It was solely 11 days in the past that the Orioles went by means of the identical process.
They swapped out sweaty jerseys for orange T-shirts after an historic accomplishment, wrapped green-banded goggles round their heads and partied within the tarp-covered clubhouse, soaking each other in beer and champagne.
That Sunday night celebration got here on the heels of an exhilarating, postseason-berth-clinching win in 11 innings over their fellow American League East energy, the Tampa Bay Rays. This one — a 2-0 victory Thursday evening over the last-place Boston Red Sox that topped the Orioles division champs for the primary time since 2014, on an evening when the membership reached a 30-year lease settlement to remain at Camden Yards — felt totally different.
It nonetheless had the bones of a raucous celebration.
Reliever Shintaro Fujinami nonetheless flashed a wide-eyed smile complemented by a signature, “Ahhh,” sticking his tongue out anytime there was a digicam in his face. Rookie beginning pitcher Grayson Rodriguez nonetheless cracked a pair of beers over the heads of teammates time and again. All-Star outfielder Austin Hays draped a division champs flag over his shoulders.
Executive vp and common supervisor Mike Elias and Orioles CEO and Chairman John Angelos had been in fact doused in beer.
And the homer hose discovered its method into the group, even when just for a short while.
Brandon Hyde once more commenced the postgame celebration with a quick toast. Players crowded across the again half of the clubhouse because the fifth-year supervisor known as for Kid Cudi’s “Pursuit of Happiness” to be turned down and requested gamers hoist a drink.
“Nobody gave us a chance at the start of this year,” Hyde stated. “Nobody. That’s 100 wins right there. That’s a hundred wins in the first step. We just won the AL East. Let’s go!”
The air shortly full of spraying bottles and pure elation to the tune of “Love Tonight” from David Guetta and ASAP Rocky’s “Wild for the Night.” Players shortly shuffled towards veteran second baseman Adam Frazier, who handed out cigars to every of his teammates.
While the primary clubhouse celebration of the season — and for lots of the younger gamers, ever — was a champagne- and beer-soaked muddle, this felt extra like a calmer, cigar-lit soiree. Thursday had its share of untamed moments, however maybe with an eye fixed towards extra weighty celebrations. After all, the top-seeded Orioles are simply seven wins away from reaching their first World Series since they received it in 1983.
“Now,” rookie shortstop Gunnar Henderson stated, with champagne dripping between his eyes, “this is the expectation for years to come.”
The Orioles’ second celebration swapped out $18 bottles of Bouvet Signature Brut champagne for $100 bottles of bronze-plated Beau Joie Brut. Cheaper bottles of Bouvet had been there too, this time lined with customized 2023 Divisional Champs decals.
A playoff-clinching celebration final week was trigger for bottomless Budweiser. The divisional champs had that too, with midseason commerce acquisition Jack Flaherty making beer runs because the scene mellowed. But the group appeared extra desirous to share in camaraderie infused by cigar smoke.
“I mean, the first one obviously getting to the playoffs is the ultimate goal, but in the back of our minds, we knew this was the celebration we wanted,” stated catcher James McCann, who kicked off the celebration with pitcher Tyler Wells after the ultimate out Thursday. “We wanted to win the East, and here we are, winning the East, getting that [wild-card-round] bye. This group deserves it. I can’t say enough good things about every single individual that’s walked through the doors of this clubhouse.”
As reporters and cameras cleared out, gamers sat atop tables sharing beers and smoking cigars like longtime buddies. They’ve been there, in that tarp-filled room earlier than. But as soon as — now twice — wasn’t sufficient. They’re hoping to do it three extra instances.
“This team’s amazing, man,” stated reliever Jacob Webb, considered one of many castoffs who discovered a house in Baltimore this season. “What a special place to be and a special team to be a part of. I think this team got that grit, that fight every night. It’s gonna be fun to watch us go through this whole experience. We’ve definitely got the team to do it.”
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