Okay, before we anoint our stud, a bit of group therapy. Yes, it was a lousy week in Birdland. We found out that Manny Machado was out for the season (oof!) before getting swept by the so-so Cubbies (eek!). Then, to add insult to injury, the Yanks won four in a row (why??). But let’s all take deep cleansing breaths here. The Os are still in first place in the AL East (with an eye-popping 73-55 record) and they are still 6 games ahead of those pesky Yanks. Indeed, the Orioles have been so consistently great this season, they have us all spoiled. Remember, even the best teams go through mini slumps. And right before the Cubs swept us, we swept the White Sox. So…Chicago giveth, Chicago taketh away?
Also, this happened.
Anyway, onto our stud.
Stud of the Week for August 18-24
Wei-Yin Chen
The Line:
One win, 14.1 innings pitched, 10 hits, 13 strikeouts, 4 earned runs.
Studliest Moment:
In Wednesday’s 4-3 win against the White Sox, Chen struck out 7 batters, including Avisail Garcia with a man on third and two outs in the fifth, with the Os clinging to a 3-2 lead.
The Clincher:
With a 13-4 record, a 3.76 ERA, and an unflappable presence on the mound, Chen is proving to be exactly the kind of number two starter a championship team needs on its roster. Yes, we said championship. We still believe, Os fans!