The rain that forced the Orioles into playing Thursday’s doubleheader also made manager Craig Albernaz tamper with a lineup arrangement that’s working.

Adley Rutschman was the only catcher starting in Game 1, and he cut down Jose Altuve attempting to steal with a 86 mph throw in the second inning, hit a grand slam and singled. Samuel Basallo sat on the bench instead of serving as designated hitter.

Basallo moved behind the plate for Game 2, with Rutschman earning a rest. He struck out four times after collecting 11 hits in his previous 20 at-bats, with two doubles and two home runs, beginning April 20. A rare stumble for the rookie.

In his last at-bat with two outs in the ninth, Basallo ran the count full and was robbed of a run-scoring hit on a diving catch in center by former Oriole Daniel Johnson. He caught last night, with Rutschman the DH, and singled in the seventh. He lined out to right field to conclude a 7-2 loss to the Yankees.

Albernez wouldn’t trade his duo for any other in baseball.

“I’d definitely say we have the best catching tandem,” Albernaz said.

“I’m biased, obviously.”

But is he wrong?

As MASN’s Brendan Mortensen pointed out Thursday, Rutschman and Basallo were the only catching teammates with a least 50 at-bats to rank in the top 10 in OPS. Rutschman was first and Basallo ninth.  

The Orioles used a franchise-record seven catchers last season and they hit a combined .201/.271/.356. The average ranked 28th in the majors, the on-base percentage 27th and the .627 OPS 23rd.

Rutschman made his first two trips to the injured list with oblique strains and continued his decline at the plate, finishing with a .220/.307/.366 line in 90 games. He went into the doubleheader slashing .345/.400/.618 in 15 games, his out in the first inning was a 97.2 mph comebacker that pitcher Peter Lambert trapped, and he ended the day with a .356/.406/.661 line to go with six doubles, four homers and 17 RBIs.

“I think it’s just been everything,” said bullpen coach Hank Conger, a major league catcher for seven seasons. “First off, he’s just awesome to work with. Such a good dude, brings such good energy to the field. A lot of the preparation is just very thoughtful. Thoughtful training. Everything he’s trying to do to improve every single pitch. So it’s been exciting to watch.”

Basallo was the organization’s No. 1 prospect when the Orioles called him up in August at age 21. He batted .165 with a .559 OPS in 31 games and obviously had more developing to do both at and behind the plate.

“He’s grown a lot,” Conger said. “He’s still so young, right? And I think we tend to kind of get away from that with a lot of these guys when they’re up in the big leagues. But just seeing him improve every single day, just trying to work hard, always trying to just have like a clear focus, a clear goal, of every single day he shows up to the clubhouse, and finding ways to improve is just really the main focus.

“I think a lot of times as baseball players, we get ahead of ourselves a lot. So trying to find every single day a thoughtful purposeful approach is just really the main focus.”

It’s rare for a team to put both catchers in the same lineup and risk losing the designated hitter or having to use someone behind the plate in an emergency role. The Orioles have done it nine times, and it would be more if Rutschman didn’t go on the IL with inflammation in his left ankle.

“It feels nice knowing that they have enough confidence in my bat to get me in there just by not having me on the field,” Basallo said via interpreter Brandon Quinones. “I think he’s done a great job, as well, every time he’s in there. I think it’s been great and it feels great.”

Rutschman was the rookie learning from veteran catcher Robinson Chirinos when he debuted in 2022. He’s already become a mentor with Basallo seven years younger and far less experienced.

“He’s a leader here in this clubhouse,” Basallo said. “He’s been in this league for a while now, so I feel like the most important thing, the biggest thing, has been just seeing how he’s been a leader in this clubhouse.”

Asked about being paired with Basallo, Rutschman turned the conversation entirely about his teammate.

“Sammy’s a phenomenal hitter and just continues to look better at the plate, more comfortable, taking his hits the other way,” Rutschman said. “Mistake pitches up, he’s hammering He looks really good right now, and just super proud of the learning that he’s done.”

Basallo burst through a slow start that left him with a .136 average and .513 OPS on April 13. His OPS was .801 before Thursday’s start, and his five home runs ranked third on the club.

“Just really trying to continue staying patient, trusting my talent, not trying to do anything crazy or anything like that.” he said. “I feel like for the most part it’s doing similar things to what I was doing earlier in the season. Just that the results are kind of changing here lately.

“I feel like my hitting has improved. I think a few weeks ago I was hitting .140 or whatever it was and I feel like lately it’s started to turn around a little bit.”

The power is undeniable, but Basallo is most impressive when he goes with the pitch and pokes the ball to the opposite field. When he’s showing off plate skills that aren’t just about tape-measure blasts.

Basallo did it in the ninth and 12th innings of an April 20 game in Kansas City – the first single tying the game and the other giving the Orioles a lead. This approach was common in his five minor league seasons, when he slashed .283/.366/.498.

“I think that’s something that’s really important for me,” he said. “I think early in the season I was trying to do a little bit too much, maybe. But I think if that pitch is there, that’s a really big thing for me. Just taking what the pitchers are giving me and going the other way with it.”

*Albernaz told the media last night that the imaging on closer Ryan Helsley’s elbow came back clean and the level of concern isn’t high.

Helsley is on anti-inflammatory medication.

*Taylor Ward’s walk streak ended at nine games in a row, leaving him one short of the club record shared by Boog Powell and Ken Singleton.