Have injuries caused Orioles’ offense to struggle? / MAILBAG

Most weekdays, I’ll be answering at least one Orioles question. If you’d like to submit a question, send it to: Rich@BaltimoreBaseball.com. Questions may be edited for clarity, length and style.

Question: How much do you think the injuries have been the reason the offense has struggled? I don’t think they will make it past the first round if the bats don’t wake up. What do you think, Rich? From: Bruce Llewellyn from  Lakeland, Florida

Answer: Bruce, I think the injuries to Jordan Westburg, Ramón Urías and Ryan Mountcastle hurt the offense greatly. The injury to Westburg was the most damaging. They had to play an inexperienced Jackson Holliday more than they would have liked to, and Urías’ injury forced them to try Emmanuel Rivera and occasionally Coby Mayo at third. Mountcastle’s injury caused Ryan O’Hearn to play more than he would have.

Now that Urías and Westburg are back, with Mountcastle possibly joining them, the offense will be stronger, though it will be hard to get them all rolling in the next six games.

You’re correct that if the offense doesn’t produce, they’re not likely to win a wild-card series.

Question: I think you may have addressed this in the past, but I continue to be perplexed by Adley Rutschman always taking the first pitch. At this point, opposing hurlers must know that they can get ahead in the count by throwing a strike on the first pitch, and location isn’t important. I don’t understand why a batter would be willing to fall behind in the count in every at-bat. From: Bill Sundheim from New Jersey

Answer: Bill, this season, Rutschman is batting .211 (12-for-57) when he swings at the first pitch and .256 (126-for-491) when he takes the first pitch. He’s obviously done much worse in 2024 when he’s swung at the first pitch.