Baltimore Orioles join San Diego Padres in infamous postseason fashion

When the Texas Rangers continued their incredible 2023 MLB postseason run by sweeping the Baltimore Orioles on Tuesday night, it sent the Orioles to a fate that San Diego Padres fans know all too well.

San Diego Padres, Baltimore Orioles now share postseason frustration

As Jayson Stark pointed out on X after Baltimore had officially succumbed to the Rangers, the ALDS sweep made history in a way which tied Bruce Bochy, currently the manager in Texas, at both ends of the frustrating timeline.

Granted, that 1998 Padres team didn't receive their sweep until meeting the New York Yankees in the World Series, ousting the Houston Astros and Atlanta Braves on their way to the Fall Classic. Both Atlanta and Houston had won 100 games during the regular season, so San Diego's 98 wins may not have matched them, but the Padres certainly showed the depth of their talent in the postseason.

And the 98 wins produced by that team were not only the most under Bochy during his time in the San Diego dugout, but also still the most ever won by a Padres team in a single season.

While the 1998 season may be considered the greatest in franchise history, there is a bit of a sour taste in the mouth of Padres fans when discussing it, considering it ended without a World Series title. San Diego falling short is also a reminder to Baltimore and every other MLB team that enjoys success in one season that nothing is ever guaranteed. San Diego stumbled to a 74-88 record in 1999, finishing fourth in the National League West.

Will the Orioles suffer the same kind of fate? With a young core, it seems unlikely. However, whatever happens moving forward, Baltimore and San Diego fans can raise a beverage together, knowing they share a type of heartache that only their two franchises can claim.