I try to look only a couple series ahead when it comes to baseball schedules. We have heard a lot how difficult the Orioles schedule is for the rest of the season, but how do their next couple series stack up against the rest of the American League East?
Let’s take a look.
The Red Sox are not included because that blow out loss last night pretty much cements their fate in terms of competing for the division. I feel like they have been done for weeks, but if you watch ESPN, they could have fooled you into thinking they were fighting for a division title.
Orioles – 3 games against Angels, 3 games against Mariners, 1 game at Nationals, 3 games at Toronto (Combined winning percentage – .551)
Blue Jays – 2 games at Boston, 4 games at Houston, 3 games against the Orioles (Combined winning percentage – .472)
Yankees – 2 games at Texas, 3 games at Boston, 4 games against Detroit (Combined winning percentage – .468)
Rays – 2 games against Milwaukee, 3 games against Angels, 3 games at Oakland (Combined winning percentage – .592)
The Yankees have the easiest schedule over the next couple of series, but three games at Boston is never easy and four games against Detroit will be very difficult. The Blue Jays luck out with a four-game trip to Houston, but the O’s will have their shot to balance that out with the three-game set.
Speaking of the Orioles, the next 10 games won’t be easy. Their one off day is now gone as they have to travel to face the Nationals, followed immediately by a trip to Toronto. It is amazing how much bad luck they have faced in terms of scheduling. The Rays face an insanely difficult schedule over the next week. Not only are they facing playoff-caliber teams, but after playing home against the Angels, they travel across the country to face the A’s with no off-day. Rough.
After a 10-game road trip, it would have been nice if a team like the Astros were coming to town, and I would definitely feel better if they were able to actually have their next scheduled off day. However, that is the not the case. No matter how the next few games end up, that series in Toronto, where it seems like home runs happen every other swing, is going to be crucial in setting up the final stretch run of the season.
