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Orioles continue to surprise in AL East
- Updated: July 18, 2016
ST. PETERSBURG — The Toronto Blue Jays, at least on paper, arguably have the best team in the American League East. The Boston Red Sox, with an improved pitching staff, are coming on fast.
That leaves the surprising Baltimore Orioles, who desperately need pitching help, atop the division by two games as they invade Yankee Stadium on Monday night. The four-game series should answer questions about both the O’s and the Yankees.
Are the Orioles, powered by their Major League-leading 141 homers, equipped to remain in front of the Red Sox and Blue Jays during the remaining 72 games? Can O’s executive vice president of baseball operations Dan Duquette wrangle a deal for a starting pitcher?
Unlike the Red Sox, who landed All-Star left-hander Drew Pomeranz from the San Diego Padres on Thursday, the Orioles lack the quality prospects to swing a deal.
That said, Oakland’s Rich Hill is obviously on Duquette’s radar. Or even Tampa Bay’s Jake Odorizzi, who beat Baltimore on Sunday at Tropicana Field. Few baseball executives are as shrewd as Duquette at pulling off 11th-hour deals.
The non-waiver Trade Deadline is Aug. 1.
And the footnote to this is whether the once-mighty Yankees — struggling at a game under .500 (45-46) — can somehow become a contender. How well they play against the Orioles may be a clue.
Sunday, against the Rays, manager Buck Showalter took a step at improving the Orioles’ rotation by starting Dylan Bundy, who’d pitched 38 innings in relief this summer. The fourth pick in the 2011 Draft, the 23-year-old Bundy underwent Tommy John surgery in 2013 and was hampered by shoulder problems last season. He was once one of the most promising young pitchers in all of baseball.
The Rays won, 5-2, and all four runs Bundy allowed were the …
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