Austin Hays on Alex Cora's comments and more

The Orioles' level of play has improved, no doubt, over the team that lost 110 games in 2021. That club won just 20 of 76 American League East division games (.263) last year and the current Orioles are 11-16 (.407) in the division.

They just completed a two-week run of games versus the AL East and went 7-8 against the Yankees, Rays, Yankees again and Red Sox. This run started with three straight losses at home to the Yankees and ended with a 7-5 stretch.

The Orioles have gone 4-9 versus the Yankees and 7-7 combined against the Rays and Red Sox, a year after going a combined 7-31 against those two clubs.

Red Sox manager Alex Cora threw the Orioles some props with reporters after Baltimore hammered his team 10-0 last night to win that series, three victories to two.

“Stuff-wise, they’re (pitching) really good,” Cora told reporters Monday night. “You see it. Everybody sees it. We saw it early in the season. … I'm not surprised, because that's how it started in Houston. It started with pitching.”

This follows a comment not long back from Rays outfielder Kevin Kiermaier that the Orioles are "not that far away."

The Orioles are 5-3 against Cora's team and have won both series versus the Red Sox.

“They’re really good,” Cora added. “They’re catching the ball a lot better than last year and the pitching keeps them in the game. They’ve got some solid hitters that hit the ball out of the ballpark. That was the whole series right there. We didn't keep it in the ballpark. They did damage, and that's why they won the series.”

In the Orioles clubhouse this afternoon, outfielder Austin Hays was asked about Cora’s praise for his club.

“I think he used the word relentless. I don’t know if it was that interview or another one," Hays said. "He used the word relentless and that is just where we’re at. We want to be relentless and not give any at-bats away. Just stay on the attack. It’s nice to hear that from someone on the other team."

I asked Hays why the club is playing better now within the division.

“I don’t know if it’s some guys have some experiences now," he said. :We’re playing a lot of the same players. Pitchers are facing the same hitters and we are facing the same staffs we have seen. It could be that. It could be guys are building confidence with better routines night in and night out. There are a few things it could be.”

And it seems there is belief for the Orioles now that they can finally play with those teams.

“Absolutely,” said Hays. “We really believe we are going to win when we come to the park every night. No matter whether it’s Yankee Stadium, Camden Yards or Fenway. We believe we are now a better team that will win the game.”

Winning clubs often seem to have plenty of energy. The Orioles have that lately and play with some fire and show emotion many nights.

“Yeah, I think it is coming with a lot of guys having success,” said Hays. “I think that builds a lot of confidence, especially dealing with some of the failures we’ve dealt with the last couple years. We’re seeing a good core group of players on the team playing well and just bringing a lot of energy to the dugout every night.

"I’ve said it before – but our pitching staff keeping us in every single game and us having a chance every inning to take the lead, that in itself gives you a lot of energy when you are not down big. They have done a good job allowing our offense to have a chance night in and night out."

And Hays believes bringing the energy and emotion helps the offense.

“I would say from the offensive standpoint, everyone has each others’ back," he said. "It is one at-bat to the next and you’re never giving an at-bat away. You’re not chasing pitches and making the pitcher make a mistake and come into the zone. When you have nine guys buying into that and believing that you just continue to pass the baton to one another. You build good at-bats and good innings that way. That is why we are experiencing a lot of success right now."

The Orioles are 12-11 at home this year as they began a homestand tonight against the Mariners. A win tonight would give then a .500 record in May at 15-15.