Baltimore Orioles relying on team unity to extend ALDS against Texas Rangers
BALTIMORE - The Baltimore Orioles face an uphill fight to stay alive in the playoffs.
The players say they will take on that fight together.
The O's say "unity" is a big part of what's made them one of the best teams in baseball this year.
More than 100 victories, and an American League East championship, aren't the only measures of the Orioles' success.
There are elements of who they are and what they do that don't show up on a stat sheet.
"It's awesome leadership, take care of each other, team-first attitude, and it's genuinely a really selfless group," Manager Brandon Hyde said.
Adley Rutschman is one of the team leaders and part of the recent infusion of young talent, guys who played in the minor leagues together and are now growing up together as big leagues.
"I think it's what makes our clubhouse so close, is that you have guys that care about each other genuinely, and it makes it that much more exciting going to the ballpark each day," Rutschman said.
The Orioles now count on that closeness to help pick each other up, down two games in the best-of-five playoff series.
"This is the time to rally around one another and not turn your back on your teammate, or think about anything in a selfish way," Orioles outfielder Austin Hays said. "We are all in this together and we are going to continue to fight together, and I think it's what you need when you are down two games and need to win three in a row. You got to have a group of guys willing to jump in the fire face-first together."
WJZ's Mark Viviano asked Hyde about the value to him of having a group of guys who are so unified.
"For me, it's a huge deal, just because you're living together for six months and you're in such close quarters, and you're fighting together on a nightly basis," Hyde said. "How does it happen? I think it started a long time ago. We created a pretty good clubhouse culture in some really lean years. And like I said, a ton, you couldn't walk into our clubhouse two or three or four years ago and feel there is a 100-loss team, but there was actually a genuine positivity that was going on. Some of those core guys are still here. I think we carried that into this year."
The Orioles have emerged from the lean years as a team that could be a contender for years to come.
However, the immediate focus is working together to rally against the Texas Rangers.
Game three is at 8 p.m. on Tuesday in Texas. Dean Kremer will start on the mound for the Orioles.