Orioles Aim to Stop 8-Game Skid, Take On the Brewers

BALTIMORE — The Baltimore Orioles are spiraling. What started as a rough patch has snowballed into an eight-game losing streak that threatens to undo the momentum built over the past two seasons. Now, as they welcome the Milwaukee Brewers to Camden Yards, the Orioles are not just looking for a win—they’re fighting for stability, identity, and a path back into the thick of the playoff race.

At 23-26, the Orioles are dangerously close to the bottom of the American League East, a division where there’s little margin for error. Though there are still more than 100 games left to play, losing streaks of this magnitude tend to stick with a team. The time to turn things around is now, and the Brewers provide both an opportunity and a challenge.

A Sudden Collapse

Just two weeks ago, Baltimore was sitting above .500 and looking every bit the team that had surprised the league in 2023. Adley Rutschman was hitting over .300, Gunnar Henderson was pacing the team in power, and the pitching staff, while not elite, was holding its own.

Then came the losing streak.

What’s gone wrong? A little bit of everything.

Over the last eight games, the Orioles have batted just .214 as a team. Their slugging percentage has plummeted to .351, and they’ve averaged only 2.6 runs per game. Even worse, they’ve struck out 76 times during that stretch—nearly 10 per game—and walked just 21 times. Clutch hitting has disappeared, and situational at-bats have been squandered again and again.

But it’s not just the offense. The pitching staff has surrendered 47 runs during the skid, many of them coming in bunches. Starters haven’t been able to work deep into games, and the bullpen—once a strength—has been overexposed and underperforming.

Manager Brandon Hyde acknowledged the struggles after the team’s latest defeat, a 6-2 loss to the White Sox. “We’re not doing anything well right now,” he said bluntly. “We need to find a way to clean this up, and we need to do it quickly.”

Facing the Brewers: A Test of Resolve

The Brewers come to town as one of the top teams in the National League Central. At 29-19, Milwaukee has benefited from a breakout campaign by catcher William Contreras and the continued excellence of ace Freddy Peralta. Christian Yelich has also bounced back nicely after several down years, and rookie Jackson Chourio has flashed the promise that made him a top prospect.

This won’t be an easy series for Baltimore. The Brewers are 7-3 in their last 10 and just finished a road sweep of the Boston Red Sox, scoring 21 runs across the three games. Their bullpen, anchored by closer Joel Payamps and fireballer Abner Uribe, has been nearly untouchable in late-inning situations.

For the Orioles to break their losing streak, they’ll need to dig deep and rediscover the elements that made them contenders last season—youthful energy, aggressive baserunning, and timely hits.

Pressure on the Pitching

One of the most glaring problems during the losing streak has been the starting rotation. Kyle Bradish, back from injury, has struggled with command. Grayson Rodriguez has had moments of brilliance but hasn’t strung together consistent starts. Dean Kremer, expected to be a stabilizing force, was recently placed on the 15-day IL with a triceps strain.

With Kremer out, the Orioles will turn to John Means in Game 1 of the Brewers series. Means, still regaining form after Tommy John surgery, has looked decent in flashes, but he hasn’t gone more than five innings in a start this year. That means more pressure on the bullpen, particularly setup man Yennier Cano and lefty Cionel Pérez, who have logged heavy innings of late.

Game 2 will feature Rodriguez, and Game 3 is likely to see Bradish again, assuming no changes are made to the rotation. The Orioles don’t necessarily need complete-game shutouts from their starters, but they do need quality starts—six innings, three earned runs or fewer—to give the offense a chance.

The Offense: Searching for a Spark

The Orioles’ lineup is loaded with potential, but too many key bats have gone cold at the same time. Anthony Santander is 5-for-37 in his last 10 games. Ryan Mountcastle has just one extra-base hit in that span. Even Henderson, the team’s most consistent threat, is batting just .238 during the skid.

One bright spot has been Rutschman, who continues to hit from both sides of the plate and leads the team in on-base percentage. His approach at the plate hasn’t wavered, and he remains the heartbeat of the offense. But he can’t do it alone.

Veteran second baseman Jorge Mateo could see more playing time in the coming days, especially if rookie Jackson Holliday continues to struggle. Holliday, who entered the season with sky-high expectations, has batted just .167 in May and has appeared overwhelmed at times by MLB pitching.

Hyde may also shuffle the outfield mix. Colton Cowser and Kyle Stowers have both had their moments, but neither has taken command of an everyday role. Austin Hays, typically a reliable bat, has missed time with a lingering thumb injury and hasn’t looked fully healthy since returning.

If the Orioles are going to climb out of this rut, they’ll need a few of those slumping hitters to snap out of it—fast.

Clubhouse Mood: Not Panic, But Pressure

While there’s no sense of panic inside the Orioles’ clubhouse, the mood has definitely shifted. Winning streaks bring loose energy and laughter. Losing streaks bring introspection and urgency.

“It’s not fun right now,” Rutschman admitted after Sunday’s loss. “But we know the kind of team we are. We’re not going to let eight games define our season.”

Veteran leadership has become more important. James McCann, Kyle Gibson, and Craig Kimbrel have all taken more vocal roles in recent days, reminding younger players that slumps are part of a 162-game grind.

Hyde, for his part, remains steady. “We’ve been in tough spots before,” he said. “The only way out is through. Show up tomorrow, prepare the right way, and compete. That’s all we can do.”

The Road Ahead

After the Brewers series, things don’t get easier. The Orioles head to Houston to face the Astros before returning home for a three-game set with the first-place Yankees. It’s a stretch that could either re-energize their season or bury them deeper in the standings.

If the Orioles don’t start playing better baseball, executive vice president and GM Mike Elias may be forced to consider roster changes. With the trade deadline two months away, the team has time to evaluate its direction, but nobody in the front office expected to be asking questions about a potential fire sale in May.

Baltimore still has a strong farm system and a core of young, controllable talent. But the window for contention that opened last year won’t stay open forever. Momentum is everything in this league, and right now, the Orioles have none.

A Must-Win Mentality

Monday’s opener against Milwaukee isn’t technically a “must-win” game—but it might feel like one. Breaking the losing streak would take a massive weight off the team’s shoulders and set the tone for the rest of the week.

The crowd at Camden Yards is expected to be lively despite the skid. Orioles fans know how quickly things can change, and they’ve bought into the resurgence of this once-proud franchise. But patience has limits, and the longer the streak drags on, the louder the boos—and calls for change—could become.

If the Orioles can clean up the defense, get a decent start from Means, and scratch out a few early runs, it might just be the formula they need to get back on track.

Losing streaks are a test of character. The Orioles built a culture around resilience, energy, and youthful exuberance. Those traits are being tested now more than ever.

Against a surging Brewers team, Baltimore has a chance to prove that its early-season promise wasn’t a fluke. One win doesn’t erase an eight-game slide—but it could be the first step toward something better.

The pressure is on. The moment is here. Camden Yards awaits.