Five keys to a more successful May

April wasn’t the Orioles’ month. 

After entering the season with lofty expectations, Baltimore has fallen flat to kick off the new campaign. The Birds won just 9 of their 25 contests in April, bringing more showers than flowers. Maybe that’s what May is for. 

The O’s went 17-9 in May of 2024, and they would love a repeat performance in 2025 to turn their season around. 

Here, let’s break down five factors that could propel them in the right direction. 

Zach Eflin 

Eflin’s return to the big leagues is a sight for sore eyes to say the least. While his exact timetable is yet to be known, the veteran right-hander is itching to get back on a major league mound. 

“I’ve felt good now for a week and a half, two weeks,” Eflin told reporters a few days ago. “Just really going a little crazy but ready to get out there ASAP.”

Eflin made his first, and perhaps only, rehab start in Aberdeen on Sunday, tossing 58 pitches over the span of four innings. He didn’t allow a run on two hits, two walks and four strikeouts. Of course, his numbers are far less significant than how his arm feels, and if all goes well, he may not need more time on the farm. 

The O’s starting rotation, which enters tonight’s game against the Twins with a 5.69 ERA, has lacked consistency. That’s exactly what Eflin brought to start the year, completing six innings with no more than three earned runs in each of his first three starts.  

Dean Kremer

Speaking of consistency, Baltimore is hoping for more of that from Kremer now that the calendar has flipped to May. 

While the Orioles’ slow April has been a surprise as a whole, it wasn’t all that shocking for Kremer, who has started slow throughout the course of his career. In March and April, the right-hander’s career ERA is all the way up at 6.24. That number plummets to a 3.72 in May, a turnaround displayed in last Friday’s start against the Royals. 

Kremer tossed seven scoreless innings against Kansas City, allowing just three hits and walking one. It was the first time all season that he had worked into the sixth inning, let alone the seventh. 

If Eflin is back to his early season form, Kremer produces another stellar May, and Tomoyuki Sugano and Cade Povich keep providing reliable outings, all of a sudden, you look at the O’s rotation very differently. 

Tyler O’Neill 

If the rotation is going to turn things around, the lineup will still need to follow suit to produce a better record, especially against left-handed pitching. O’Neill, whenever he returns from his stint on the injured list, is going to have to be the driving force of that change. 

Entering tonight’s game, the O’s have been the worst lineup in the league against lefties, with a .179/.261/.240 slash line, good for a .501 OPS. That isn’t going to cut it. 

O’Neill’s numbers aren’t exactly helping. The outfielder has just two hits in 21 plate appearances against southpaws this season, both singles. His .190 OPS against lefties is a far cry from his .891 career OPS against left-handers. So, let’s assume that some positive regression to the mean is in order. 

Jordan Westburg 

Where else has the Orioles lineup struggled this season? With runners in scoring position. 

Similarly to their struggles against lefties, the O’s have the worst batting average in the league with runners in scoring position, hitting just .192 with a .576 OPS. 

Westburg, who has been batting through injuries all season, was arguably Baltimore’s most clutch hitter in 2024. In his All-Star campaign, Westy hit .281 with a .923 OPS with runners in scoring position, driving in 43 runners in 89 at-bats. 

A healthy Westburg will be a big boost on and off the field. 

Brandon Hyde 

The Orioles find themselves in a hole. At 13-20, there isn’t much margin for error. 

Clubs don’t often find themselves with many “must-wins” in the month of May, but that could just be where Baltimore stands. As such, day-to-day lineups and bullpen choices seemingly carry much more weight, as missteps here or there can derail much needed momentum. 

How will lineup construction be changed? How will Hyde maneuver with an oft-taxed bullpen? 

Yes, it’s only May. But if the O’s want to turn things around, we may see Hyde manage the team as if it’s September.