How A Decision At The Plate Changed Fortunes of Cedric Mullins’ Baltimore Orioles

This week there will be an early season showdown with two American League East powerhouses in the New York Yankees (29-20 entering the series) and the Baltimore Orioles (31-16 entering the series).

 

Wait a minute, the Baltimore Orioles? In an early season AL East showdown? In a much-anticipated series against the Yankees of any type of importance?

 

Yes, these words are not typos. The three-game series on Tuesday is important for both clubs as they try to stay in view of the AL East-leading Tampa Bay Rays with the best record in baseball at 35-14. 

 

It’s not a battle of two AL East teams for contention, there’s a MLBbro connection as well between Aaron Judge and Cedric Mullins who have both torn the cover off the ball lately, as Dante Miles illustrates in MLBbro.com’s segment…” What’s Poppin?”

 

 

Anyone that follows sports knows what Aaron Judge has done over the course of his career and with becoming the American League home run king last season, now there are fans that don’t follow sports knows his name.

 

But what about Cedric Mullins?

 

 

We told you last season that the O’s and Mullins had something up their collective sleeves in 2023.

This MLBbro has thrust himself into the spotlight after a very impressive five-hit performance in a 8-3 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays on Sunday. The 31-16 Orioles sit three games behind Tampa Bay. 

 

• This marked Mullins’ third career five-hit performance.

• In the 10th inning, our MLBbro drove in a run in the 10th inning.

• His final hit was a two-run double sparking a five-run 11th inning explosion to put the game away.

• Most important, Cedric Mullins’ production is translating to wins as they swept the Blue Jays in their three game series. 

• Overall in the game, Mullins finished with two doubles, three RBI (All in extra innings), one run scored and a steal.

 

This game is just a microcosm of how the 30-30 MLBbro has been at the plate. After this game, Mullins’ batting average has soared 20 points to .283. Coupled with seven home runs and 38 RBI, he has regained the shine he commanded when he exploded on the scene back in 2021. 

Did we forget to mention that all of this was done on the heels of Mullins hitting for the cycle less than two weeks before?

 

 

What has been the difference for this MLBbro?

 

It was the ultimate decision after the 2020 season to stop being a switch hitter and becoming a primary left-handed hitter for the first time since his high school days. According to the man known as “CM Storm”, it really wasn’t hard to figure out why…

 

 

“It really was as simple as looking at the numbers”, our MLBbro said.

“Going into 2021, I was looking into my big-league numbers, my minor-league numbers, and my right-handed swing just wasn’t holding its weight. It was way overpowered by my left, and it was pretty obvious.”

“I had a sit-down with the brass and said I trust my left-handed swing to be able to perform at the big-league level, and my right-handed swing’s just not gonna cut it.”

Let’s just say that it was a great decision.

 

In 2021, Mullins became an All-Star for the first time reaching the 30/30 milestone. In doing so, our MLBbro became the first player in Orioles history to record 30 home runs and 30 steals in a season.

 

And he has not let up this season, he is one of the top base stealers in baseball without getting caught.

 

13 – Anthony Volpe

12 – Cedric Mullins

8 – Christian Yelich

 

Plus, he gets his teammates off the bases when they are in scoring position. He’s in the top five in batting averages with men in scoring position.

 

(Minimum 25 at bats)

 

.511 — Marcus Semien

.500 — Jonah Heim

.475 — Cedric Mullins

.455 — Yordan Alvarez

 

Oh by the way, the Baltimore Orioles like the way he plays in the outfield too.

 

Look for this MLBbro to be in the All-Star game this season. But the true story of Cedric Mullins is the self reflection of making changes and adjustments for not only the betterment of himself but his teammates. 

 

It would have been easy to become resentful and bitter with the Orioles making a ton of changes over his tenure, but Cedric Mullins accepting the challenge of the difficult times while making the most of it has got Baltimore with the second best record in the majors.