Orioles-Reds is a look to MLB’s future, or maybe even its present
The Cincinnati Reds and the Baltimore Orioles are set to start a three-game series this week, and you should absolutely watch.
Now, that might be a sentence not uttered since they met in the 1970 World Series, but allow me to explain.
The Reds, one of MLB’s proudest franchises, have made the playoffs just four times since the new century began, and have not advanced past the Divisional Round in any of those four trips to the postseason. Their last World Series title came back in 1990, and while some of us, i.e. me., are old enough to remember that, many of us are not.
Yes I’m looking at you JP Acosta my dear friend.
As for the Orioles, they have made the playoffs just three times since the turn of the century, with their deepest run in the postseason coming in 2014, when they were swept in the ALCS by the Kansas City Royals, who would go on to win the World Series.
Baltimore’s last World Series title? That came back in 1983. Even I don’t remember that one.
While the Orioles finished four games above .500 a season ago, they still finished 16 games back in the AL East. As for the Reds, they finished with a 62-100 record, one of the worst in the MLB a season ago.
Now, I’ve never been labeled a great salesperson, and I know my pitch so far has been underwhelming, but you should absolutely watch these two teams this week, and throughout the rest of the season.
Because they might be the future of baseball.
We can start in Cincinnati. The Reds enter this week’s series in Baltimore with a record of 41-37, which is already more than halfway to their win total from a season ago, and the calendar has yet to hit July. While they were tied for dead last in the NL Central a season ago, the Reds are currently in first place in the division. While they are coming off two-straight losses to the Atlanta Braves over the weekend, those losses snapped a 12-game winning streak.
What accounts for this quick turnaround? You can look at the core of young talent in Cincinnati that is starting to produce for the Reds: Relief pitcher Alexis Diaz, infielders Matt McLain and Jonathan India, first baseman Spencer Steer, catcher/utility player Tyler Stephenson, starting pitcher Graham Ashcraft (along with fellow starters Hunter Greene and Nick Lodolo, who are both on the DL) and yes, infielder Elly De La Cruz are just some of the some of the names to know, Overall, this is a very young roster.
How young? Veteran Joey Votto, who just came off the disabled list in dramatic fashion, is the team’s active leader in hits with 2,098.
Know who is second on that list? India, the 2021 National League Rookie of the Year, who entered the year with 239 career hits.
Diaz has 33 appearances this year, with an ERA of 1.97, a WHIP of 0.969, and 21 saves on the season. India, the Rookie of the Year back in 2021, has posted a slash line of .261/.348/.473 this season and already has 10 home runs along with 12 stolen bases, matching the 12 he posted as a rookie over 150 games.
Steer, who was named the NL Rookie of the Month in May, has a slash line of .271/.357/.473, and his 37 RBI are second on the team entering this week’s series. Stephenson has been used all over by manager Buddy Bell, seeing time at DH, behind the plate, in the outfield, and at first base. McLain currently has a slash line of .309/.367/.493 along with his 17 RBI.
And yes, we have talked about De La Cruz. A lot. And with good reason.
The Reds are young, they’re fun, and they’re winning.
So are the Orioles.
Baltimore enters this week’s series with at 46-29 record, and while the Orioles are 4.5 games behind the Tampa Bay Rays in the AL East, Baltimore is atop the Wild Card standings at the moment.
And like the Reds, the Orioles have some young talent producing in a big way.
Catcher Adley Rutschman, in his first full season in the majors, is hitting .265 with ten home runs. While his bat has gone a bit cold over the last week — Rutschman is just 1-for-19 over the last week, the switch-hitting catcher looks like a potential cornerstone for the Orioles for the next decade.
So too does Gunnar Henderson, another young and talented member of the Orioles. After starting the season in a bit of a slump, Henderson has turned it on over the past month, and is hitting at a .307 clip with six home runs over the past 30 days. Then there is Ryan Mountcastle, who is finishing up a brief rehab stint but leads the Orioles with 11 home runs on the year.
Baltimore can also count on some young arms, particularly in the bullpen. Félix Bautista has emerged as the team’s closer, having converted 20 saves this season, his second in the majors. Yennier Cano, another young reliever, has posted a 0.95 ERA this season over 32 appearances and 38 innings, and his WHIP checks in at 0.953.
Right now both the Reds and the Orioles are young, fun, and winning. That makes for a great combination, and what we saw in 1970 could return at some point down the road, given the potential for both organizations over the next few years. Both teams have a good amount of upcoming prospects working through the minors. According to the most recent Top-100 prospects from MLB, the Orioles have seven players in the top 100, while the Reds have six (including De La Cruz).
These two teams could truly be the future of MLB.
Or maybe, just maybe, its present.
