What has contributed to the Orioles' latest May swoon?

This story was excerpted from the Orioles Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

It’s happening again.

At the beginning of May 2025, the Orioles weren’t exactly playing well, as evidenced by their 12-18 record, but they came into the month just 5 1/2 games back in the American League East. A couple of good weeks could have changed everything. Instead, a couple more bad weeks sunk them even further in the standings and led to the dismissal of manager Brandon Hyde in what was ultimately a lost year.

At the beginning of May 2026, the Orioles weren’t exactly playing well, as noted by their 15-16 record, but they came into the month just five games back in the AL East. A couple of good weeks could have changed everything. Instead, a couple of bad weeks -- accentuated by this week’s sweep by the first-place Rays -- have sunk them to 13 games back in the division entering Friday’s game against the Tigers.

Here are a couple of reasons why the O’s are a disappointing 6-13 this month.

Trouble with two outs

The Orioles allowed 25 runs over their three-game series against the Rays, 17 of which were scored with two outs. That includes all five runs Tampa Bay plated in its 5-3 win on Wednesday. When manager Craig Albernaz was asked before that day’s game why it’s been so difficult for his team to succeed with two outs, he opined that it was just a small sample size.

Perhaps, but over 261 plate appearances with two outs this month, Baltimore pitchers allowed the highest on-base percentage (.421) and OPS (.881) entering Thursday. The outcomes have often been worse when there is a runner in scoring position. In RISP situations with two outs this month, opposing hitters have produced a .373/.469/.627 slash line across 98 plate appearances. Orioles pitchers have recorded a dismal 14.3% K rate in those PAs, which is the second lowest in the Majors.

And the struggles with two outs aren’t confined to O’s pitchers either. Baltimore’s offense is hitting .183 with an MLB-worst .536 OPS across 218 PAs with two outs this month. The lineup’s 27.5% K rate with two outs is the third highest in MLB.

Little relief

In March and April, Baltimore’s bullpen posted a serviceable 3.95 ERA -- 52 earned runs through 118 1/3 innings -- and had a +4 pitching run value, tying it for sixth best in the Majors.

Those numbers have changed drastically in May, and the Orioles’ recent six-game road trip exacerbated matters. This month, the ‘pen has the second-worst ERA in the big leagues (6.28) after allowing nearly as many earned runs as during those previous months (50) in just 71 2/3 frames. The relief corps has a -7 run value, tied for the third lowest in MLB. During its two three-game road series vs. the Nationals and the Rays, Baltimore’s bullpen gave up 24 earned runs over 18 1/3 innings, which was crucial in the team’s 1-5 trip.

Closer Ryan Helsley has been sidelined for the entire month because of right elbow inflammation. Anthony Nunez’s ERA has gone from 2.35 to 5.16 after eight May appearances. Rico Garcia, who allowed just one hit to the first 65 batters he faced this season and was 12-for-12 in stranding inherited runners heading into the Tampa Bay series, surrendered a couple of pivotal knocks against the Rays and saw all three runners he inherited come in to score. He’s starting to run into the regression monster.

Those developments help explain why the Orioles’ bullpen, which was good enough to get by in April, has fallen on hard times in May.

Despite those ugly numbers -- as well as the team’s equally unpretty 21-29 record -- Baltimore enters Friday’s series opener against the Tigers just 3 1/2 games out of a Wild Card spot. So as frustrating as these past few weeks have been, those in the clubhouse are aware that, once again, a couple of good weeks can still change everything.

“Thankfully, other [teams] haven't played up to their potential, just like we have, so I think it's still wide open for us,” first baseman Pete Alonso said after Wednesday’s loss. “We expect better from ourselves, and we’ve got to do it. We’ve got to do it on the field.”