If the O's win the AL East, their division record will play a big role

The standings show that the Orioles, with their 2-0 win over the Tampa Bay Rays last night, are half a game ahead of the Yankees and now lead the division. The Orioles (82-60) have 20 games left to play and New York (81-60) has 21.

But one real difference is each club's record in the American League East, the games played within the division. The Orioles have a 7 1/2 game lead in that within-a-division record.

After their ninth win in 11 games this year against Tampa Bay, the Orioles are 29-15 in AL East games. New York is 22-23. Big difference.

Here are the teams' records in divisional play in 2024, and the Orioles are the only club with a record above .500.

.659 – Orioles (29-15)
.500 – Boston (18-18)
.489 – New York (22-23)
.435 – Toronto (20-26)
.415 – Tampa Bay (17-24)

The Orioles are 9-2 against the Rays and have outscored them 54-25 in those 11 games, and will have their best record of the season against Tampa Bay. Even if they lose the next two games, the O's will finish 9-4 (.692) against the Rays.

Their best previous results against Tampa Bay came in 2006 and 2016, when they went 13-6 with a .684 winning percentage. The O's were 12-6 against the Rays in 2005 with a .667 winning percentage.

So no O's team will beat Tampa Bay by as much odds as the Orioles did in 2024. We're just waiting for two more results to get the final score.

In addition to this brilliant record against the Rays, the Orioles are 6-4 against the Yankees, 7-3 against the Red Sox and 7-6 against Toronto.

They are 8-2-3 in 13 division series and have only lost series against New York and Toronto.

Baltimore's pitchers had a 2.22 ERA against Tampa Bay this season, even before pitching a shutout Friday night. Their ERA for the year in all AL East games was 3.28 last night, when they pitched their second shutout in three games and ninth for the year.

The Orioles now have a record of 4-1, a 2.20 ERA and two shutouts in their last five games.

Six days after suffering a blow to his right forearm that would have landed him on the injured list, right-hander Dean Kremer pitched a no-hitter through the seventh inning last night, allowing two hits and no runs in six innings.

In his last five starts, Kremer has had four good starts, going 3-0 with a 2.96 ERA. He has allowed one or no runs three times and has allowed 22 hits and nine runs in 27 1/3 innings.

Bullpen right-hander Yennier Cano threw from a bases-loaded, no-out situation in the seventh inning to save the day for the Orioles, who managed three hitless innings with their bullpen.

In the last 14 games, the O's bullpen has a 1.88 ERA and has allowed one or no runs 11 times.

Right-hander Seranthony Domínguez is now the clear closer and picked up his ninth save last night and his eighth with Baltimore. In 17 O's games, he has 8 of 8 save chances with a 2.76 ERA, a .183 batting average against and a 0.92 WHIP.

The Orioles are now 4-1 this month, have won eight of their last 13 games and are 24-22 in the second half.

Gunnar Henderson made two errors late in the game and has made 23 errors this year. He hit his 36th home run in the sixth inning to give the team a 2-0 lead. It was his third home run in the last four games and he has hit seven in the last 22 games. He has hit 11 in 43 AL East games.

The O's host Tampa Bay today at 4:05 p.m., and right-hander Zach Eflin (10-7, 3.60 ERA) will face his former team, the one he pitched seven innings and one run against at the Trop on August 9.

Eflin is 5-0 with a 1.95 ERA and a .959 WHIP in his five starts for the Orioles. He is 3-0 with a 0.90 ERA in his last three starts.

If the O's deliver another well-pitched game against the Rays today, they can extend their season success in the AL East.