Orioles GM confident amid struggles: 'I believe in these guys'

Baltimore Orioles general manager Mike Elias hasn't lost faith in his club's ability to win despite a prolonged second-half swoon.

"I think we're going to get right here before the season's over," he said, according to MLB.com's Jake Rill. "I think we're going to make the playoffs. And I think we're going to do really well in the playoffs. ... I think we're going to feel like ourselves again before too late."

After winning 17 games in each of April, May, and June, the Orioles have slumped to a 31-35 record since the beginning of July.

They entered Tuesday still occupying the top AL wild-card spot but have slipped three games behind the first-place New York Yankees in the AL East with less than two weeks to go.

Baltimore's vaunted lineup ranks just 15th in MLB by wRC+ (105) since July after leading the league through the end of June. The pitching staff, meanwhile, ranks 21st in ERA (4.53) during that time.

"I believe in these guys," Elias added. "I believe in the staff. This has been an unpleasant stretch here for the latter part of the summer. We're all wearing it and processing it individually. But we're ready to pull this together."

The Orioles will look to get back on track Tuesday night when they open a three-game series against the San Francisco Giants.