Here's the one thing you need to know about whether the Orioles can jumpstart this season in late May: The bullpen is getting hot again.
For all of the Orioles' power and great defense, a steady rotation and a stout bullpen is what has really led this club to the playoffs in two of the past three seasons.
And, for the past week-plus, the bullpen is starting to flex its muscle again. Relievers have allowed just six earned runs over their past 30 1/3 innings (1.78 ERA).
That number has been, in part, stabilized by pitchers most Orioles fans couldn't pick out of a lineup – of Orioles: Tyler Wilson (who is back at Triple-A), Chaz Roe and Oliver Drake have all been impressive in their limited time in the majors.
That trio has allowed one run in eight innings.
What's more impressive is that Orioles manager Buck Showalter isn't afraid to use anyone right now in any situation. Case in point: On Monday, Drake entered in the top of the eighth of a one-run game. It was his second big league appearance and first at Camden Yards. And he mowed down all three Houston Astros, striking out two.
Drake's split-fingered fastball has been tough on both right-handers and left-handers, and so Showalter took a chance on the U.S. Naval Academy product against two lefties and a switch-hitter.
The eighth is usually the domain of Darren O'Day or Tommy Hunter – but Showalter went with the rookie, and he delivered.
And that's when you know the bullpen is rounding into form. When just about anyone can come out in any spot – and have a legitimate chance of doing the job.
That's not lost on the relievers.
"Definitely. That helps with us later on in the season," said Brad Brach, who picked up the win Monday with two scoreless innings. "You don't have to throw the same guys out there every single time. You see some other teams kind of have the same guys they go to every time.
"It kind of keeps us on our toes. At the same token, because any situation could be any guy and everybody's got to be ready to go, it keeps us ready to go and sharp."