Got Milk?

 

Colton Cowser's been having a really nice week. Not only is he now among the top 5 WAR leaders on the Orioles, and not only are the Orioles closer to the pack in the wild card race than they ever have been this year...but, I'm not sure if you saw...he had this rather nice catch. Leaping catch at the wall at Coors. Saved the game in the bottom of the ninth. Even Andrew Kittredge couldn't believe it. 99% of other cases, that's not a catch, that blows the game, Rox win. Cowser made a very rare leaping catch that kept the Orioles' hopes alive. Now, granted, they lost the other two games. And now they have to play the Red Sox. But the eyes are finally on the O's, as they should be.

I got to see these guys in Baltimore a couple weeks ago. To be honest, the offense wasn't really the takeaway. As I was leaving, Samuel Basallo hit a moonshot to tie it and after I left, Dylan Beavers walked it off with some great contact work off of Bryan Baker, but while I was there these guys sort of chugged along. There were some great defensive plays, some good contact work, and enough of an effort against Shane McClanahan, but I wasn't wowed. After that, the fun really began, and they're now 69-71, a couple games back from the AL West contingency and with a decent enough shot at a surprise playoff experience. They just need to keep moving.

At this present moment, I think they've got enough to stay on this pace. The rotation is very solid, and consists of five guys that are trustworthy, can go deep into games and are taking care of themselves. Chris Bassitt's been improving since he got back. Brandon Young's having an excellent year, he's 9-3. Shane Baz and Kyle Bradish, despite 4 ERAs, are very dominant choices and are doing a lot of strong work. Trevor Rogers had a season high 11 Ks yesterday, bringing his total to 132. In addition, this team has Rico Garcia and Yennier Cano doing great setup work, Andrew Kittredge in the ninth, Alex Hoppe being lights-out as a return for Taylor Ward, and the very intriguing Luis De Leon. Pitching wise they haven't had this much security in a while, which is rare in a year without Felix Bautista.

As for the lineup, well...this team has three very cool choices at third base. The everyday guy is Christian Encarnacion Strand, and he's got 28 RBIs in 37 games. The fans already love him. The lefty platoon guy is Coby Mayo, and he has 19 homers and 55 RBIs, even if it isn't always pretty. And the recently-returning Blaze Alexander, now playing outfield more I think, is still an excellent contact bat, hitting .300 with 4 homers and 29 RBIs. This team has turned into a cavalcade of really cool options, ranging from Dylan Beavers and his clutch ability, Jackson Holliday and his slowly-forming all-purpose assets, Samuel Basallo and his walk-offs, Gunnar Henderson and his literally everything, and the already-beloved Pete Alonso. Alonso has 32 homers, 91 RBIs, and already is an Orioles hero. Plus, I hear this outfielder guy just showed up, this Luis Robert Jr. character. He's sure to be an added explosive element if this team can squeak into a playoff spot.

I don't know if this can happen. It takes both the Orioles withstanding the competition and being able to lap both AL West teams ahead of them, and right now I'm not sure how possible that is. But if it does happen, it'd be the coolest damn thing. I'd be all for it. They just need to keep this pace, and avoid losses like yesterday's. This Sox series will be a pretty important turning point for them. 

Coming Tonight: Another fun centerfielder from nearby actually.

Where Last Doesn't Mean Bad

 

So here's something fun. Next week I'm gonna be heading to Baltimore for an O's game. We've got family friends that get tickets there, it's been an on and off tradition all my life, perfectly doable because I love Camden Yards. Very cozy. Last time I was busy grabbing Natty Bo's and didn't really pay too much attention to the game, but maybe this time I will. It's looking like we'll be seeing Shane Baz and Nick Martinez pitch, two very nice starters, and it'll be Pete Alonso bobblehead night. So it'll be a really nice time. 

The team itself...obviously they haven't lived up to expectations, but there's still some undeniable spark in them. As evidence, I give you those last two games in Tampa. The Rays are the monolith right now, but the O's are keeping them on their toes.

Brandon Young might be the key to all of this, because last year, on a come-up, he was absolutely awful. Every start he got lit up, gave up 3 or 4 runs and kept losing. He was 0-6 after 10 starts. That 11th start was the kicker, because that's when I think we all realized something really cool might be in there. Young went 8 innings before allowing a hit against the Astros, and looked more dominant than he ever had, getting his first career win. The overextension led to a rough next start and an early end to the season. 

This year, he was essentially given a rotation spot out of camp thanks to Dean Kremer's difficulties. He's fared a lot better for himself, going 9-3 with a 3.33 ERA and 93 Ks in 20 starts. It's not always pretty, but he's way more composed than he was last year, and he feels like a reliable, strong option again, which is very helpful. This rotation also has Kyle Bradish, with another strong ace performance, Trevor Rogers, with some excellent starts in between getting annihilated, Shane Baz, who's pitching better than his numbers might imply, and Chris Bassitt, who just got off the IL and seems to be back to his usual formula of eating innings and keeping runs from scoring. This rotation doesn't have an OMG guy like Corbin Burnes, or a star rookie in the making or anything, but it's a pretty close knit group of guys who just get it done without a ton of ulcers. That's a nice formula. When the bullpen can be that again, we'll talk, but Kittredge and Suarez aren't their usual selves this year, which is a shame.

The good news is that a lot of this lineup, even with the many vacancies, is waking up and taking charge. Jackson Holliday's got 6 homers and 22 RBIs in 70 games, and is quickly making up for lost time. Gunnar Henderson is hot again, with 20 homers and 51 RBIs. Christian Encarnacion-Strand is quickly becoming a fan favorite, he's hitting .258 with 5 homers and 15 RBIs. Tyler O'Neill's picking up steam, with 10 homers and 22 RBIs. And then you have Alonso, who's doing Pete Alonso things, he's got 27 homers and 77 RBIs, on track to hit 300 before the end of the season. Alonso really is a generational power hitter, and it's gotten to the point where the Orioles are leading him off because he's a definite on base guy these days.

I sincerely hope I catch this team on a good night next week. The lack of current catching stability scares me, as does some general uneven roster feels, but this is still a very cool team, and even if they're working from last at the moment, that doesn't mean they're completely out of moves. There's still a surprising amount the Orioles can do, even if they're likely not a playoff team this year. After all, they have a better record than the Mariners, so that's gotta say something..

Coming Tonight: His dad was an RBI machine for the Marlins. And as the prophecy foretold, so is he.

Here We O Again...

 

The Orioles are 4 games under .500, in fourth place in the AL East, blocked by three heftier competitors...and it looks like once again, even with the proper development and roster-building, it's just gonna happen. Last year they at least had an excuse. Everyone got injured, Elias only signed minimal guys, the plan failed. This year they had a new manager, new contracts, an even beefier lineup, Pete Alonso in the driver's seat and so much more going for them. And they still can't get anywhere. 

But...it's still early enough that the O's could technically still factor into the wild card race. They're only 2.5 games back from a spot right now, meaning they're not fully out of the running yet, and a late drive could always happen. It's just a matter of whether or not the organization believes in this team enough to leg out the season with th-what d'you mean they're already shopping Taylor Ward?

The wise part about this team is that they've got a ton of these guys contracted for a while. Shane Baz, Kyle Bradish, Samuel Basallo, Pete Alonso. That does keep Rutschman, Henderson, Ward and Rogers in the 'short term' category technically, and if anything does need to be done at the deadline, it probably won't break the team. Holliday, Jackson, Cowser, Alexander and possibly Beavers are all in it for the long run, they're not going anywhere. It's mostly gonna be smaller pieces for the moment, and if it's that then I won't be too worried about the future impact.

The present impact is a little shaky though. Right now both catchers are hurt, so Chadwick Tromp and Maverick Handley, two career third-string backstops, are taking most of the reps. Blaze Alexander, who WAS the answer at third, got hurt and will be out for a bit, so Christian Encarnacion-Strand is now the upgrade from Coby Mayo. Jackson Holliday's defense is causing the fans to turn on him more than they already were. Rico Garcia's strong first half has evened out to reveal a very human second half, and current ninth inning choice Andrew Kittredge is not as strong as he was last year. There's holes in this team, and they're keeping them from greatness.

Which is why it's been nice that Trevor Rogers, Kyle Bradish and Brandon Young have all been very strong as starting options. Usually by this point the Orioles' rotation is a matter of 'who's around', that's not the case this year. Bradish is healthy and thriving, with a 3.49 ERA and 110 Ks in 20 starts. Brandon Young is 8-2 and has a 3.13 ERA, a far cry from his occasionally brilliant but mostly spotty 2025. Baz and Rogers have both come around after tough runs. Dean Kremer's bringing up the rear but even he's getting better every start. It's usually a stumbling point for this team but it's lifting them now. And on the other hand...Pete Alonso's the best player on the team, has appeared in every game and has 22 home runs and 67 RBIs, which is exactly what they signed the guy for. Truth in advertising.

The Orioles aren't pretty, but they're not dead yet. Their deadline mentality is gonna be interesting however they go about it, cause they could still be something but I don't know if they want to risk it. 

Coming Tomorrow- Going into the season, he probably figured he'd get work as a long relief option. Then 3 starters got injured. And now he's been one of the team's biggest surprises. 

Figure it Out While You Still Can

 

Last year, it genuinely was as simple as 'the Orioles lacked drive to sign good free agents and the whole rotation got hurt', and that's why they were disappointing. So this year, they brought on Shane Baz, Pete Alonso, Blaze Alexander and Taylor Ward, some genuinely great additions, and have gotten strong full-to-majority season campaigns from four starters. And yet they're still in last. I don't even know, man. You set the deck for this team and they still manage to leave the table before anybody else.

I think the most disheartening part about this Orioles team is just how okay they are. You have five or six guys who you KNOW can deliver excellent work, and they're all kinda doing their thing without really providing a new benchmark. You have Pete Alonso, and he's been himself, he's got 21 home runs and 64 RBIs, leads the team in .OPS. It's very par for the course at this point. Obviously he's doing great, the fans love him, but you know he's done better. Adley Rutschman made an All-Star team, and confusingly was the only Oriole to do so, but we've seen better from him, cause 2024 happened. Gunnar Henderson has 17 homers and 42 RBIs but is only hitting .219. Even last season he was a saving grace, and he's just not wowing people this year. Even Taylor Ward has cooled down to a .256 average with only 6 homers and 25 RBIs. Things have just gotten really quiet, and for a team with this much power, it's maddening. Last night Samuel Basallo had a very well timed home run, and he's still having a strong enough rookie year, but that doesn't happen often enough. You're also wasting roster spots on three prized prospects [Holliday, Mayo and Beavers] who just aren't doing a thing in the majors right now. Mayo at the very least can hit home runs but he's losing playing time to Blaze Alexander. 

And it sucks that the lineup lacks a real identity, because this team could go deep just with Trevor Rogers, Kyle Bradish, Brandon Young and Shane Baz. Baz has struggled this year but he's had some real gems, and K'd 9 against Kansas City today. Rogers is also looking a ton better after his requisite flameout moment, and he's only given up 2 runs in his last 4 starts. Young, after a rough 2025 despite flashes of greatness, seems to finally have his priorities in order, and is a great looking starter at last, with a 7-2 record and a 3.42 ERA. And Bradish, while not 2023 good [jeez that really was THAT long ago..], has a 3.61 ERA and 106 Ks. Very much a 'don't wanna overexert myself' season but I'm glad he's healthy and heading up the rotation again. Meanwhile has anybody heard anything from John Means? Is he still alive?

The O's have so many pieces that make me think they could have legs, like Alexander, Rico Garcia, the long relief skills of Tyler Wells, Colton Cowser. This team just needs to click fully, and this weekend against the Royals they cemented something, as they've won 4 straight and are 7-3 in July. They could be gearing up to shock some people. Or, y'know...they'll do their usual thing and not really follow up on the vibes.

Elias Actually Did Something

 

It feels so obvious but for a team that just doesn't take on new contracts or players very often, it seems like the revelation of the century. If you bring in a bunch of players that can help the team...they will help the team win. It may not look like much from 4th, but I am telling you that this team is way better than it was without Pete Alonso, Taylor Ward, Leody Taveras, Blaze Alexander or Shane Baz. Last year, all Mike Elias added to the Orioles were three contracts that were unloaded by July [Morton, Kittredge and Laureano] and Tyler O'Neill, who's kinda sucked here. Now we actually have talented people in their prime delivering in Baltimore. What a difference that makes.

So, let's talk about Taylor Ward. He was traded for Grayson Rodriguez. Rodriguez is once again hurt and trying to pitch through it. It's not going well. Ward, meanwhile, is doing exactly what he did in Anaheim. He's leading the O's in doubles with 18, he's hitting .257 and has 5 homers and 22 RBIs, and he's still excellent out in left. That kind of bat, even behind Rutschman, Henderson, Basallo and Cowser, is still pretty valuable and varies the brunt of the offense. I dunno if we're gonna get to where we were in 2016, wall-to-wall unbeatable no matter how far down you get, but this is already looking good, even with Alexander, Taveras and Jackson bringing up the rear.

And then there's Pete Alonso, who's overcome a slow start to continue his run as one of the most consistent power hitters in the game. He's got an .815 OPS, a .474 SLG, 55 RBIs and, yes, 18 homers, on the way to what could be another 30+ homer year [which would be #7 if it happens, in...yeah, 8 seasons]. He's got a decent chance of making 300 homers this year if he doubles his current total, and there's still room for him to continue this standard of power hitting as a Baltimore Oriole. Early on they wanted to really push this narrative of 'well is this contract gonna be a mistake for Baltimore', and...no, not really. He's still Pete Alonso. Doesn't miss a game, gives his all, hits for power like no one else even on a down year. Chris Davis isn't this guy.

The O's could use some better stuff from their established talent though. Trevor Rogers seems to be on again, and he needs to stay on. Kyle Bradish and Brandon Young have been pretty much but the full rotation still isn't all the way terrific yet, and part of that is just how okay Shane Baz has been [he's 4-8]. Zach Elfin, Cade Povich and Des Kremer have been little-to-no help due to injuries, and usual bullpen mainstays Keegan Akin and Andrew Kittredge have been struggling mightily. The preexisting core needs to supplant the new guys, so that it all might be worth it. And the Orioles have had some very nice stretches, but it's all too inconsistent this year, which is too bad.

There's still time to turn things around, and there's still enough elements working that you can't completely count them out. I'm just thankful the new moves paid off. Let that be a lesson to you, Mike. You can too build a worthy team.

Coming Tonight: The Marlins are somehow still over .500 and have one of the best home records in baseball, and this guy has certainly helped this month. 

The Rare Double Catcher Formation

 

The Baltimore Orioles currently have two catchers on their ML roster. Both of them have a 1.5 WAR, and both of them are hitting .273. They're both among the best hitting catchers in the game. One of them is signed til the end of the decade. The other...is former Rookie of the Year runner-up Adley Rutschman. And to make things clear...Rutschman isn't exactly a concession. 

Right now it's clear that Rutschman is gonna get the bulk of the starts at catcher because Samuel Basallo isn't great defensively. But you also can't leave Basallo out of the lineup, because he's hot as hell right now, so you have to DH him and free up any flexibility you might otherwise have. So any chance of having both Coby Mayo and Jackson Holliday in the lineup if they're both fighting for third is probably very small, meaning once again Coby Mayo's gotta try something else if he wants to play everyday. These guys are very lucky that Ryan Mountcastle's already out for a while, because he was already out of a job at 1st and now he's out of a job at DH. 

Thankfully, so much of this lineup is working right now that the overflow isn't an issue. Really only Tyler O'Neill is truly stinking it up out of this bunch, but Colton Cowser's been getting the bulk of the starts anyway and he's heating up. Basallo's .494 SLG is the highest on the team, and he's got 9 homers and 26 RBIs, making this a very confident full season statement from the 21-year-old. It's also nice seeing Rutschman fully taking advantage of his role on the team, as he's landed 36 RBIs in 46 games. Henderson, Ward, Alonso and Leody Taveras surprisingly are all nailing their assignments and making this a fluid, bankable lineup. No wonder they've lapped Toronto, and no wonder they're headed for .500. 

I do still think the rotation's a little shakier than it should be. We all thought Trevor Rogers had found his stuff again but now he's spotty like he used to be, with an ERA over 6 and a 3-6 record. Chris Bassitt's a little cooked as well, despite 4 wins and his usual innings-eating. Baz, Bradish and Brandon Young are a perfectly fine core but nobody's really excelling. Like, Bradish looks better than he has in a few years but his WHIP is up to 1.423. Hopefully somebody has a strong June, cause then I'll be a little surer about their long term chances. The bullpen's great though, Rico Garcia's having himself a year. 

The O's are 8-4 so far against all these division rivals. They swept the Rays, won out over the Sox and are going toe-to-toe with Toronto. Maybe this could be their year after all?

Coming Tomorrow- His name had been coming up a bit recently because the Rays traded Cristopher Sanchez to get him...and then they traded him to Washington before they could even benefit from him as a surprise corner bench weapon.

Money for Dingers in 2026

 

So, to recap. Two of the most effective home run hitters in baseball signed new contracts this offseason. One has been called a necessary and needed move, the other has been questioned and criticized. Both are essentially doing what they were paid to do, but because one has done it a lot more frequently, and immediately, that one's seen as superior to the other one, who's younger and arguably more consistent.

Pete Alonso is 31 years old, and to date he's hit 272 home runs in 8 years. With the exception of 2020, only one of those years finished without Alonso reaching 35 home runs. The man is a hitting machine who makes the all-star team virtually every year, routinely knocks over 100 RBIs, and last year led the league in doubles with 41. Yet when the Orioles signed him to a 5-year deal a few months ago, the immediate response was trepidation. A lot of that had to do with the last time the O's gave a contract to a power-hitting 1st baseman, Chris Davis, where the power suddenly shut off without warning midway through. Yet I don't know if a lot of it was fair to Alonso, who through his first 7 seasons proved himself superior to Davis, and arguably more multifaceted. Davis was a good hitter with a few strong years; Alonso's a reliable lineup presence who can come through when you need him. 

So far for Baltimore, Alonso has 8 home runs and 26 RBIs. It looks inferior when you compare him to a guy who has, say, 20 homers by now, but knowing that Alonso regularly hits his stride midyear, and has hit 106 homers past the trade deadline in his career, it's not especially scary. The other thing you need to remember is that the Orioles' lineup right now is built in a way where Alonso doesn't always need to hit the home runs. Sometimes it's Gunnar Henderson or Adley Rutschman, sometimes it's hot-hitting rookie Samuel Basallo, and eventually it'll be Taylor Ward, who's surprisingly only hit 1 home run despite a solid contact spring. Alonso is the key power hitter, but it's not as on him as it may have been in New York. 

Not helping Alonso's value has been the generally mild start the Orioles have had, with a lot of missed opportunities, a disappointing start from newly-extended Shane Baz, the complete implosion of Trevor Rogers and a really messy May. There are elements of this team that work, like Basallo as an extra power bat and Rico Garcia's breakout year in the 'pen, but as a unit they're not on the same page yet, and it's led to disappointing baseball.

Now, as for Kyle Schwarber. He's 33 years old, has hit 360 home runs in 6 years, and signed a 5-year contract to DH in Philly til 2030. Again, Schwarber is the same kind of hitter as Alonso, he just strikes out a ton more and only recently remembered how to hit things other than home runs. But because Philly fans need that immediate source of dopamine, he's regarded a ton higher, and because he's hit 20 so far his contract seems like more of a win than Alonso's. Forgetting that...yeah, he's 33, and he strikes out 200 times a year. The power ceiling is always super high, and with that 20 HR mark he's already staring down his career high of 56 that he set just last year, but that's basically all the Phils are paying for. Well...that and having the ultimate clubhouse enthusiast, nicknamed DJ Schwarbs on account of his post-game music selection. He's the kind of guy you want on your team, and he's the kind of guy who makes you want to make a postseason run, as he's been proving since he woke up the Sox in 2022, or even his rookie year in 2016 in Chicago. 

The Phils are 14-4 since firing Rob Thomson and bringing Don Mattingly up, and Schwarber's power has been one key aspect of the surge. Bryce Harper's power has also helped, his one man spite mission against Dave Dombrowski has resulted in a .277 average, 12 homers and 30 RBIs. Brandon Marsh is hitting .327, Bohm and Stott are very quickly heating up, Sanchie and Wheels are lights-out [Sanchez just had a gem of a CGSO], Duran still works as a closing option, and those close games can be won [just look at the Pirates series, or last night's game against the Reds]. They're only a game over .500 and in 2nd, but they look better than they have all year, and as they head for a really tough week of matchups they have so much more life in them.

I think both power hitters will finish with seasons they can be proud of. I just hope the fans will take everything into account as they judge these contracts. Cause they really are the same kind of hitter, and they both deserve the same level of respect.

Coming Tonight: If he were to have stayed healthy in every season, he'd have around 400 homers and be a shoo-in for the Hall of Fame. But alas...

Impractical Magic

 

This Orioles team is, frankly, starting out similarly to the last couple. A few surprise smashes, a rise in younger options, but a lot of things not going as planned. 

After a year where the rotation was too injury-plagued to really make an effort, I figured 2026 would be better for everyone that struggled in 2025. Not quite. Zach Eflin, Dean Kremer and now Trevor Rogers are all hurt, and Chris Bassitt, Shane Baz and Kyle Bradish have higher ERAs than they really should. Meaning it's really on guys like Cade Povish and Brandon Young to provide stability. I get that Tyler Wells is really working as a bullpen guy, but he really should be high enough in the depth chart to eventually get plugged back into the fold, right? And again, they were so quick to part with both Grayson Rodriguez and Tomoyuki Sugano that they shouldn't feel unprepared for this moment. 

And that's really what's been stalling the Orioles' forward momentum. The rotation still isn't where it should be, even several years into a dedicated youth build. Shane Baz is gonna be there for ages, and that contract isn't starting out spectacularly. 

Meanwhile, Samuel Basallo, who's also signed for ages, is having a much more promising start to 2026, with 5 homers and 9 RBIs in 22 games. He's mostly getting at-bats at DH while Adley takes catcher more often than not, and seeing as Adley's back to where he was before, that seems like a good move. Also impressing people is Jeremiah Jackson, a 2025 midyear call-up who's a fine option both at 2nd and in the outfield, and in addition he's hitting .272 with 5 homers and 19 RBIs. So far there's an x-factor to him that the team desperately needs more of, as Gunnar Henderson's been hitting for power without much substance behind it. It's also more prominent when Taylor Ward is relying more on his contact game so far, which is extremely well appreciated. Trading for Ward was an outside-the-box move that's paying off so far for this team.

But still, there's too many young guys refusing to move the needle so far. Mayo, Beavers, Cowser, Alexander and O'Neill have been given copious amounts of big moments and haven't capitalized on many yet. Pete Alonso's doing okay, but he's not lighting the place on fire yet. When the most consistent unit on your team is the bullpen, you know some things need to change. And with a division this stacked, the Orioles need to find their full-roster consistency. Cause there will be more Yankees and Rays series', and they're not all gonna be easy.

I'm liking some of the things I'm seeing, especially the nitty gritty details of this team, but the broad strokes need to improve. Luckily there's still time for that to happen.

Coming Tomorrow- The Mets just lowered cheap seats to 6 bucks apiece. I reckon they're about 10 when this guy pitches. 

Could You Go About This Any Less Strangely?

 

Okay, we're two and a half weeks in and I'm already calling it, the Orioles are the strangest good team in the game. I dunno how to explain it. This team is working in some sort of mystical, black magic sort of way. Like, y'know how because the Saints play in New Orleans you can make the case sometimes that there'll be some voodoo ritual explaining why they're good? There's no baseball team in New Orleans, so you can't really do anything like that in the MLB, but...I get the strangest feeling with this O's team. This 'skeleton band of the dead' sort of breeze rushing through 'em. I don't know how else to explain it.

Because it's built in the way that a good team should be built. The Orioles finally have good money behind them. Pete Alonso's paid for, at least for a little while. Shane Baz and Samuel Basallo are sticking around indefinitely. I'd hazard a guess that Gunnar Henderson might be next for one of those. But...the guys being backed by contracts aren't the guys pushing the team. Alonso's done okay so far, only 1 homer and 3 RBIs. Basallo has 1 solo homer to his name, nothing else. Baz has been fine, solid if unspectacular. 

It feels like the people doing well for the Orioles right now are the people that everyone, including the team, counted out. And that goes for Adley Rutschman especially. Remember last year when everyone thought the O's were gonna trade him to Philly for Dante Nori or something, since Basallo's in for a while? Well...the funny thing about Samuel Basallo is he's not a viable catching option right now. So even after a down, injury-addled year, the Orioles needed Adley Rutschman. So him hitting like old Adley shouldn't be too shocking. He's batting .241, but he's got 4 RBIs and 7 hits, including 4 doubles. The production is to the degree that it was, as is his catching skills. This is a comeback season in the making, and with Henderson swatting 4 homers and counting and Taylor Ward surprisingly fitting right in with this team, he's instilled more confidence in this team's outlook.

But the strangeness is more in the odds and ends guys, the people I wasn't even thinking about. Like with Yennier Cano a few years ago, the Orioles have struck gold with an oft-cut relief option, namely Rico Garcia, a 32-year-old journeyman who's FINALLY locked in as a member of the O's, scoreless and hitless through 6 appearances. Ryan Helsley, after a disastrous 2025 in Queens, has bounced back big time, and already has 4 saves in 5 appearances. Brandon Young, who would either go deep into a no-no or get clobbered by 3 last year, was pretty fantastic in his first start of 2026. The staff ace, need I remind you, is Trevor Rogers, who everyone counted out after the injury. The requisite utility infielder is Blaze Alexander, who, at least before last game, was batting .300.

Even for a .500 team, the Orioles are getting boosts from the wildest places, and it makes me feel really good about their odds as a spoiler this year. The pressure of keeping 1st is mostly off, now they're trying to embarrass the big guns, and I think they can do that. Then when all the injured guys get back they'll be even more of a favorite.

Coming Tonight: I used to think the Twins were just desperate for pitching period, but maybe they really saw something in this kid. 

The Strangest Sights of Spring

 

Prior to 2026, Andrew McCutchen had spent approximately 3 months of his 16-year career on American League team, that fun autumn with the 2018 Yankees. Everyone assumed he'd retire as a Pittsburgh Pirate. However, Bob Nutting, in finally putting money into the team and building something of a competitor for 2026, did so at the expense of the fans, who would have loved to keep getting to see Cutch. In his place, the Pirates now have Marcell Ozuna at DH, which is arguably more value and WAR, but a much less likable player with a much more suspect track record.

And so now Cutch had to soldier on the only way he knew how, by putting out feelers for any other teams that needed veteran help and trying to make the club that way. The Rangers bit, and now we have the bizarre sight of Andrew McCutchen in Rangers blue, looking to make the club as a bench DH type. All the while, Ozuna seems to be a lock for his old DH spot in Pittsburgh, and will be trading in the green sleeve for a yellow one. Regardless of what emotion it brings out from any loyalist, either of these looks are just downright odd, even if they do last. 

And that's the main factor, as we round out the end of Spring Training. Like any preseason year, there's some sights that just don't look right. And either you get used to them during the season or they fade off in the distance, never quite panning out. I'll rundown some favorites in each of the 30 camps. It's not just 'a player in a new uniform', but it's players in uniforms that will take a while to get used to. Again, think of cutch on the Rangers, a lot like Hunter Pence on the Rangers. It's a real shock honestly.

Angels: Alek Manoah, a surprising favorite for an Opening Day rotation spot, and someone with a real desire to prove his success was not a fluke. The shift from Jays to Braves I could stomach, but this is a different color scheme and a different section of the continent. Maybe this works out.

 Astros: Nick Allen by default, but he honestly looks odd in most uniforms. An Allen-Altuve DP combo would be cool because there wouldn't be much of a height difference. 

A's: Jeff McNeil. Not only does McNeil look odd out of Mets pinstripes for the first time since his career began in 2018, but he just looks odd standing next to all of these young, talented players starting their careers. McNeil will be sharing playing time with Zach Gelof and Tyler Soderstrom, and attempting to prove he's still a durable MLB option. 

Blue Jays: Jesus Sanchez. In my defense, this is the first time in his career he's not in wholly dark tones, and the more optimistic light blues and whites of Toronto will be interesting. It'll also be interesting to see what he can add to this team after standing out in Miami and falling short in Houston.

Braves: Mike Yastrzemski. Seeing him in Kansas City blue was also weird for the record. I think I just assumed he'd stick with SF til the contract ran out, then keep re-upping, and seeing him now as a crucial piece of this return-to-form Braves squad is something I wasn't expecting.

Brewers: Akil Baddoo. Even if he doesn't make the team it'll just be a weird note after a bunch of Tigers seasons.

Cardinals: There's actually a lot of competition. Ryne Stanek in bright red looks odd, Ramon Urias in bright red..I'm giving it to Dustin May because it's a complete inversion of how I pictured him in LA.

Cubs: Lord have mercy, welcome back to the bigs Tyler Austin!! Austin was a Yankee farmhand around the same time as Aaron Judge, flamed out, then became a big star in the Japanese leagues. Here he's back, and is trying to crack the overstuffed Cubs roster. Honestly, with Seiya Suzuki hurt he's got a chance. Mostly want him to succeed for the joy of it, but man is it weird seeing him out of pinstripes.

D-Backs: Nolan Arenado, as discussed. Verging on Longoria vibes.

Dodgers: Edwin Diaz probably, but there really isn't much competition. I think I'm still extremely used to seeing him in Mets colors, as is most of the league. Odd that it really was SEVEN SEASONS in Queens. It didn't feel that long.

Giants: I think this'll be Harrison Bader, because this is the furthest west he's ever played and the most he's ever been in black. 

Guardians: Either Colin Holderman or Rhys Hoskins. Equally known for either one team or one shade or so. Hoskins in the AL will be very interesting.

Mariners: Rob Refsnyder for sure. This'll be the first time in a while he's suited up for a team that isn't the Red Sox, and the M's are banking on him in a full time DH role, which is huge. I sincerely hope it works out for him, he's the exact kind of guy that could work in Seattle.

Marlins: Really just Owen Caissie. Cubs fans thought they'd be getting him next, then the Cabrera deal happens, now he's become the latest and greatest big time prospect to try to make it in Miami.

Mets: Clearly there's a lot of competition, but of all of them I think Jorge Polanco looks the strangest. I never considered him a possibility to play for the Mets. You know how some people just have that 'yeah, the Mets will go for them' feel? Polanco's not one of those guys for me. Hell, 1st base isn't even his position, and he'll be covering for Pete Alonso, so that's even stranger.

Nationals: Miles Mikolas, as I just assumed he wouldn't play anywhere else other than St. Louis. Still red, but just slightly off.

Orioles: Shane Baz. I think mostly because I think of him as a kid in dark tones, and now he's there wearing the orange highlighters. A little off. Really hope he works out in Baltimore though.

Padres: Nick Castellanos narrowly beats German Marquez. Mostly cause it just makes me sad.

Phillies: Brad Keller in a color other than blue. Though, real talk, I really hope he keeps it going for us, cause we deserve some good bullpen luck, FINALLY.

Rays: Cedric Mullins. I'm thinking I'll get used to this, but Mullins just seems like a different kind of player from the sort of veteran the Rays usually bring in. Perhaps he'll be dealt by June.

Red Sox: Willson Contreras in the AL is the weirdest bit of this, weirder than Ranger Suarez in the AL. I think I'm mostly just caught off guard still by the Cardinals trading him. And now he's the first baseman, supposedly for this Sox team, or maybe the DH. It might work but it doesn't compute for me at the moment.

Reds: Dane Myers probably, but Pierce Johnson and J.J. Bleday come close. Myers might actually work better in Cincinnati than he did in Miami. Slightly better team.

Rockies: Michael Lorenzen I think. I just never expected to see him on an 'it's a living' signing, not after the Tigers one.

Royals: Starling Marte, like his old teammate Andrew McCutchen, has only spent 3 months in the AL, from his 2021 stint in Oakland. This will be an odd venture, not only as a KC DH, but on likely his last legs. I remember when he was the speedy, powerful rookie, and now he's just kind of hanging around. That's very odd.

Tigers: Kenley Jansen's really the only one of these that looks anywhere close to strange. It's not the Dodgers, after all.

Twins: Orlando Arcia, probably. A shame so much of this team is just people trying to keep playing. More minor league than anything else.

White Sox: Anthony Kay, another returning guy from a couple continents over. Used to him in Toronto colors, now he tries Act 2 as a White Sox. Hope it goes as well for him as...well, teammate Erick Fedde, though perhaps sustained over a longer period of time.

Yankees: N/A. Cause even Ryan Weathers is a second-generation Yankee. Nothing looks too out of the ordinary...yet.

Uncustomed Heroes of 2025: Orioles

 

Well. Sometimes the injury bug hits and all you can do is swat. Sometimes you've got the best team on paper and the paper gets thrown in a shredder. Sometimes the best laid plans amount to nothing. And sometimes the only moves your GM makes involve one year deals for cheap replacements without actually building the team up, and then when the team finishes in last you see the guy wonder how this happened. 

The O's only had two hitters appear in more than 100 games. Just...digest that for a second. Only two hitters appeared in more than 100 games. Everyone else had partial seasons due to injuries, come-ups or general inefficiency. Just Gunnar Henderson and Jackson Holliday were on call all season. Only two pitchers made more than 30 starts, and one of them was just cut. Only one reliever pitched in more than 60 innings. This season required 34 hitters and 41 pitchers. In a season immediately following a competitive effort, it hurt for the Orioles to not make it anywhere this year. But next year, they've got a new manager, a ton more health, a few new pieces spurned on by Mike Elias's desire to actually build a great team [including the mighty Pete Alonso], and possibly even a major personnel change in the heart of the lineup.

That change was set into motion last year, as during Adley Rutschman's injury-shortened year, the team gave a huge contract extension to still wet-behind-the-ears rookie catcher Samuel Basallo. It came as something of a shock, and it said that the Orioles had more faith in the next phase of their rebuild than their current phase. It also showed that even the O's knew that Rutschman, once an organizational cornerstone, had his limitations. This year, in 90 games, he hit .229 with 29 RBIs and 9 homers. Yes, it came with good defense, but the takeaway from his minor league material was his bat, and it just wasn't here this year. The idea exists that Elias will try to trade Adley, which...will shock some people, even if it is 100% the right thing to do with Basallo the answer going forward.

2026 Prediction: An MVP-caliber year with 25 homers, an All-Star gig and the return to his 2023-24 pace. It will not be for the Baltimore Orioles. If Dombrowski can pull this off without giving up a cornerstone, I'll be impressed.

This was also an injury-plagued year from usual corner rock Ryan Mountcastle, meaning Ryan O'Hearn needed to fill in at 1st a lot [which went rather well for him!]. Once he was gone, Mountcastle eventually returned and in 89 games hit .250 with 7 homers and 35 RBIs. The fact that Ramon Laureano accomplished more in less games with the O's still blows my mind.

2026 Prediction: So look. The O's just got themselves a pretty nice power bat to play 1st. Either Mountcastle will succeed as the everyday DH and improve his power numbers or he might be collateral damage in the team's quest to evolve.

Tyler O'Neill's biggest contribution to the Orioles' season may have been continuing his ongoing 'homer on Opening Day' streak, with a beauty to kick off the season yet again. O'Neill may not be the multifaceted guy the Cardinals tried to move with, but he's great defensively and has those great power moments. This was not his finest hour, though, as in 54 games he hit .199 with 9 homers and 26 RBIs. The injuries, and the one-sided power, lessened his appeal. But he was a rare Elias 2025 offseason pickup that actually made it to September.

2026 Prediction: Much healthier season, much more on target. Really contributes.

Zach Eflin was traded from Tampa to be a sure thing near the front of the Orioles' rotation. Because of injuries, this hasn't gone completely to plan. On the last year of Eflin's contract, he had a 5.93 ERA in 14 starts, with 6 wins and 50 Ks. 

2026 Prediction: The Rays want him. They'll get him. It'll be healthy material, but will it be the kind they got from him when he signed there three years ago? Not thinking so.

Felix Bautista finally got a healthy year to close games in Baltimore, after missing all of 2024. In 35 games, he had a 2.60 ERA with 19 saves, a very nice run. And then, of course, he gets hurt and misses the rest of the season yet again. Could not have the worst luck, even for a legitimately talented reliever.

2026 Prediction: When he does come back, he does pretty well for himself as a set-up type for Helsley. It'll hopefully require less energy from him.

And now for a ton of the rookies the O's needed to call up cause nobody on the 25 could stay healthy. Jeremiah Jackson replaced Ramon Urias in the role of contact-friendly utility man after his trade, and Jackson did alright for himself in the second half, hitting .276 with 5 homers and 21 RBIs in 48 games. Jackson can play the corners or the outfield, so he'll be useful going forward.

2026 Prediction: Yeah, fits into the Urias/Mateo role nicely, plays in 100+ games and is really useful in a pinch.

Then Dylan Beavers, another cool prospect, came up, and filled in for some of the Mullins/O'Neill contingency. His defense made up for a .222 average, 4 homers and 14 RBIs in 35 games. He did have a .775 OPS though, meaning his contact numbers could be helpful going forward.

2026 Prediction: OF plans going forward seem to be Ward/Cowser/O'Neill. So Beavers may not make the Opening Day roster, and may wait for one of those three to get hurt and capitalize. Or, possibly equally likely, he becomes the new Kyle Stowers and gets flipped for a smooth add-on at the deadline.

And then as the cherry on top, Samuel Basallo, the gem of the organization, got called up and filled in at catcher while Adley was away. He did not have full contact luck this year, but the power numbers were good, 4 homers and 15 RBIs in 30 games. Apparently the extension is gonna justify itself very soon, and once he gets the hang of things he'll be deadly. How long that takes the 20-year-old to figure out I'm not entirely sure.

2026 Prediction: This man is going to get a ton of Rookie of the Year votes. 

Towards the end of the season, once it was already lost, a lot of the injured guys came back and played as well as they could have all along. Tyler Wells was one of them, he's been out for like 2 years, he finally came back, and in 4 games he went 2-1 with a 2.91 ERA, 18 Ks and a 0.877 WHIP. The material, while limited, was very good, and proved he's still got a lot of potential.

2026 Prediction: Very crucial comeback season, 10+ wins, full health.

Coming Tomorrow- A lot of surprisingly big remaining pieces from a Padres team that gave it another go, even with the Dodgers still being the Dodgers. 

Puzzlingly Warming the Stove

 

Well. Primitive of me to assume the offseason can ever start gradually. It's never a subtle, slow burn. Always just a bang. Josh Naylor re-signed with Seattle the other day, the qualifying offers went through today, and now I suppose it's on. Cause the O's and Angels just did something pretty crazy.

Okay, let's see here. Taylor Ward is one of the longest-tenured Angels aside from Mike Trout, he's okay on defense but his power ceiling's very high, and he just had his biggest year at the plate with 36 homers and 103 RBIs. This is the kind of year the Orioles would deal away someone for having, not deal for. Ward is gonna be 32, he's been healthy the past two seasons, and is still definitely a suitable lineup piece. Therefore, the Orioles trading for him is a very big move to adorn their still-young lineup with a veteran presence. 

Next year, the Orioles will be relying on Samuel Basallo, Dylan Beavers, Gunnar Henderson, Colton Cowser, Jordan Westburg, Jackson Holiday, Jeremiah Jackson and possibly even Adley Rutschman if they decide to keep him. That's a stacked roster, but it's also very young. A Taylor Ward type is a very good add-on, and one that could lead to a surprise Trumbo-in-2016 or Cruz-in-2014 type success. So I like this move from the O's perspective, just on the grounds that the Orioles need a bat like Ward, and he's better off there than in Anaheim.

However...I'm not quite sure about what they gave up for him.

So. Going into 2026, the Orioles' rotation is looking like it'll be some combination of Trevor Rogers, Kyle Bradish, Dean Kremer, Tyler Wells and Cade Povich if he decides to show up. Eflin and Sugano have left in free agency. It's not a deep bench, and four members of it have recently missed large swaths of time due to injury, leaving the only actual proven consistent guy for 2026 as...Dean Kremer. And I'd like to remind you that the Orioles do plan on competing next year. So even if Rogers, Bradish, Wells and Povich do manage to figure out A.) how not to get hurt and B.) how not to entirely shit the bed given the opportunity, looking at you Cade, that's not the kind of rotation that strikes fear into the heart of competitors. That's assuming Trevor Rogers plays like he did this year, Kyle Bradish plays like he did in 2023, and Tyler Wells plays like he's done in partial seasons. All at the same time for at least 32 games. You're probably understanding why I'm concerned.

The Orioles were going to get Grayson Rodriguez back next year after missing 2025 with arm surgery. And they just traded him to Anaheim. 

Now. MAYBE. Possibly. Mike Elias has something else up his sleeve in regards to bringing in starting talent. I really want to believe this. I'm also hesitant, because when he gives the idea that he's going to do this, all he brings in is a year of Tomoyuki Sugano, and a year of Charlie Morton. That's not trending upwards, that's treading water. In 2024, this rotation had Corbin Burnes. Now it doesn't even have Grayson Rodriguez. So I really hope he's got some other ideas on how to repopulate the rotation. There's guys out here who can make this look more impressive. Because if he doesn't, and Bradish, Wells and Rogers all go down again and all they can muster is Brandon Young, George Soriano and a barrel of hammers, he isn't allowed to play the 'well we triiiiiiied and it's haaaaaard' game. If you don't want to run a baseball club's roster, pick another vocation. 

Grayson Rodriguez will probably be fine for the Angels. I sincerely hope he's able to stay healthy there, because if he does he'll finally reach the potential he was [sigh] supposed to with Baltimore. Yeah, remember that? Around the same time as Rutschman, Henderson and Holliday were big prospects, Grayson Rodriguez was talked about in the same breath. His MLB material, especially in 2024, was worth it. I was in Baltimore this year, getting in early enough to see people walking home from a game, and they were carrying Grayson Rodriguez bobbleheads. It was his bobblehead day. Injured, yes, but he got one. Because there was that much promise. And to throw that away, even when you NEED a guy like him to keep the rotation in any way suitable...that's suspect.

Who knows, maybe this works out and Elias is a genius. I just have a funny feeling that they're gonna regret paring down the rotation shelf. Unless the return for Adley is an Opening Day rotation guy [or two], I'm gonna be baffled by them parting with Rodriguez for a little bit, Ward and all.

Late Swell

 

Well, here are some facts about the 2025 Baltimore Orioles. They're not looking like they'll be finishing the season with anybody hitting more than 75 RBIs, or anybody hitting more than 25 homers, or anyone with more than 12 wins, or anyone with more than 150 strikeouts [actually maybe Kremer gets there, who knows]. They did not have a healthy team to make a run at a pennant, and they were without Adley Rutschman, Kyle Bradish, Grayson Rodriguez, Colton Cowser, Felix Bautista, Trevor Rogers, Ryan Mountcastle, Zach Eflin, Tyler Wells, Tyler O'Neill and Jordan Westburg for large swaths of this season. If your entire core misses more than half the season then you have to just be up front with people that you're taking a year off, and the O's kinda were.

However, a stat that I like better is this: the O's are .500 under Tony Mansolino. It may not have seemed like it at the time, but getting rid of Brandon Hyde may have been the best thing the O's did, because since then, they've been much closer to an actual good baseball team.

And that's kinda where we're at now, a team that's much closer to good because the injured guys are actually contributing, and some of the replacements are still helping as well. Samuel Basallo, Dylan Beavers and Trevor Rogers are as crucial to this team as Kyle Bradish, Ryan Mountcastle and Colton Cowser are, and it makes me excited for a season where they can all be called upon.

Like...Trevor Rogers didn't even look this good in Miami. He'd been hurt so long that we forgot this is just what he can do. Last night he kept the Yankees silent, barely allowing many hits, and reminding people just how crucial he's been for this team since being activated. Kyle Bradish has been very similar. In 4 games back he's had a 2.45 ERA and 30 Ks, he's very much himself again, and hopefully will have more of this material to display next year. Even Tyler Wells has been amazing since getting called back up, 2-0 with a 2.04 ERA in 3 starts. If they'd had this from the start without the injuries they'd have been a playoff team. Now it's...a big swell for nothing essentially. 

I'm really hoping this is a preview for next year. All of this in one place without shenanigans, it's coming. I do worry about the Rutschman/Basallo situation, if this means they might try and shop him for prospects or something, but there's gonna be concrete, healthy pieces next year in position to carry a team to the top. I think something will happen. And if I'm wrong...Mike Elias will never hear the end of it.

Coming Tonight: How the hell do you go from mid-year trade to 'everybody's hero' status in the span of a month? Not since Hunter Pence have I seen something like this...and I'm really hoping that's where the 2011 comparisons end. 

Held Together With Scotch Tape

 

So. We have arrived at a version of the 2025 Orioles that features all of Kyle Bradish, Colton Cowser, Ryan Mountcastle, Cade Povich and Albert Suarez, active and in good health.. Though, granted, we had to lose Felix Bautista, Zach Eflin, Adley Rutschman, Jordan Westburg, Tyler O'Neill and Brandon Young to get there.

Look, if the Orioles had any sense of injury luck this would be a different story. They've had so many great pieces having great performances, but none of them lined up together. There have been very few constants this season. Dean Kremer, of all people, has been one of them, making 26 starts and posting a 4.52 ERA, 128 Ks and a 9-10 record. With the rotten luck that this team has had, Kremer has been a perfectly acceptable baseline arm, and has provided stability where it hasn't completely existed. Yes, Trevor Rogers has had the more traditional standout season, but that came after a month or so of injury. To be fair, a 5 WAR, an 8-2 record and a 1.39 ERA is nothing to sneeze at, and I really hope Rogers is this useful in a season where the team is actually good. Because Kyle Bradish is proving that the capability to exceed is there, it's just difficult when Rodriguez and Eflin aren't around and you have to wear out Brandon Young and Cade Povich waiting for them.

What has been nice, though, is seeing the emergence of even more young O's that hopefully aren't being rushed. Dylan Beavers has been up, and seems pretty ready for prime time, hitting .333 with 16 hits and 6 RBIs in 15 games. Samuel Basallo, a rare young Oriole that gets extended, has shown early promise, with 8 RBIs in 13 games. Jeremiah Jackson came up around the deadline and has been an underrated low-lineup presence, hitting .337 with 15 RBIs and 3 homers in 27 games. With Henderson, Cowser, Mountcastle and Holliday acting as a core, and with the hope of Rutschman, O'Neill and Westburg back and healthier next year, you can see a much better team forming, and a much more hopeful future arriving soon.

I hate to say it, but I think a year like this was necessary to keep the Orioles from getting too all-in on their own BS. They needed a taste of 'all of this can go wrong and you won't be able to stay in it', and that'll help if something like this happens again. Now that the team is willing to keep its prospects, and now that there's a possibility that Rutschman might be better off as trade bait, you can see a path forward, and a way back to competition. 

Coming Tomorrow- He got off the IL and went right into a hitting streak. 

Perhaps They Had a Point After All?

 

Immediately after trading Kyle Stowers and Connor Norby to the Marlins for Trevor Rogers, a few things happened to the Orioles. Those few things were multiple starting pitchers getting injured, including Zach Eflin, who came over from the Rays at the deadline. Rogers' injury was almost immediate, and as Stowers took off in September, and went on a tear this year, it did look like the O's completely bombed that trade.

However...the Orioles have had a season where Kyle Bradish, Tyler Wells and Grayson Rodriguez have been injured the whole time, Eflin and Povich have struggled with injuries, and their depth starters, Albert Suarez and Cody Poteet, both lasted 1 game in the bigs before getting injured. And while Dean Kremer, Tomoyuki Sugano and, while he was here, Charlie Morton have provided stability, the single best starter in Baltimore since his activation has been Trevor Rogers. In 11 games back, he has a 3.8 WAR, a 5-2 record, a 1.43 ERA and 60 Ks. Not only is this good for the Orioles, it'd be good anywhere.

The thing about Rogers, and this has been clear since his come up in 2020, is that he's capable of excellent starts, but they happen in between rough stretches. Normally, whenever Rogers is struggling, he's either responding to or recovering from an injury. The Marlins had years where he was back but not fully healthy, and thus sported a 5 ERA. Last year he was decent enough for them in the first half, hence the trade, but he was juuust overexerting himself enough to be unusable as an Oriole. And after missing about half of 2025, he comes back and he's better than ever...at the exact moment there's really no use of any good starting pitching in Baltimore.

The absolute worst thing that could happen, which is likely, is that Rogers could have this comeback season, and then next year when Bradish, Rodriguez, Wells and Eflin are back and fully healthy, Rogers gets hurt again because he overexerted himself during the crap season. It's happened before. Chris Paddack overworked himself in 2019 and missed the Padres' come-up. Jacob deGrom went 33 games during the depths of the Mets' inconsistency, then once he got to Arlington and played for a competitor he blew himself out midway through. He could do it again this year. 

The Orioles, like usual, have everything in place to succeed with and just don't have the luck. Or the GM. Rogers very well could find that groove and stay healthy enough to help the O's compete next year. He could also get hurt immediately when they need him [like Bradish and Rodriguez did]. I really hope there's better luck in store for this team, but it won't happen if the organization acts powerless as this keeps happening.

Coming Tomorrow- A reliever so good that other guys are getting booed solely because they're not him.

Outclassed, Even Now

 

Here is a fact: in the last month, the Colorado Rockies have won more games than the New York Yankees have. Real fact there.

I'm not sure if the Rockies are still on the road to beating the 2024 White Sox's record of ineptitude, but they've evened out slightly since June began. They will likely still cross the 100-loss mark, probably in August, but even since the ASG break ended they've been more consistent and more of a normal bad team. They won two games against the Twins and Cardinals, two decent middle-of-the-pack teams, and won a close one against Baltimore the other night. Even with the loss of Ryan McMahon, they've figured out a decent enough lineup formula, and guys like Jordan Beck, Mickey Moniak, Hunter Goodman and surprisingly Thairo Estrada. Last night they brought up Warming Bernabel to fill the roster vacancy, he looks pretty good. Tanner Gordon's been back up for 4 games and is already one of the best starters in town. And somehow Seth Halvorsen's gotten 10 saves in a season where there's only been 27 wins. Despite the pure trainwreck quality, the Rockies are doing their best to get by, and trying to salvage things enough to at least have some starting points next season.

However. Last night, even away from Coors Field, the Rockies still lost a game 18-0. To another last place team.

Now, to be fair, the Orioles this year are still better than most last place teams. In fact, once again it speaks to the quality of the AL East that they're in last to begin with. The Rays would be a second place team in any other division, and the Sox would be a first place team in any other division. The O's have a better record than the 4th place Braves, have more immediate assets than the 4th place Angels, and have more of a future than the 4th place Twins. But they're an AL East team in a decade where the AL East is competitive, and they have like 10 injured pitchers, so they're in last. 

Yet last night's game was a mix of two elements that were sure to be troublesome when combined: the Orioles' lineup and the Rockies' pitching staff. After a while it was getting ridiculous. The whole Orioles team got hits, and every starter but Holliday, Laureano and Cowser had RBIs. There were home runs from Tyler O'Neill, Cedric Mullins and somehow Alex Jackson. NINE RUNS were scored in the 7th, off a combination of Zach Agnos, completely destroying his April start, and Nick Anderson, in his first appearance as a Rockie. It takes a lot to erase Antonio Senzatela's patheticness but those two succeeded. And ultimately the Rockies were powerless against Trevor Rogers, in a comeback season attempting to vindicate the Orioles' move in trading away Kyle Stowers. 

A game like this proves that, regardless of recent trends, the Orioles are still inherently a good team, and the Rockies are still awful. If the O's had healthy seasons from Grayson Rodriguez, Kyle Bradish, Zach Eflin and Tyler Wells, they wouldn't have to keep trotting Brandon Young or whoever out there, or chancing whether this Charlie Morton or Dean Kremer start will be one of the good ones. And even if the O's continue to deal, as O'Hearn and Mullins are likely gonna go, they will still have enough young talent to rebound next year. Full seasons from Jordan Westburg, Colton Cowser, Adley Rutschman and Ryan Mountcastle could bring this team back.

As for the Rockies...maybe invest in a dome.

Coming Tonight: A guy who's been having a hot weekend against a completely depleted Yankees team.

For All the Cows

 

It's important to point out that the Orioles are currently above .500 during the Tony Mansolino era. I'm not sure if Mansolino himself was the factor that sparked this improvement, or if it was just the activation of a bunch of nice players at once, or even just me sitting in on a game at the beginning of June, but regardless, the Orioles are closer to a good baseball team now. Not completely one, but closer to resembling one.

The bad news is that Adley Rutschman is out til after the break, and there's still a rotation's worth of pitchers on the IL. The good news is that the people the O's have recently gotten back have been extremely helpful in turning the team around. Colton Cowser, who was very good in his rookie year, has been excellent recently, with a .257 average since coming off the IL, 5 homers and 13 RBIs. If I could do last year over again, I'd have traded Cowser instead of Kyle Stowers, but the truth was that Stowers wasn't a proven success in the majors yet and Cowser was killing it. Having Cowser surging is a big reason why the O's have gone 17-11 since May 28th.

Another big factor is the arrival of an actual good starting pitcher, and by that I don't mean Charlie Morton clinging to the last throes of life this month. Surprisingly I mean Trevor Rogers, whose acquisition last year felt like one of the dumbest things the Orioles had done in some time. A guy who immediately got hurt was worth Norby and Stowers? BS. Well, now Rogers is healthy and actually putting something decent together this year, lowering his ERA to 2.05 and showing true dominance in all four of his starts so far. This is what Rogers can do when he is healthy. The only strange part is that it happens so infrequently, and that it's happened while basically everyone else is hurt. I hope his good fortune persists, and I hope some of the other guys can join in on that.

I think the best case scenario for this Orioles team is that they build a little through the second half, maybe lose one or two pieces [Mullins is getting mentioned by GMs, maybe Laureano gets dealt too to make way for another young guy], and still be generally seen as a player to compete. I think seeing a better year from Jackson Holliday, getting consistent production from Henderson and Cowser, and at least some signs of life from the pitching [Bautista, Kremer, Sugano and Baker have been great] is still promising even as the team circles last, and I think that Rays comeback and some other big wins this year have made it a lot more likely that the O's could stay out of last this year. 

Coming Tonight: He was very good at fulfilling the 'team hero' spot while Bryce Harper was gone.

How I Saved the Orioles

 

Here is what is absolutely true about the Baltimore Orioles. They spent the first two months of the season wandering around, waiting for a point, no starters and no energy. And then since their series with the White Sox began last weekend, they've only lost 2 games and won 7. The Tony Mansolino era of the team is now above .500, and, with Colton Cowser back and Zach Eflin healthy and surging, the O's actually look decent for the first time all season.

So I've been taking credit for this. Cause a winning stretch isn't a winning stretch til it gets past like 2 games. Winning two games is easy, anybody can do that. Winning six in a row is a lot tougher. So I was at game #3 of the six game streak, last Sunday. O's-White Sox. Charlie Morton vs. Adrian Houser. They wont that game, against all odds, and since then they've looked a lot better. 

First of all, I never need much of an excuse to go to an Orioles game. It's only a couple hours from where I live, it's a cozy and homey place to watch a game, and I like the team. I honestly don't get there enough for how cheap the tickets are. But this was a good excuse. A family friend was celebrating his kid's wedding, so he got some suites at Camden Yards, and so there I was, watching an O's game from a suite. I've watched games from the nosebleed section over home plate, that's a fun view, but this was nice. And y'know, people were coming back with Natty Bo's and pit beef and old bay chips and such, and it was awesome. People kept handing me beers, so I enjoyed myself. And the thing about me is that I'm not usually very good at the social stuff, I'm a born introvert. But damn if I didn't talk up every last person in that suite. It was a fun group. One rogue Pirates fan, that was a fun conversation, PNC or Camden Yards.

I bring this up because I don't remember a hell of a lot about the game. I remember Ryan O'Hearn and Gunnar Henderson whacking hits into the OF and batting runs home. I remember Charlie Morton actually being pretty smooth through 6, only letting a renegade homer by. I remember the White Sox looking anemic, which didn't shock me. But like...I don't remember a ton else about the game. I tried watching it, and to give you an idea of how much I'd had, I could have sworn I saw two batters in the box. 

But the O's won, and they deserved the win. Their bullpen shut the Sox down, and people like Bryan Baker and Andrew Kittredge looked great. These guys can contact-hit their way through even when the homer guys don't show up. It wasn't the most exciting game, but a win's a win, isn't it? So since I was there, the team's been pretty great. I think Sugano getting rocked yesterday is a little worrying, especially when they're keeping Trevor Rogers in the minors in favor of Povich and Morton, but the hope is that as they straighten out people start coming back and it balances out. Either way, the team looks better than it has all year, and I hope they can keep the momentum going. 

And if they need more...I guess I can go to another game. Y'know, if that's needed and all.

Coming Tonight: A early front runner for NL All-Star starting 1st Baseman. 

Eastern Promises

 

This year, Ichiro Suzuki will become the first Japanese player inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. It's hard to look back at 2001, where Ichiro was an insane rookie hitter, and think about how the Japanese player was a novelty at one point. Hideo Nomo playing for the Dodgers may have broke the thresholds open 30 years after Masanori Murakami, but the conveyer of Japanese players to the MLB was still very spotty and unrefined for a while. Whereas now they're everywhere and serving so many purposes.

My point of reference is the period where the Japanese imports were already in their thirties, guys like Kosuke Fukudome, Yasuhiko Yabuta and Hiroki Kuroda, guys who'd maybe have one or two of their peak years in the states before declining. Now they're coming over in their prime and continuing it playing for the best of the best. It's to the point where now that we once again have an older, veteran Japanese rookie in Tomoyuki Sugano, that feels like more of a novelty than anything. Sugano, 35, has been a bright spot in a very disappointing last place Orioles team. Through 8 games he's 4-2 with a 2.72 ERA. He's not a high strikeout guy but he's just been dominant and consistent, and with all the injuries in Baltimore, they need that right now. 

Meanwhile, Kodai Senga, despite being 32, is still one of the most fearsome starters in the game. Right now through 8 he's also 4-2, but with a league leading 1.22 ERA, plus 42 Ks. This was the dominance that Senga displayed in his fantastic rookie season, and despite some shakiness in his rehab season last year, he seems to be back and stronger than ever...much like the Mets. 

And you're also seeing that getting a young, full-prime Japanese player isn't the slam dunk it used to be. Roki Sasaki is 23 and was an absolute phenom in Japan, yet he's struggled mightily in the States, culminating in an injury. Even while the strategy evolves, sometimes planning and expectation is meaningless, and the players themselves chart their own course anytime they want. 

Let's have a look at some of the other Japanese imports in the league, and see if any are defying their own ages:

Angels: Yusei Kikuchi is 34, and despite not getting a win yet he's still very reliable, and has a 3.72 ERA. Kikuchi has only gotten better as he's matured in the majors, and his Jays run has been his peak so far, which the Angels hope continues with them.

Cubs: Seiya Suzuki is 30 and is still pretty much in his prime, though I worry he's not exactly the hitter that was advertised. Shota Imanaga's 31 and still definitely in his prime. 

Dodgers: Ohtani is Ohtani. Yamamoto is 26 and having an incredible season, with a 1.80 ERA and 53 Ks. A Japanese pitcher has never won a Cy Young award, despite Darvish coming in 2nd a few years back, and Yamamoto is already figuring heavily into the conversation.

Nationals: Shinnosuke Ogasawara, in his rookie season at 27, has a 4.80 ERA in 3 starts...in Rochester. I don't know if it's the Nats rotation or Ogasawara himself but this may be more on the side of novelty.

Padres: Well, Yu Darvish is 38 and injured, but he's had a full career. Yuki Matsui is 29 and still a very crucial part of this bullpen, with a 2 ERA. 

Red Sox: Masataka Yoshida is still very much in his prime, but he is currently hurt. 

Tigers: Kenta Maeda, a rare care of a Japanese player clearly past his prime, was cut a few weeks ago after posting a 7.88 ERA in relief. 

So honestly, it varies, but the quality of player is now good enough that there's less drop-offs and more powering through, even in their early 30s. It bodes well for both these players, and their teams. And for Roki Sasaki honestly. He may not have clicked now, but who's to say he won't eventually?

Coming Tomorrow- The closest thing to a veteran star the White Sox have.

Could Have. Would Have. Didn't.

 

There are two types of issues that have led the Orioles to begin the season circling last. There are the unpredictable issues, and there are the self-inflicted issues. And I'm not really sure which has damaged this team more.

The unpredictable accounts for a lot of why the O's are where they are. The rotation, ideally, should consist of Kyle Bradish, Grayson Rodriguez, Zach Eflin, Dean Kremer and Tomoyuki Sugano. The first three are all currently injured, as are Tyler Wells and Trevor Rogers. Kremer is struggling, as he tends to starting out. Sugano has a 3.43 ERA, but he was never intended to carry the rotation. And so with the rotation snakebitten, then the team has to go with people like Cade Povich and Brandon Young, who haven't been too impressive in early starts. Only Colton Cowser on the hitting end has been hurt, not counting Gunnar Henderson's IL stint to start the season. Then there's just some slumps, like Adley Rutschman, Jordan Westburg and Jackson Holliday. The rest are hitting well, but not overwhelmingly well. Henderson's hitting .213 right now. Tyler O'Neill's only had 1 more homer since the Opening Day one. It's just a quieter, lower key team.

And then there's the self-inflicted issue. Mike Elias had an entire offseason to recover from a second straight postseason failure, and the ideas he came up with were singing Charlie Morton, who any Braves fan could tell you was over the hill, taking on Tyler O'Neill and Ramon Laureano as depth outfielders, hoping Andrew Kittredge would stay healthy [he hasn't] and...that's it. They thought that would work. Also keep in mind that while several other teams handed out extensions this offseason, the Orioles, even with Rubenstein money, did none of that. Mullins and Eflin, two of the biggest contracted pieces, are free agents at the end of the season, and the young stars are still on preliminary deals. 

And they're asking how this went wrong. You did nothing. This is your fault. 

Charlie Morton, through 5 starts, is 0-5 with a 10.89 ERA, leading the league in earned runs with 25. The novelty is over. This was your idea of retooling, or buttressing, the rotation and it's actively making things worse. They did grab Kyle Gibson as well, and he's stretching out in Norfolk at the moment, but we really shouldn't be in the position where we're waiting for Kyle Gibson to save the rotation. If they'd have signed a workhorse, or a Spencer Turnbull depth starter type, we wouldn't be here. Or maybe we would, because they went and got Cody Poteet and then he immediately got injured. Again, it's very hard to tell if the team is cursed or if Elias is just making all the wrong decisions. But either way, they shouldn't be here.

The hope is that the Orioles are just getting all of this out of their system early before they start going on a tear, but if not...this is a really bad look for a team that looked like they were about to make a run. It has to be better than this. 

Coming Tonight- Ironically, a starter nearby in a rotation block that may be the main thing that is working.