The O’s took care of business over the weekend.

Quality starts were few and far between for the Baltimore Orioles 55 games into the 2025 season.

O’s starting pitchers entered last weekend’s series against the Chicago White Sox with the worst ERA in the American League. Perhaps to no one’s surprise, facing one of the worst offenses in baseball has its perks.

Zach Eflin, Dean Kremer, and Charlie Morton all tossed gems against Chicago, helping Baltimore secure its first sweep of the season. Three close games went the Orioles’ way, and much of it had to do with the performances of their starters.

The trio combined to allow one earned run across 19 2/3 innings.

They struck out 20 batters while walking four, and put the O’s in great position to grab three consecutive wins for only the second time this season.

Eflin, in particular, really needed a strong outing after not having the sharpest stuff in his previous two starts. He allowed 12 earned runs in those starts, but bounced back with seven scoreless innings against the White Sox. It was his second shutout with the Orioles.

The rest of Baltimore’s rotation has improved significantly over the past two weeks. In the last 11 games Eflin did not start, Orioles starters allowed 18 runs in 57 2/3 innings for a 2.80 ERA. Five of those starts were quality starts, and Baltimore went 6-5.

Confidence growing in Orioles’ clubhouse after weekend sweep

Sweeping any MLB team is difficult, regardless of what anyone says.

Yes, the Orioles won three games against the only AL team with a worse record than they do. You have to play who’s in front of you, though, and Baltimore handled business over a team they should beat.

The O’s have been playing better, winning seven of their last 11 games. Consistent winning can do wonders for a club, especially one that’s been unexpectedly bad through a third of the season. Seeing consecutive W’s on the record is certainly improving the atmosphere in Baltimore’s locker room.

“It’s just trying to get some momentum going. So a series like this is really good,” Charlie Morton said after Sunday’s win, per Jake Rill. “But it’s also how we feel in the clubhouse, and I’ve noticed a change, in a good way.”

There’s still a long way for the Orioles to get above .500. Baltimore exclusively plays AL teams in June, giving the O’s a direct opportunity to rise in the Wild Card standings. The playoffs seem distant, but there’s enough talent on the roster to go on a run this summer and make things interesting.

Maybe it’s foolish to take so much stock in a sweep over a terrible White Sox team. The way things have gone this season, the Orioles will take it.