Aug 23, 2021
Morning Coffee: Orioles lose 18th game in a row
The Baltimore Orioles will get the day off on Monday. That’s one more day we can add to the counter since their last win on Aug. 2. The Orioles have lost 18 straight games. That’s the longest losing streak in the majors since the Kansas City Royals lost 19 in a row in 2005.
The Baltimore Orioles will get the day off on Monday.
That’s one more day we can add to the counter since their last win on Aug. 2.
Remember three weeks ago when the Orioles hit five home runs at Yankee Stadium and a cat ran onto the field? The Orioles have lost every game since then, 18 Ls in a row.
— Lindsey Adler (@lindseyadler) August 22, 2021
The Orioles have lost 18 straight games. That’s the longest losing streak in the majors since the Kansas City Royals lost 19 in a row in 2005.
They had a lead in nine of those 18 losses. Baltimore ended up losing all but one of those games by two runs or more.
Here is the Morning Coffee for Monday, Aug. 23, 2021.
Orioles closing on all-time record
For as bad as things have been, the Orioles still have a small cushion between them and the all-time MLB record for consecutive losses.
In 1889, the Louisville Colonels lost 26 straight.
So, what are the chances that this Baltimore team matches a losing streak set more than a century ago?
Their next three games will be pivotal.
The Orioles' active 18-game losing streak is the longest in MLB since the Royals lost 19 straight in 2005. pic.twitter.com/qkyJ7bOhb4
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) August 22, 2021
The Orioles will host a three-game set against the Los Angeles Angels before welcoming the Tampa Bay Rays to town for three more.
For a little perspective, Baltimore was just outscored 34-8 in a four-game sweep at the hands of the Rays last week.
After that, the Orioles head on the road for three games against the Toronto Blue Jays.
Baltimore is 21-45 on the road.
If the Orioles can’t end their slide against the Angels, they will be five losses away from the all-time MLB record heading into back-to-back series with Tampa Bay and Toronto.
Sure, the Orioles are bad at baseball, but this was a phenomenal reenactment of a tragic Renaissance painting. pic.twitter.com/8POKq1w0XK
— Tyler Young (@_TyYoung) August 22, 2021
The bad news – Shohei Ohtani is scheduled to start on Tuesday.
The good news – they also get to face Dylan Bundy and Jose Quintana, who both have ERAs north of 6.00.
With a remaining schedule that is loaded with playoff contenders, there will be ample opportunity to fade the Orioles the rest of the way.
As for the next three days, I’m just interested to see if Baltimore can snap the skid before they have to face the Rays again.
Miggy hits 500th career home run
Miguel Cabrera became the 28th player in major-league history to hit 500 career home runs as the Detroit Tigers (+220) beat the Toronto Blue Jays 5-3 in 11 innings.
Per ESPN Stats & Info, Cabrera is one of five players ever with 500 home runs and a career batting average above .310.
Toronto was the biggest favourite on the board on Sunday. The Blue Jays have now lost seven of their past nine overall. They were the favourite to win all nine of them.
Toronto’s loss was the biggest of several upsets in the majors on Sunday, as MLB favourites went 7-6.
As of this morning, the Blue Jays have just an 11.2 per cent chance to make the playoffs, according to FanGraphs.
If they ultimately fall short of the postseason, we can point to their inability to win games they are expected to win.
Toronto is 43-34 as a betting favourite this season. That’s a 55.8 per cent win rate as a betting favourite, which ranks 22nd in the majors.
For perspective, the Rays are 52-27 as a betting favourite, which is a 65.8 per cent win rate.
The Blue Jays are back in action tonight in the first of a four-game set against the Chicago White Sox.
Right now, that game is a pick’em.
MLB hot streaks collide
While fading the Orioles has been fun, backing the Braves and the Yankees has also netted some profitable results.
Atlanta (-170) beat Baltimore 3-1 on Sunday to set a franchise record with their 13th consecutive win on the road.
The Braves have won nine in a row and 16 of their last 18 overall.
With a 3-1 victory over the Orioles, the Braves have a set a franchise-record 13 consecutive wins on the road.
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) August 22, 2021
That's the longest road winning streak in MLB since the Indians won 14 straight road games in 2017. pic.twitter.com/61ThMegX26
Meanwhile, the Yankees have won nine in a row and 16 of their past 19 overall.
One of those wins streaks will come to an end on Monday when the Yankees visit Atlanta for the first of a two-game set.
Probable Pitchers (#Yankees at Atlanta):
— Bryan Hoch (@BryanHoch) August 23, 2021
•Monday, August 23: LHP Jordan Montgomery (4-5, 3.77) vs. RHP Huascar Ynoa (4-2, 2.70)
•Tuesday, August 24: LHP Andrew Heaney (8-8, 5.51) vs. RHP Charlie Morton (12-4, 3.47)
New York is now 4.5 games back of Tampa Bay for top spot in the AL East.
As of this morning, the Yankees are +240 to win the AL East. The Rays are -210.
With a five-game lead on the Philadelphia Phillies in the NL East, Atlanta enters this week at -430 to win its division.
Can Padres slow Dodgers?
Sticking with hot streaks, the Los Angeles Dodgers had their nine-game win streak snapped in a 7-2 loss to the New York Mets on Sunday.
Now they will travel to face the San Diego Padres in a three-game set with playoff implications.
The Dodgers, which have won 13 of their past 15 overall, are still 2.5 games back of the San Francisco Giants for top spot in the NL West.
Meanwhile, the Padres have lost nine of 11 and now trail the Cincinnati Reds by one game in the NL wild-card race.
San Diego has won four of the first seven head-to-head meetings.
Dodgers have Julio/Buehler/Scherzer going up against a Padres team in shambles.
— Vincent Samperio (@VinceSamperio) August 23, 2021
Not winning this series would be a HUGE letdown.
However, these teams haven’t met since the middle of June, and the Dodgers are a much different looking team right now.
Despite trailing San Francisco by 2.5 games in the standings, LA is still -200 to win the NL West. The Giants are +145 to win the division.
MLB favourites have been on fire since the start of August.
Perhaps we finally start to see some regression this week with some more evenly matched series.
Underdogs deliver in CFL Week 3
While favourites have dominated in the majors, it’s been the underdogs that have thrived early on this CFL season.
CFL underdogs went 3-1 straight up in Week 3.
The Saskatchewan Roughriders, which were the biggest favourite so far this season at -10.5 versus the Ottawa Redblacks, were the lone favourite to cover this past week in a 23-10 win.
CFL underdogs went 3-1 SU & ATS in Week 3. Here is a look at how they have delivered through the first three weeks of the 2021 season. #CFLonTSN pic.twitter.com/YedHwrvbqc
— TSN EDGE (@TSN_Edge) August 22, 2021
CFL underdogs improved to 8-4 straight up and 9-3 against the spread.
Meanwhile, the under improved to 9-3 this season after an even split in Week 3.
Safe Conduct wins Queen’s Plate
Safe Conduct (+500) is the winner of the 162nd Queen’s Plate.
The race ended with a remarkable photo finish.
Safe Conduct (+500) wins the 162nd Queen’s Plate in a photo finish! @WoodbineTB #QP21 pic.twitter.com/7g6q6f5INK
— TSN EDGE (@TSN_Edge) August 22, 2021
Safe Conduct held off Riptide Rock down the stretch for the win and the $600,000 main prize.
The second leg of the Triple Crown, the Prince of Wales Stakes, is scheduled for Sept. 14 at Fort Erie Race Track.