Last stretch of season still majorly important for Orioles despite no playoffs

There is going to be no postseason for the Baltimore Orioles this year, cementing them as one of the most disappointing teams in baseball.

In the preseason, expectations were high for the franchise. They had qualified for the playoffs in two straight years and looked to be a team on the rise, with their young lineup providing a lot of optimism moving forward. The question was whether the pitching staff would produce enough to complement them.

Rather quickly, the answer to that was revealed. The pitching staff didn’t have enough to raise the team to the next level. But they weren’t the only ones struggling, as the lineup saw several players regress, whether it was because of injury or just not playing well.

Orioles still have a lot up for grabs down the stretch

Jeremiah Jackson, Jordan Westbur — Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

As a result, the Orioles find themselves in a position they never thought they would be in. Counting ping pong balls for the MLB Draft Lottery will be in their future, and how they perform down the stretch of the season will have a major impact on their odds of landing the No. 1 pick.

As shared by Matt Weyrich of The Baltimore Sun, there are a lot of potential outcomes for Baltimore over the final stretch of the season. They can land anywhere between having the fourth-best odds of landing the first overall pick or the ninth. With 11 games remaining, it will be interesting to see what unfolds.

The Orioles might be eliminated from the playoffs, but how well (or poorly) they play over their last 11 games could be the difference between the fourth-best and ninth-best lottery odds for next year’s MLB draft. pic.twitter.com/vOm4VHqfzK
— Matt Weyrich (@ByMattWeyrich) September 17, 2025

There are likely some fans who would like to see the Orioles go 0-11. That would give them the best shot at improving their odds as much as possible to get the first overall pick. The last two times Baltimore selected first overall, they did rather well, landing Adley Rutschman in 2019 and Jackson Holliday in 2022.

However, it is hard to envision the team rolling over in that fashion. While things haven’t gone their way this year, they are still professional athletes; no one wants to go out on the field and embarrass themselves, so effort should still be at a high level.

Some of those players are looking to cash in as free agents this offseason or play for a role on the team next year, which gives incentive to produce as much as possible. A bad finish to 2025 could sour the front office’s outlook on how they fit long-term with the franchise.

Additionally, the jobs of numerous personnel are at stake. A good example is interim manager Tony Mansolino, who has led the Orioles to a 56-52 record since he took over. A good showing down the stretch and keeping the players engaged, even with nothing to play for besides pride, would only improve his odds of staying on full-time. If the organization opts to go in a different direction, having a winning record on his resume can only help when interviewing for future jobs.

This isn’t a team that has quit despite their losing record, performing above their Pythagorean win-loss record. Mansolino has them playing some spirited baseball, going 10-4 thus far in September. Expect that level of performance to continue because improving the odds of landing the No. 1 pick in the 2026 MLB Draft has zero bearing on the players and coaches currently on the field.

Orioles still have a lot up for grabs down the stretch

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