of O Blog: The Final Series Begins
The Orioles have just three games and one series left in the 2022 season. Tonight, at cloudy and cold Camden Yards, they host Toronto to begin a three-game season-ending series.
The Orioles (82-77) bring some momentum home with them after taking two of three at Yankee Stadium this weekend. They won 3-1 on Sunday and victory No. 82 clinched their first winning record since 2016.
The O’s went 3-4 last trip to Boston and New York and finished the year 38-43 (.469) in road games. It’s their best road record since going 39-42 (.481) in 2016.
The Orioles are 44-34 (.564) at home, tied for sixth-best home winning percentage in the American League and 11th-best in the majors. It’s their most wins and best home winning percentage since going 46-35 (0.568) in 2017.
The Orioles scored just five points in the series in New York and were shut out on Saturday. They’ve scored just nine runs in their last five games, which is 2 of 36 with runners in scoring position in that span. They have scored three or fewer goals in 16 of the last 27 games, going 4-12 in those competitions.
The Orioles went 33-40 (.452) against foes the AL East this year, their most wins and best winning percentage against the division since going 37-39 (.487) in 2017. They dropped the season streak to the Boston Red Sox (9-10), New York Yankees (7-12) and Tampa Bay Rays (9-10), but went 8-8 against the Blue Jays and needed two wins in the last three games to clinch their first season series victory over Toronto since 2017, when they went 12-7.
Toronto (90-69) holds the top AL wildcard spot heading into play today. They can clinch that spot and host this best-of-three opener with both a win tonight and a loss in Seattle.
Toronto has won six of its last eight games and has just swept three of Boston by scores of 9-0, 10-0 and 6-3. The Blue Jays went 16-3 against the Red Sox this season, their most wins against a single opponent in a season of all time (the previous was 15 against the O’s in 2002 and 2010). They beat Boston 125-55 for a plus-70 point differential, their highest ever in a season against an opponent (they had plus-69 on the Orioles in 2021).
The Blue Jays lead the major leagues with a .263 batting average and 1,433 hits. They also lead the AL in OBP (.328), slugging percentage (.432), OPS (.760) and extra-base hits (516) while ranking second in runs (761) and doubles (306), and third at home. short (198).
Blue Jays batters combined for a hard-hit percentage of 44.6 (95 mph or better), the highest rate in the majors (Atlanta is second at 43.5), while their average outing speed of 90.2 mph is also the highest. majors (the Braves are second with 89.9).
Toronto have won 17 of the last 25 and 21 of their last 30 against foes the AL East. They are now 41-32 (.562) in divisional play this year, the second-best winning percentage in the division (the Yankees are at .618) and the best at the club since recording a .581 in 2006.
