Baltimore Orioles' Struggles Continue

Wednesday Bird Droppings: The Orioles' turnaround isn't coming

The Orioles lost their sixth straight game on Wednesday, falling to the Tampa Bay Rays 5-2. The loss dropped Baltimore's record to 14-40, the worst in the American League.

The Orioles have now lost 16 of their last 17 games and have not won a series since taking two of three from the Chicago White Sox from April 22-24. Baltimore is 2-20 in its last 22 games and has been outscored by a combined 122-51 during that stretch.

The Orioles' offense has been particularly anemic during their recent skid. Baltimore has scored two runs or fewer in nine of its last 11 games and has not scored more than four runs in any of its last seven games. The Orioles are batting just .198 as a team during their current losing streak and have struck out 153 times in their last 22 games.

The Orioles' pitching staff has also struggled during the team's recent skid. Baltimore's starters have allowed at least four runs in each of their last six starts and have combined to post a 6.17 ERA during that stretch. The Orioles' bullpen has also been taxed, with relievers allowing 20 runs in 16 innings over the last six games.

The Orioles' struggles have led to increased speculation that manager Brandon Hyde could be fired. Hyde is in his fourth season with Baltimore and has a record of 193-293. The Orioles have finished with a losing record in each of Hyde's first three seasons and are on pace to do so again this year.

If Hyde is fired, it would be the second managerial change in the AL East this season. The Boston Red Sox fired manager Alex Cora on May 25 after the team's 10-21 start.