At the start of the series against the Kansas City Royals on Friday evening, the Baltimore Orioles got out of at least one chance of scoring, already hit two double games a third time this season and had an outfield on the wrong basis.
Such a ruffled game gave an overwhelming early impression in the 2025 season, especially for a team that was preferred in some places to win the Al East, and most expected to fight a playoff place. Before his team took up the field on Saturday afternoon, manager Brandon Hyde seemed confident that Baltimores game would improve, but he also admitted that it required a lot of work.
“We could play much better than we play,” said Hyde. “We had a few games in which we swung the racket very well. I think our bullpen was largely well positioned. We just didn’t say – we didn’t put together a few games in a row.”
His players took a step in this direction with an 8-1 strike by the Royals in the Kauffman Stadium, broke a defeat of three games and brought the record of the Orioles to a total of 4: 5.
The right-handed Tomoyuki Sugano, an important free agent from Japan, effectively made his second major League start into the sixth inning and won his first victory. Hyde said he estimated Sugano to get 19 outs on 89 parking spaces – a longer effort than his first trip – which the Orioles needed to rest some relief jugs.
Tyler O’Neill, Gary Sánchez and Jackson Holliday drove in two runs each, the Bullpen did not allow hits in 3 2/3 goalless Innerings, and Baltimore made no significant defense mistakes. It could have been the previous game of Orioles, with Gunnar Henderson’s 0-by-5 an exception.
Hyde said that Sugano “looked much more comfortable” than in his first start a week ago on Sunday in Toronto Blue Jays, which was shortened in both hands due to cramps.
“He had a really good command like in spring training,” said Hyde about Sugano, who allowed Jr. Bobby Witt with a six-run lead in sixth place for Kansas City’s Lone Run.
The Orioles took 10th place in runs per game, although Hyde said that his offensive does not yet have to find a consistency in a complete series. Hyde congratulated his thugs because he had appeared in moments against the right -handed Michael Wacha, and said that a strong wind from the middle prevented several fly balls from walking over the fence.
“I think we will swing the racket this year,” said Hyde. “We are dangerous up and down.”
The Orioles have taken the pace in other aspects. Hyde had no basic errors to complain about or rationalize, and nobody threw the wrong base on Friday when O’Neill collected a two-off-Bloop single and incorrectly fired the ball onto the second basis when Witt raced home. The result was a rare three-run single for Vinnie Pasquantino, which was slowed down by a tense knee tendon.
“We now had a similar situation three times,” said Hyde. “Tyler understands: This ball has to go on the plate. He played well, just a few mistakes.”
Hyde praised O’Neill for working on such scenarios during the Saturday before the game.
“We have to play better defensively so that we can compete,” said Hyde.
The Orioles did not stand in a huge hole like the Atlanta Braves with 0-7 and 1-8. Baltimore did not yet have its full list, and Henderson only resigned in Kansas City after a muscle pollution near his chest had held towards the end of the spring training. She also lost the Outfield Colton Cowser in the season when a pitch broke his thumb. The starting trotation was also not in full strength, especially with the right -handed Grayson Rodríguez, which suffered the inflammation of the elbow at the end of March.
Orioles player probably heard concerns about the direction of the club in the season. Baltimore won 91 games a year ago and fell on the Royals in the Al Wild Card series. It won 101 games two years ago and took first place in Al East. The front office was criticized in 2025 because he had released the right -handed Corbin Burnes, who signed the Arizona Diamondbacks in the Free Agency, without replacing it with a reasonable talent at the top of the rotation. They also let the Outfield Anthony Santander go to the free agency to the Blue Jays – however, as Hyde said, they seem to be deep on the offensive.
The right -handed man of Orioles, Zach Eflin, her best pitcher, admitted that such action lines exist, but he has not drawn any conclusions based on less than 10 games.
“It’s so early,” said Eflin. “I have no answer for you. It is only – what – eight games in? It is a long season, 162 games. It is a little early to speculate or give an opinion that is based on how we are currently playing.
“The morals of the teams are great. We all have a number of energy that we show every day. We expect to win and we will continue to do so.”
