The Orioles fell into last place in the American League East following Wednesday afternoon’s loss to the Twins and the Blue Jays’ victory over the Red Sox. However, they remained only two games back in the Wild Card chase.

Another prime example that the American League is basically trash outside of the Rays, who have won nine in a row. Even the Red Sox were on a downward spiral with five consecutive defeats before prevailing yesterday.

They beat the Blue Jays, who fell into a fourth-place tie with the Orioles. Or it’s a last-place tie, depending on how you view it.

The Orioles begin a four-game series tonight at Tropicana Field, where they were swept in May before turning the tables at Camden Yards later in the month.

The rotation order is a mystery, with the lack of confirmation for tonight’s starter hinting at a roster move involving Chris Bassitt. But that’s an assumption, and you know what happens when you assume.

(My wife had no idea that the answer came from the courtroom scene in a 1973 episode of “The Odd Couple,” and I took great delight in sharing it with her via Pluto TV.)

Tampa Bay left-hander Steven Matz is the opener tonight and will try to lower a 5.46 ERA in 22 games. The last of his 10 starts was on June 2. He faced the Orioles in back-to-back appearances in May and allowed one run in four innings in St. Petersburg and six runs in three innings in Baltimore.

The Orioles carried nine relievers in the Twins series after optioning Cade Povich and recalling Cam Sanders. That’s going to change with the expected return to a five-man rotation.

What else is happening on a road trip that’s spread into its third city?

*The Polar Bear got hot again.

Pete Alonso didn’t fall into a massive slump, but a 4-for-25 stretch to begin the month seemed noteworthy because, well, he’s Pete Alonso.

Any concerns are quieted with Alonso collecting nine hits in 15 at-bats, including three home runs, over his last four games. He had one walk and nine strikeouts during his quiet period, but he’s drawn four walks and struck out once in the last four games.

Alonso is batting .259, his highest average since April 3 in Pittsburgh. His .833 OPS is the second-highest after his .855 mark on March 31.

Now he’s got the Rays. Alonso is a career .229/.289/.494 hitter with six home runs against them in 21 games. He’s 7-for-35 with two homers and 11 strikeouts at Tropicana Field.

*Batting third: Jackson Holliday.

Holliday has held down the spot in the last six games. Manager Craig Albernaz is going with a hot bat, but also playing the hand that he’s dealt with Taylor Ward and Adley Rutschman traded and Samuel Basallo injured.

After beginning the month in an 0-for-18 slump, Holliday went 6-for-12 with a pair of doubles and a home run in his next three games. He was 0-for-8 in the last two games in Minnesota.

Holliday finished last month with a 15-for-30 stretch. He’s hitting .290/.375/.382 since the break.

*Shane Baz’s velocity was down.

So was Baz’s overall performance, with five runs and nine hits in a season-low three innings in Wednesday’s loss. His ERA climbed to 4.00.

It’s so typical of how the Orioles are going that Baz finally gets some run support and he can’t hold a 4-1 lead.

“I don’t know if it was just the day game or it’s just one of those days where you’re just not feeling good,” Baz told the media afterward. “I’ll try and look back and kind of see if there’s anything that was glaring to me, but yeah, something was just a little off, I felt like, today. Just wasn’t able to really reel it in or make a lot of consecutive pitches in a row, stuff like that.”

Baz didn’t seem concerned about the dip in velo on all of his pitches after tossing his first career complete game in his previous outing. His four-seam fastball averaged 94 mph, compared to the usual 96.

“I felt fine,” he said when asked about his health. “I feel normal. I don’t really have an explanation. Just poor execution, really. Felt like a lot of pitches were just in the heart of the plate.” 

It’s something to keep an eye on when Baz makes his next start.

*Colton Cowser was out of the lineup for the last two games in Minnesota despite the Orioles facing two right-hander starters.

Cowser must be fine physically, or at least able to play, because he entered Tuesday’s game in the eighth inning as a replacement in center field, and he pinch-hit for catcher Carlos Narváez in the ninth inning Wednesday and lined into a 1-3 double play.

Right-handed hitting Christian Franklin started in center the past two games.

Cowser is batting .212/.316/.339 in 106 games. He had five hits in four games before Tuesday to raise his average from .203.

*The Orioles didn’t need to make a roster move for another catcher.

Yohel Pozo exited Tuesday’s game after Josh Bell nailed him on the mitt and reached base on catcher’s interference. The team announced that Pozo had “left index finger pain.”

He sure did. You could tell by his reaction.

Silas Ardoin was on the taxi squad and the Orioles could have selected his contract if Pozo went on the injured list. They could have selected the contracts of Sam Huff or Creed Willems from Norfolk. Willems is the No. 21 prospect in the system, per MLB Pipeline.

Never mind. X-rays came back negative and Pozo was available Wednesday, according Albernaz.

Pozo is 3-for-10 with a home run since joining the Orioles. Narváez is 3-for-23, all singles, with eight strikeouts.

Orioles catchers ranked ninth in the majors yesterday with a .731 OPS, obviously carried by Basallo and Rutschman. They were 23rd in 2025, when they also used seven catchers, with a .627 OPS.

*Bassitt is coming back to the Orioles’ rotation, but what can he do for them?

Bassitt signed in spring training for $18.5 million and put up a 5.27 ERA and 1.633 WHIP in 12 appearances.

Twice in May, Bassitt allowed one run and four hits over six innings, but he also surrendered four runs and six hits in four innings and four runs and six hits in five. He hasn’t pitched for the Orioles since June 3 in Boston, when he allowed three runs and six hits in three innings.

Bassitt will be replacing Cade Povich in the rotation, but he’s really taking the spot occupied by Dean Kremer prior to the trade deadline.

Bassitt is 1-7 with a 4.17 ERA in 11 career games (10 starts) against the Rays, and he has a 3.67 ERA in five games (four starts) at Tropicana Field.

*The Rays signed infielder Jorge Mateo to a major league deal after the Braves released him.

Yes, this is tied to the Orioles. I’m standing by my morning theme.

Mateo is reunited with former Orioles Bryan Baker, Tyler Wells and Cedric Mullins. Former manager Brandon Hyde was hired in December as senior advisor in baseball operations.

Notes: Triple-A Norfolk’s Reed Trimble was removed from yesterday’s game with right hamstring discomfort.

Trimble, serving as designated hitter, doubled in the first inning and moved to third base on a groundout. Heston Kjerstad pinch-ran for him.

Trimble missed more than a month this season with a right hamstring injury.

Kjerstad singled and hit his 10th home run.

*Infielder Brandon Butterworth is moving up from Double-A Chesapeake to Norfolk.

Butterworth hit .269 with 10 doubles, two triples, 10 home runs and an .874 OPS in 52 games.