Orioles reliever Ryan Helsley completed a bullpen session earlier today and is getting closer to a rehab assignment.

Manager Craig Albernaz said Helsley threw 15-20 pitches at noon.

“He came out feeling good, threw well,” Albernaz said. “So yeah, we’re excited to get his process going and see what the next steps are.”

Helsley hasn’t appeared in a game since April 28 due to right elbow inflammation. He’s posted a 2.53 ERA with seven saves in 12 appearances.

“Just like anyone who gets injured, and especially Helsley, it’s a loss for the team not having him,” Albernaz said. “But also, our bullpen guys did a great job of stepping up in a variety of different situations. We asked a lot of those guys, every major league bullpen, they get thrusted into really uncomfortable and difficult spots, and our guys since Helsley’s been out have rose to the occasion and thrown extremely well.

“So it’s also been a blessing in a sense of, like we talk about a lot of these relievers are getting exposed to different situations, so ultimately kind of raises the floor of your ‘pen when we get Helsley back. Yeah, Helsley’s been a big loss, but also our guys have done a great job of navigating it without him being here.”

Yennier Cano blamed dehydration for the hamstring tightness in his right leg during Wednesday night’s game. He didn’t blame his health for last night’s meltdown.

Cano loaded the bases with no outs Wednesday and fell behind 3-0 to his next batter before leaving. He inherited a 5-4 lead last night in the eighth and was charged with two runs and three hits in one-third of an inning. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. had a two-run double.

“I felt good last night, about 100 percent,” he said via interpreter Brandon Quinones.

“I think the previous outing, obviously I wasn’t feeling well, but this last outing is just the way baseball goes sometimes. Obviously, if I didn’t allow those runs to score and pitch better we probably wouldn’t be talking right now. But it’s just part of the game sometimes. You’re gonna have good and bad outings.

“It’s terrible. I just go, (darn), like, the offense gave us a five-run lead, they’re playing super well, and we just couldn’t hold that lead for them, myself included. I still feel terrible about last night, feel bad about the way it went, because I feel like we had a really good chance to win that one. But you know, just part of the game. But definitely still feel bad about losing that one last night.”

Cano had a 1.40 ERA before his last two appearances, with three runs and six hits in one-third of an inning raising it to 2.75.

Albernaz noticed last night that Cano’s sinker didn’t have the same bite.

“The Blue Jays’ hitters did a great job of getting the sinkers elevated in the zone and putting good swings on it,” Albernaz said. “Usually, especially Cano versus right-handed hitters, he’s a ground ball monster, and they did a great job of getting the ball in the air. So that was kind of, he was still throwing strikes, velo was there, split was still in play, but Toronto Blue Jays hitters did a good job of getting that sinker elevated.”

Brandon Young gets the start today, his eighth this season. He’s registered a 3.47 ERA in 36 1/3 innings.

Young has allowed seven earned runs in 21 2/3 innings this month for a 2.91 ERA and opponents are batting .210/.298/.333. He held Toronto to two runs in six innings in Game 2 of a July 29, 2025 doubleheader at Camden Yards.

Jesús Sánchez is 4-for-9 with a double against Young.

Right-handed hitters have posted a .290 average against Young’s fastball this season, but left-handers are hitting .163.

Jeremiah Jackson is in right field, Samuel Basallo is the designated hitter, Jackson Holliday starts again at second base and Coby Mayo stays at third. This is Jackson’s first appearance in the outfield this season.

The Orioles fell three games behind the Blue Jays for third place last night after squandering a five-run lead in the late innings. They’re 11-16 this month after going 13-13 in April.

Blue Jays right-hander Trey Yesavage has a 2.25 ERA in six starts and he hasn’t surrendered a home run in 32 innings. He owns a 2.54 ERA in nine career starts in the regular season, and he allowed four runs with 17 strikeouts in 12 2/3 innings in last year’s World Series. He tossed 5 1/3 scoreless and hitless innings with 11 strikeouts against the Yankees in a Division Series start.

Yesavage has never faced the Orioles.

Right-handers are hitting .188 with a .292 slugging percentage against Yesavage, compared to a .333 average and .375 slugging last season.

The Blue Jays designated Austin Voth for assignment after he allowed five runs last night.

For the Orioles
Taylor Ward LF
Gunnar Henderson SS
Adley Rutschman C
Pete Alonso 1B
Samuel Basallo DH
Coby Mayo 3B
Leody Taveras CF
Jackson Holliday 2B
Jeremiah Jackson RF

Brandon Young RHP

For the Blue Jays
George Springer DH
Nathan Lukes LF
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. 1B
Daulton Varsho CF
Kazuma Okamoto 3B
Jesús Sánchez RF
Ernie Clement 2B
Andrés Giménez SS
Tyler Heineman C

Trey Yesavage RHP