Ryan McKenna, Orioles outfielder from Dover, NH, explains the O’s turnaround, “When you have young talented guys who are hungry for success, who like being around each other every day and prepare the right way, that combination will bring success.”
In an interview with WGIR’s Chris Ryan, Baltimore Orioles outfielder and Dover, New Hampshire native, Ryan McKenna discusses adjusting to playing in the major leagues and the reasons for the turn around of the surprising Orioles in 2022.
Ryan McKenna played high school baseball St. Thomas Aquinas in Dover, New Hampshire, and college ball at Liberty University. He was drafted by the Orioles in the fourth round of the MLB draft in 2015. McKenna made his major league debut on April 5, 2021, in right field against the Yankees.
As a second-year player, Ryan McKenna has had to adjust to being a bench player and occasional starter. He discusses how he stays game ready.
“Watching the game and being a student of the game allows you to know what to do when do get in. It slows everything down. You know what to do to prepare for the guy whose pitching, how he likes to attack.”
Memories of seeing games at Fenway Park as a kid make playing in Boston very special for Ryan McKenna.
Last year the Baltimore Orioles finished in last place in the Eastern Division o9f the American League with a 52-110 record. So far this year, they are 59-53 in third place and in contention for a Wild Card Playoff spot for the first time since 2016.
Ryan McKenna credits the team’s turn around to moves and trades made by the Orioles management and team cohesiveness.
A significant area of improvement for Baltimore, according to Ryan McKenna, has been their bullpen. In the past, games would get out of hand in the fifth and sixth inning. Now, the Orioles are able to come back and win games.