BALTIMORE—Orioles first base coach Jason Bourgeois played for six teams in his eight-year major league career. Although he moved around often, he never changed teams at the trade deadline.
There’s so much uncertainty involving the Orioles as they prepare for Sunday’s final game of a three-game series against the Philadelphia Phillies. No one knows how many deals they’ll make before Monday’s 6 p.m. trade deadline.
“You hope to stack your deck and be in a position to really make a move,” Bourgeois said. “I’m not sure where we land on that point. I just try to focus on today’s game, prepare our guys to go, but I can tell it does build some anxiety in the clubhouse.
“Guys want to win, no doubt, and they want those guys surrounding them in a position to win also, and it brings anxiety, but yet it brings some promising moves to be made as well, knowing that the front office wants the best for us and we’re looking forward to seeing what happens.”
The Orioles begin Sunday 1 ½ games behind Cleveland and Minnesota, who are tied for the final wild-card spot. Bourgeois thinks the Orioles have a good chance for the postseason.
“No doubt, especially with the wild card the way it is,” Bourgeois said. The Orioles have a series in Minnesota from August 10th-12th, and host Cleveland September 7th-9th.
“I feel like we compare to those guys just as much as we compare to anybody else with a chance to win,” Bourgeois said.
Notes: Ryan Mountcastle, who suffered an oblique strain while preparing for a rehab game at Triple-A Norfolk, was in the clubhouse this weekend. So was Jordan Westburg, who had Tommy John surgery in May. … The Orioles lead baseball with 25 pinch-hit RBIs.
Orioles-Phillies lineups
Orioles
Dylan Beavers-LF
Pete Alonso-1B
Gunnar Henderson-SS
Taylor Ward-DH
Jackson Holliday-2B
Christian Encarnacion-Strand-3B
Leody Taveras-RF
Colton Cowser-CF
Jake Rogers-C
Kyle Bradish-RHP
Phillies
Trea Turner-SS
Kyle Schwarber-DH
Bryce Harper-1B
Alec Bohm-3B
Brandon Marsh-LF
J.T. Realmuto-C
Bryson Stott-2B
Justin Crawford-CF
Bryan De La Cruz-RF
Zack Wheeler-RHP
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