2018 Baltimore Orioles season

The 2018 Baltimore Orioles season was the team's 118th season overall, 65th in Baltimore, and 27th at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. They attempted to rebound from their first losing season since 2011 when they went 75–87. However, the Orioles instead suffered one of the worst seasons in MLB history, going 47–115 and missing the playoffs for the second straight season. The Orioles set several statistical records and quirks, such as being 60 or more games behind the division (later World Series) champions Boston Red Sox, the most games behind a division champion since the 1935 Boston Braves, who themselves lost 115 games. They became the first team since the 2003 Detroit Tigers, who suffered a similar fate when they went 43–119, to have fewer than 50 wins in a full 162-game season. The Orioles held a losing record against all American League teams, ensured by their loss to the Houston Astros on September 28. First baseman Chris Davis posted a .168 batting average and a -3.3 WAR in his third year of a 7-year, $161 million contract, the worst among qualified players in MLB history.

The 2018 Orioles also held the MLB record of earliest playoff exit since the divisional era came to play in 1969, being eliminated from postseason contention on August 20, a record that would not be surpassed until 2024, when the Chicago White Sox were eliminated from postseason contention on August 17, 2024. The White Sox elimination occurred despite the MLB adding an extra wild card spot to its playoff field.

To further add to the team's abysmal season, many of their key contributors including Manny Machado, Zack Britton, Jonathan Schoop, Darren O'Day, Kevin Gausman, and Brad Brach all left the team via trades in the trade deadline.

Manager Buck Showalter's and general manager Dan Duquette's contracts expired and were not renewed after the season, ending their respective tenures with Baltimore.

Regular season Season standings

American League East

American League Wild Card

Record against opponents

Detailed records

American League Opponent Home Away Total Pct. AL East Baltimore Orioles - - - Boston Red Sox 1–8 2–8 3–16 New York Yankees 2–8 5–4 7–12 Toronto Blue Jays 5–4 0–10 5–14 Tampa Bay Rays 6–4 2–7 8–11 14–24 9–29 23–53 AL Central Detroit Tigers 2–1 0–3 2–4 Cleveland Indians 1–3 1–2 2–5 Kansas City Royals 2–1 0–3 2–4 Minnesota Twins 1–2 0–4 1–6 Chicago White Sox 1–2 2–2 3–4 7–9 3–14 10–23 AL West Oakland Athletics 1–2 0–3 1–5 Houston Astros 1–3 0–3 1–6 Los Angeles Angels 1–2 0–3 1–5 Seattle Mariners 0–4 1–2 1–6 Texas Rangers 2–1 1–3 3–4 5–12 2–14 7–26

National League Opponent Home Away Total Pct. Washington Nationals 0–3 1–2 1–5 New York Mets 1–1 2–0 3–1 Atlanta Braves - 2–1 2–1 Philadelphia Phillies 0–2 0–2 0–4 Miami Marlins 1–2 - 1–2 2–7 5–6 7–13

Game log

Past games legend Orioles win (#bfb) Orioles loss (#fbb) Game postponed (#bbb) Eliminated from playoff contention (#933) Bold denotes an Orioles pitcher

|- bgcolor=#bfb | 1 || March 29 || Twins || 3–2 (11) || Bleier (1–0) || Rodney (0–1) || — || 45,469 || 1–0 || W1 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 2 || March 31 || Twins || 2–6 || Gibson (1–0) || Cashner (0–1) || — || 17,763 || 1–1 || L1 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 3 || April 1 || Twins || 0–7 || Berríos (1–0) || Gausman (0–1) || — || 17,212 || 1–2 || L2 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 4 || April 2 || @ Astros || 1–6 || Morton (1–0) || Tillman (0–1) || — || 42,675 || 1–3 || L3 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 5 || April 3 || @ Astros || 6–10 || Rondón (1–0) || Araújo (0–1) || — ||40,081|| 1–4 || L4 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 6 || April 4 || @ Astros || 2–3 || Peacock (1–0) || Castro (0–1) || — || 27,698 || 1–5 || L5 |- bgcolor=#bfb | 7 || April 5 || @ Yankees || 5–2 || Cashner (1–1) || Tanaka (1–1) || Brach (1) ||33,653|| 2–5 || W1 |- bgcolor=#bfb | 8 || April 6 || @ Yankees || 7–3 (14) || Araújo (1–1) || Holder (1–1) || — || 34,244 || 3–5 || W2 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 9 || April 7 || @ Yankees || 3–8 || Gray (1–0) || Tillman (0–2) || — || 34,388 || 3–6 || L1 |- bgcolor=#bfb | 10 || April 8 || @ Yankees || 8–7 (12) || Bleier (2–0) || Warren (0–1) || Brach (2) || 37,096 || 4–6 || W1 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 11 || April 9 || Blue Jays || 1–7 || Happ (2–1) || Bundy (0–1) || — || 7,915 || 4–7 || L1 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 12 || April 10 || Blue Jays || 1–2 || Sanchez (1–1) || O'Day (0–1) || Osuna (5) || 8,640 || 4–8 || L2 |- bgcolor=#bfb | 13 || April 11 || Blue Jays || 5–3 || Gausman (1–1) || Estrada (1–1) || Brach (3) || 10,399 || 5–8 || W1 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 14 || April 13 || @ Red Sox || 3–7 || Rodríguez (1–0) || Tillman (0–3) || — || 32,610 || 5–9 || L1 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 15 || April 14 || @ Red Sox || 3–10 || Velázquez (2–0) || Cobb (0–1) || Walden (1) || 33,584 || 5–10 || L2 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 16 || April 15 || @ Red Sox || 1–3 || Hembree (2–0) || Bundy (0–2) || Kimbrel (5) || 32,489 || 5–11 || L3 |- bgcolor=#bbb | — || April 16 || @ Red Sox || colspan=7|Postponed (rain). Makeup date May 17. |- bgcolor=#fbb | 17 || April 17 || @ Tigers || 2–4 || Liriano (2–1) || Cashner (1–2) || Greene (3) || 15,530 || 5–12 || L4 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 18 || April 18 || @ Tigers || 5–6 || Greene (1–0) || Araújo (1–2) || — || 15,178 || 5–13 || L5 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 19 || April 19 || @ Tigers || 8–13 || Zimmermann (1–0) || Cobb (0–2) || — || 15,916 || 5–14 || L6 |- bgcolor=#bfb | 20 || April 20 || Indians || 3–1 || Bundy (1–2) || Bauer (1–2) || O'Day (1) || 20,004 || 6–14 || W1 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 21 || April 21 || Indians || 0–4 || Clevinger (2–0) || Tillman (0–4) || — || 29,187 || 6–15 || L1 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 22 || April 22 || Indians || 3–7 || Kluber (3–1) || Cashner (1–3) || — || 27,394 || 6–16 || L2 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 23 || April 23 || Indians || 1–2 || Carrasco (4–0) || Gausman (1–2) || Allen (4) || 10,614 || 6–17 || L3 |- bgcolor=#bbb | — || April 24 || Rays || colspan=7| Postponed (rain). Makeup date May 12 as part of doubleheader. |- bgcolor=#fbb | 24 || April 25 || Rays || 4–8 || Kittredge (1–2) || Cobb (0–3) || — || 8,730 || 6–18 || L4 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 25 || April 26 || Rays || 5–9 || Archer (2–1) || Bundy (1–3) || — || 9,586 || 6–19 || L5 |- bgcolor=#bfb | 26 || April 27 || Tigers || 6–0 || Tillman (1–4) || Fiers (2–2) || — || 14,223 || 7–19 || W1 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 27 || April 28 || Tigers || 5–9 || Liriano (3–1) || Cashner (1–4) || — || 20,896 || 7–20 || L1 |- bgcolor=#bfb | 28 || April 29 || Tigers || 5–3 || Gausman (2–2) || Norris (0–2) || O'Day (2) || 28,089 || 8–20 || W1

|- bgcolor=#fbb | 29 || May 1 || @ Angels || 2–3 || Bedrosian (1–0) || Brach (0–1) || — || 32,345 || 8–21 || L1 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 30 || May 2 || @ Angels || 7–10 || Heaney (1–1) || Bundy (1–4) || — || 32,156 || 8–22 || L2 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 31 || May 3 || @ Angels || 3–12 || Barría (2–1) || Tillman (1–5) || — || 35,879 || 8–23 || L3 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 32 || May 4 || @ Athletics || 4–6 || Trivino (2–0) || Brach (0–2) || Treinen (4) || 12,723 || 8–24 || L4 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 33 || May 5 || @ Athletics || 0–2 (12) || Hatcher (3–0) || Araújo (1–3) || — || 24,612 || 8–25 || L5 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 34 || May 6 || @ Athletics || 1–2 || Triggs (3–1) || Cobb (0–4) || Treinen (5) || 17,112 || 8–26 || L6 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 35 || May 8 || Royals || 7–15 || Duffy (1–4) || Bundy (1–5) || — || 10,863 || 8–27 || L7 |- bgcolor=#bfb | 36 || May 9 || Royals || 5–3 || Bleier (3–0) || McCarthy (3–1) || Brach (4) || 14,375 || 9–27 || W1 |- bgcolor=#bfb | 37 || May 10 || Royals || 11–6 || Castro (1–1) || Kennedy (1–4) || — || 17,842 || 10–27 || W2 |- bgcolor=#bfb | 38 || May 11 || Rays || 9–4 || Gausman (3–2) || Faria (3–2) || Brach (5) || 28,170 || 11–27 || W3 |- bgcolor=#bfb | 39 || May 12 || Rays || 6–3 || Hess (1–0) || Archer (2–3) || Givens (1) || 24,534 || 12–27 || W4 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 40 || May 12 || Rays || 3–10 || Romo (1–0) || Cobb (0–5) || — || 24,534 || 12–28 || L1 |- bgcolor=#bfb | 41 || May 13 || Rays || 17–1 || Bundy (2–5) || Snell (4–3) || — || 25,257 || 13–28 || W1 |- bgcolor=#bbb | — || May 15 || Phillies || colspan=7|Postponed (rain). Makeup date July 12. |- bgcolor=#fbb | 42 || May 16 || Phillies || 1–4 || Pivetta (3–2) || Cashner (1–5) || — || 29,706 || 13–29 || L1 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 43 || May 17 || @ Red Sox || 2–6 || Price (4–4) || Gausman (3–3) || — || 36,615 || 13–30 || L2 |- bgcolor=#bfb | 44 || May 18 || @ Red Sox || 7–4 || Cobb (1–5) || Pomeranz (1–2) || Brach (6) || 34,935 || 14–30 || W1 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 45 || May 19 || @ Red Sox || 3–6 || Porcello (6–1) || Bundy (2–6) || Kimbrel (13) || 34,195 || 14–31 || L1 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 46 || May 20 || @ Red Sox || 0–5 || Rodríguez (4–1) || Hess (1–1) || — || 35,550 || 14–32 || L2 |- bgcolor=#bfb | 47 || May 21 || @ White Sox || 3–2 || Cashner (2–5) || Santiago (0–2) || Brach (7) || 11,628 || 15–32 || W1 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 48 || May 22 || @ White Sox || 2–3 || Rondón (2–2) || Givens (0–1) || Jones (4) || 12,590 || 15–33 || L1 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 49 || May 23 || @ White Sox || 1–11 || Covey (1–1) || Cobb (1–6) || — || 17,056 || 15–34 || L2 |- bgcolor=#bfb | 50 || May 24 || @ White Sox || 9–3 || Bundy (3–6) || Giolito (3–5) || — || 19,147 || 16–34 || W1 |- bgcolor=#bfb | 51 || May 25 || @ Rays || 2–0 || Hess (2–1) || Romo (1–1) || Brach (8) || 11,354 || 17–34 || W2 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 52 || May 26 || @ Rays || 1–5 || Banda (1–0) || Cashner (2–6) || — || 14,744 || 17–35 || L1 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 53 || May 27 || @ Rays || 3–8 || Nuño (1–0) || Gausman (3–4) || Pruitt (1) || 13,311 || 17–36 || L2 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 54 || May 28 || Nationals || 0–6 || González (6–2) || Cobb (1–7) || — || 36,139 || 17–37 || L3 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 55 || May 29 || Nationals || 2–3 || Hellickson (2–0) || Bundy (3–7) || Doolittle (12) || 13,935 || 17–38 || L4 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 56 || May 30 || Nationals || 0–2 || Scherzer (9–1) || Hess (2–2) || Doolittle (13) || 20,370 || 17–39 || L5 |- bgcolor=#bbb | — || May 31 || Yankees || colspan=7|Postponed (rain). Makeup date July 9 as part of doubleheader.

|- bgcolor=#fbb | 57 || June 1 || Yankees || 1–4 || Gray (4–4) || Cashner (2–6) || Chapman (13) || 26,500 || 17–40 || L6 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 58 || June 2 || Yankees || 5–8 || Tanaka (7–2) || Gausman (3–5) || || 32,823 || 17–41 || L7 |- bgcolor=#bbb | — || June 3 || Yankees || colspan=7|Postponed (rain). Makeup date August 25 as part of doubleheader. |- bgcolor=#bfb | 59 || June 5 || @ Mets || 2–1 || Cobb (2–7) || Vargas (2–4) || Brach (9) || 25,342 || 18–41 || W1 |- bgcolor=#bfb | 60 || June 6 || @ Mets || 1–0 || Bundy (4–7) || Familia (2–3) || Brach (10) || 30,366 || 19–41 || W2 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 61 || June 7 || @ Blue Jays || 4–5 (10) || Barnes (2–1) || Castro (1–2) || — || 24,494 || 19–42 || L1 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 62 || June 8 || @ Blue Jays || 1–5 || Happ (8–3) || Cashner (2–8) || Tepera (3) || 28,863 || 19–43 || L2 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 63 || June 9 || @ Blue Jays || 3–4 (10) || Axford (1–0) || Givens (0–2) || — || 34,643 || 19–44 || L3 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 64 || June 10 || @ Blue Jays || 3–13 || Estrada (3–6) || Cobb (2–8) || — || 33,485 || 19–45 || L4 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 65 || June 11 || Red Sox || 0–2 (12) || Hembree (3–1) || Givens (0–3) || Kimbrel (21) || 15,934 || 19–46 || L5 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 66 || June 12 || Red Sox || 4–6 || Rodríguez (8–1) || Hess (2–3) || — || 21,837 || 19–47 || L6 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 67 || June 13 || Red Sox || 1–5 || Sale (6–4) || Ramírez (0–1) || — || 17,217 || 19–48 || L7 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 68 || June 15 || Marlins || 0–2 || Ureña (2–8) || Gausman (3–6) || Barraclough (5) || 23,968 || 19–49 || L8 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 69 || June 16 || Marlins || 4–5 || Chen (2–8) || Cobb (2–9) || Steckenrider (1) || 23,948 || 19–50 || L9 |- bgcolor=#bfb | 70 || June 17 || Marlins || 10–4 || Bundy (5–7) || Richards (1–4) || — || 21,421 || 20–50 || W1 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 71 || June 19 || @ Nationals || 7–9 || Miller (5–0) || Scott (0–1) || Doolittle (19) || 33,391 || 20–51 || L1 |- bgcolor=#bfb | 72 || June 20 || @ Nationals || 3–0 || Castro (2–2) || González (6–4) || — || 32,153 || 21–51 || W1 |- bgcolor=#fbb