Home field advantage in MLB playoffs may not be the benefit Orioles fans hope

The Baltimore Orioles concluded the 2024 common season with a powerful, 5-1 highway journey in opposition to the playoff-bound Yankees and the Minnesota Twins. On Tuesday evening within the Bronx, the Orioles clinched a spot within the 2024 post-season, and after Friday evening’s win in Minnesota, the Orioles clinched the quantity 4 seed, which ensures them dwelling area benefit within the best-of-three Wild Card collection this yr.

There’s only one drawback: opening the playoffs at dwelling might not current a major benefit for the Baltimore Orioles.

Throughout their stretch of success that has spanned the final two seasons, the Orioles have performed higher away from Camden Yards than at Camden Yards. In 2023, the Orioles have been 52-29 on the highway (.642 successful proportion) versus 49-32 at dwelling (.605 successful proportion). The truth is, it was the Orioles’ struggles at dwelling following their two dwelling playoff losses to Texas that gave Orioles’ followers hope going into (an in the end ill-fated) Recreation 3 final yr in Arlington.

Issues remained the identical in 2024, regardless of the Orioles successful ten fewer video games than in 2023. The Orioles have been 47-34 away from Camden Yards (.575 successful proportion), versus solely 44-37 at dwelling (.540 successful proportion). The Orioles scored 411 runs (121 dwelling runs) on the highway this yr, versus solely 375 (112 dwelling runs) at dwelling. And regardless of having a decrease ERA at dwelling than on the highway, the Orioles allowed the next batting common, on base proportion, slugging proportion, and OPS at Camden Yards.

The Orioles’ incomes dwelling area within the Wild Card might not present the benefit followers hope for

To be truthful, the Orioles have misplaced 8 straight playoff video games. 4 of the losses got here at dwelling (twice in opposition to KC in 2014, twice final yr in Texas) and 4 on the highway (twice in KC in 2014, as soon as in Toronto in 2016, as soon as final yr in Texas). Loopy because it sounds, the Orioles haven’t received a house playoff sport since sport 2 of the 2014 ALDS in opposition to the Tigers, when Delmon Younger heroically smacked a three-run double into the left-field nook to show a two-run deficit right into a one-run lead.

Regardless of the numbers and dangerous reminiscences from final season’s dwelling playoff video games in opposition to the Rangers, the Orioles and their followers ought to be excited for them to open the playoffs at dwelling this yr. The Orioles’ away document is best than their dwelling document principally as a result of the Orioles are a very good highway crew, not as a result of they’re a poor dwelling crew.

They’re nonetheless 93-69 at Camden Yards over the past two years and have performed a few of their most enjoyable video games in Baltimore this season. With the playoffs set to begin at Camden Yards on Tuesday, O’s followers have lots to stay up for this week, no matter the place the crew is taking part in.

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