Orioles eyeing second-half reset after rooting on O'Hearn in All-Star Game

BALTIMORE -- On Sunday morning, Ryan O’Hearn’s bags for the All-Star Game had been packed and were sitting by his locker in the Orioles’ clubhouse at Camden Yards. Some of them featured the logo for the Midsummer Classic, which will occur on Tuesday at Truist Park in Atlanta.

O’Hearn also received a gift from teammate Tomoyuki Sugano, who gave the American League’s starting designated hitter a bottle of Japanese liquor.

The O’s closed out the first half with an 11-1 loss to the Marlins -- falling to 43-52 after dropping two of three games in the series -- and then wished O’Hearn on his way. The remainder of Baltimore’s players will take the next four days to rest up and prepare for the second half.

“It’s needed in a lot of ways,” interim manager Tony Mansolino said.

It’s different from this time last year in many ways. In 2024, the Orioles sent five players to the All-Star Game -- catcher Adley Rutschman, shortstop Gunnar Henderson and infielder Jordan Westburg, as well as right-hander Corbin Burnes and outfielder Anthony Santander (neither of whom is still in Baltimore).

At last year’s break, the O’s were 58-38 and storming toward a second straight postseason appearance.

In 161 games since, the Orioles are 76-85 (.472). Their 33-33 second half last year was a precursor to getting swept in two games by the Royals in the AL Wild Card Series.

This year, Baltimore has struggled due to a combination of injuries and underperforming players. Its 15-28 start got manager Brandon Hyde dismissed on May 17.

The O’s are 28-24 since Mansolino took over, but they need to play at an even better pace than that if they hope to make an improbable run to a third consecutive playoff berth -- something they still believe can happen, despite the long odds against them.

“I don’t think anybody going into the season thought we were going to be in the situation we are now,” Westburg said. “But it is what it is. It doesn’t help to dwell on that. So I think for us in the clubhouse, we’re going to take these three days to reset, we’re going to cheer ‘O’ on during the break, and then, come back with some energy, with some vengeance maybe, and hopefully, turn some things around.”

It’s been done before. Two teams have had 43 or fewer wins through 95 games and still reached the postseason -- the 1984 Royals (43-52 to 84-78) and the 1973 Pirates (42-53 to 82-79). But it’s not easy to do.

The Orioles can’t afford as many losses as teams in better positions in the standings. Hence why every loss -- such as Sunday’s defeat, during which former O’s outfielder Kyle Stowers clubbed three homers as part of a five-hit, six-RBI day -- feels like a big setback.

“We’ve been on a breakneck pace here for the last two months because of the hole we dug ourselves,” Mansolino said. “I mean, everything is a must-win every night is what it feels like. It feels like we’re playing September baseball for the last two months. So I think that part of the mental side of that, yeah, we need a break. And then, coming out of it, we’ve just got to come out of it good.”

On Friday, the Orioles will resume play when they open a three-game road series against the AL East rival Rays -- the same team that swung a trade with Baltimore on Thursday, when right-hander Bryan Baker was sent to Tampa Bay in exchange for the No. 37 overall pick in the 2025 MLB Draft.

More seller-like moves could be coming from the O’s. General manager Mike Elias called the Baker trade “a step in that direction” following the deal.

“If you want to be a part of this club and turn things around here, the focus has to stay here,” Westburg said. “Playing good baseball, picking each other up when we're struggling and just being collectively a cohesive group.”

One positive for the Orioles is their health should improve. Rutschman (oblique), first baseman Ryan Mountcastle (hamstring), right-hander Zach Eflin (back) and left-hander Cade Povich (hip) are among those who could return before the end of July.

August could bring the returns of right-handers Kyle Bradish (Tommy John surgery) and Grayson Rodriguez (right lat strain), with others potentially as well.

“We are super excited about getting some big pieces back,” Mansolino said.

But first, Baltimore must move past disappointing back-to-back losses to Miami, rest up and refocus.

“We wanted to win that series and go into the half on a high note. But it’s by us,” Westburg said. “[We] are going to have a three-day break to mentally check out, which is huge, and kind of hit a reset button, hopefully, coming into the second half.”