![\"Shane](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/2277329739.jpg\")
Shane Baz f the Baltimore Orioles walks back to the dugout in the middle of the third inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field on May 20, 2026 in St Petersburg, Florida. Getty Images<\/p>\nThe addition of some thump in the offseason hasn\u2019t helped the Orioles avoid a dud early this season. <\/p>\n
And one of their television broadcasters put his feelings about the state of the last-place team on full display after Baltimore\u2019s third straight loss to the rival Rays on Wednesday afternoon. <\/p>\n
MASN analyst Ben McDonald used the postgame show after a 5-3 loss \u2014 one in which the Orioles allowed four runs in the bottom of the eighth inning \u2014 to discuss what he believes is wrong with the team. <\/p>\n
In short, he couldn\u2019t care less about any expected stats or analytics, but that at the end of the day, the team is 21-29 and in the basement of the American League East. <\/p>\n
Shane Baz f the Baltimore Orioles walks back to the dugout in the middle of the third inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field on May 20, 2026 in St Petersburg, Florida. Getty Images<\/p>\n
\u201cWe can talk about analytics and what could happen and what should happen if you hit the ball hard. But I don\u2019t care if you hit the ball hard. Like, I don\u2019t care if you hit it hard and you hit it to somebody. You\u2019re out. I don\u2019t care how hard you throw ball four. I don\u2019t care what your spin rate was on your breaking ball if you bounce it three feet in front of home plate. I don\u2019t care,\u201d McDonald said, via the Baltimore Banner<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat I care about is, do you make plays? Do you make pitches? Do you get hits when it matters? And that\u2019s what the Orioles are struggling to do right now. They are struggling to complete ball games. They are struggling to have all phases of the game go right at the same time. That\u2019s where the struggle is. So, all this nonsense is eyewash to me about all this analytical stuff. You either do or you don\u2019t. And right now, the Orioles don\u2019t. They are not doing it and they\u2019re not playing well right now. That\u2019s the bottom line.\u201d <\/p>\n The Orioles and president of baseball operations Mike Elias made some splashes in the offseason, signing former Mets All-Star Pete Alonso to a five-year, $155 million contract<\/a> and trading for right-hander Shane Baz, who later inked a five-year extension<\/a>.<\/p>\n Alonso, who went deep Wednesday, now has nine homers through May 20, but his .744 OPS is well below his career norms and over 100 points lower than his total (.871) from last year in New York. Baz had one of his best starts of the year on Wednesday (six innings, one run), but has a 4.87 ERA and 1.45 WHIP this year.<\/p>\n As a team, the Orioles offense ranks 18th in OPS (.700) while the pitching staff is 26th in ERA (4.97). <\/p>\n In the three-game sweep at the hands of the Rays, the Orioles were outscored 25-10. Manager Craig Albernaz didn\u2019t mince words about the latest loss. <\/p>\n![\"Baltimore](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/20260513_jla_ax1_110.jpg\")
Baltimore Orioles first baseman Pete Alonso (25) returns to the dugout after driving in a run and being caught in a rundown during the third inning against the New York Yankees at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mitch Stringer-Imagn Images<\/p>\n