Seemingly out of nowhere, the Baltimore Orioles are on the edge of a postseason berth, just 0.5 games behind the team they are facing on Sunday, the Tampa Bay Rays. However, their playoff aspirations could take a hit, with Ryan Mountcastle unavailable and listed as day-to-day with a wrist injury.
Brandon Hyde: ?We?ve fought for four and a half months. We?ve put ourselves in position [for the playoffs].?
— Andy Kostka (@afkostka) August 14, 2022
? The Orioles are fully vaccinated, as we knew, so no roster moves needed for that reason
? Ryan Mountcastle is day-to-day. Left hand/wrist is sore and tender
Mountcastle has been a fixture atop the batting order, ranking second on the O’s in runs batted in and home runs while compiling the third-best on-base plus slugging percentage. Moreover, his injury leaves the Orioles dangerously thin at first base.
Terrin Vavra was seen taking ground balls at first ahead of Sunday’s matinee, with Baltimore deferring the start to Tyler Nevin.
The Orioles’ perceived value has taken a hit with Mountcastle out on Sunday. The betting line at FanDuel Sportsbook has shifted towards the home side, with Baltimore priced as +154 underdogs. Similarly, the total has tanked ahead of first pitch, with the under 7.5 currently listed at -124.
