The Orioles earned their ninth series win of the season last night and moved within five games of .500. They left the ballpark only 1 ½ games out of the last Wild Card.

“Our guys just have the ability to show up each day and prepare to win,” said manager Craig Albernaz, “and that’s all that matters.”

The victories that follow also are important, and the Orioles need a lot more of them.

Is this team poised to go on a long run despite the injuries, inconsistencies and slow starts from some key players?

Also …

What will the Orioles do with the rotation?

The immediate answer seemed to arrive yesterday with Trey Gibson joining the taxi squad. That’s a 24-hour stop, which should have him starting tonight’s series finale.

The Sunday doubleheader left the Orioles without a Thursday starter. They won’t use Trevor Rogers or Brandon Young on short rest.  

Chris Bassitt can be pushed back and start the series opener against the Blue Jays, unless the Orioles use an opener again and he pitches in relief. Either way, he’d be on the mound with an extra day of rest.

Gibson, the No. 4 prospect in the system per MLB Pipeline, hasn’t pitched since May 20 in Jacksonville. He’s made one start and one relief appearance with the Orioles.

Triple-A Norfolk listed Gibson as tonight’s starter against Durham.

A bullpen game wasn’t a likely option, and Albert Suárez fell out of the running after the Orioles designated him for assignment this week. That didn’t leave many other candidates.

What’s happening with Dean Kremer?

The injury news came from the Orioles but also felt like it came out of nowhere.

Kremer made his second start on April 18 after the Orioles recalled him, held the host Guardians to three runs and two hits with seven strikeouts in six innings, and seemed like he’d regain his 2025 role as workhorse after getting out of the gate late.  

Five days later, Kremer was placed on the 15-day injured list with a strained right quadriceps. No warning, just a team announcement that included Brandon Young’s arrival as the rotation replacement.

Turns out, Kremer was injured during a between-starts workout. Add him to the list of inexplicable Orioles mishaps.

The latest update on Kremer this week didn’t offer much clarity on his status. He’s in Sarasota on a rehabilitation and throwing progression. Nothing about a rehab assignment, which won’t be brief after such a long layoff.

Who’s next to return from the IL?

We know who isn’t returning.

Starter Zach Eflin and infielder Jodan Westburg underwent elbow-reconstructive surgeries and won’t come back until 2027. Westburg remains under team control. Eflin’s contract includes a $25 million mutual option for ’27, which could dump him back into the free agent market.

Closer Félix Bautista is recovering from August surgery on his labrum and rotator cuff, and the Orioles hope that he can return late in the summer. First baseman Ryan Mountcastle is recovering from a broken left foot, and his return is tracked in months instead of weeks. He isn’t wearing a boot on the foot, so that counts as progress.

Reliever Colin Selby received a platelet-rich plasma injection in his right shoulder last Tuesday, from an injury sustained in spring training. He isn’t close to a rehab assignment, let alone a return.

Outfielder Dylan Beavers is on the 10-day injured list retroactive to May 11 with a right oblique strain, the type of injury that takes a long time to overcome. The only updates is that he’s continuing his rehab and baseball progression. Reliever Yaramil Hiradlo has right shoulder inflammation and he’s got the same updates as Beavers. He recently got a second opinion on it, which usually is a red flag.

Hiraldo is eligible to return on June 1. Forget it.

Closer Ryan Helsley is on the 15-day IL retroactive to April 29 with right elbow inflammation and he needs an injury rehab assignment before returning. No date is set, but he’s hoping to come back perhaps by the middle of June. For now, it’s a realistic goal.

Cade Povich went on the 15-day IL on May 8 with left elbow inflammation and received a cortisone injection last week. He was scheduled for a reassessment Monday to begin a throwing progression, which will be followed by a rehab assignment. So his return isn’t imminent.

That leaves outfielder Heston Kjerstad, who’s ahead of everyone else on his rehab assignment with Norfolk. The Orioles must decide later this week whether to reinstate him and put him on the active roster or option him.

Can Colton Cowser keep hitting?

The defense alone provides a solid argument for keeping Cowser in the lineup. His three Outs Above Average lead the Orioles and were tied yesterday for seventh among American League outfielders.

Beavers, another left-handed hitting outfielder, is on the injured list. Tyler O’Neill is batting .154/.267/.231 in 33 games. Two more excuses to play Cowser.

The bat has held him back.

Cowser was hitting .169/.270/.195 on May 15, but he slashed .333/.368/.833 (6-for-18) with three home runs, seven RBIs and five runs scored in his last eight games before last night. He was 1-for-15 in the previous seven.

Walk-off home runs in Game 1 of Sunday’s doubleheader and in the 13th inning Monday afternoon made him the second player in franchise history to do it on consecutive days after Fred Lynn in 1985.

“Cows is an awesome teammate and it’s always great to see your teammate have success, especially when you’re kind of grinding through some things,” said Jackson Holliday. “To watch him do his thing is always fun. Two walk-off homers are hard to come by, and to hit it back-to-back days is awesome.”

“Baseball and the game has a funny way of giving back what you’re working for, and for him, we know it’s not a secret that he’s kind of started off the season not the way he wanted to,” said Pete Alonso.

“He’s grinding a little bit. And we could see as the season goes on, his at-bats have gotten progressively better. He’s starting to feel like himself. And he had probably two of the biggest swings for us in the season so far. So good for him, happy for him to come through like that, and he deserves it because I know he’s been working his butt off to get where he wants to feel like himself.”

Momentum is the next day’s starting pitcher, and its relievers. Cowser struck out last night in his first two at-bats, but he also walked and reached on an infield single.