CLEVELAND – Orioles executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias phoned Coby Mayo on Wednesday morning after the trade deadline passed to review the club’s handling of their No. 3 prospect. To go over again why he remained at Triple-A Norfolk and to make certain that he understood the club's thinking and how much the front office believed in him. Stay patient and the call will come.

Mayo got it the following night.

Have your passport handy for the upcoming Toronto trip and hop on a morning flight to Cleveland.

Mayo insisted yesterday that he didn’t know about his promotion before manager Buck Britton told him Thursday night. He wasn’t alerted in the morning or able to figure it out after his removal from the game.

“Sometimes, you can make sense of the situation and what’s going on,” he said, “but I definitely did not know that I’d be here today.”

CLEVELAND – The Orioles circled their infield tonight with players drafted by the organization, including their catcher, the lone member of the group to play in college. Two-thirds of the outfield also was homegrown.

Five prospects ranked in the top 10 have debuted this season. The present has caught up to the future, and it’s going to take a group effort to make a deep postseason run.

They need to get there first.

Coby Mayo drew two walks in his first major league game and Jackson Holliday was productive at the bottom of the lineup, but the Orioles couldn’t climb out of a seven-run hole and lost to the Guardians 8-4 at Progressive Field.

The Orioles are 65-46 and can’t do any better than a split of the four-game series. They began the night tied with the Yankees for first place and nothing changed.

CLEVELAND – Coby Mayo had his suspicions.

He was told to get his passport sent to him, but that’s common among the Triple-A players. Everyone is supposed to keep it handy. Norfolk manager Buck Britton removed him from the game in the eighth inning. A big lead, though, so perhaps it meant nothing. Mayo didn’t want to make assumptions.

“He told me that I had six at-bats and it was a long game and he just wanted to get me off my feet,” Mayo said this afternoon, back on his feet at his clubhouse locker at Progressive Field. “You always want to speculate a little bit, but you never want to get too ahead of yourself.”

Did he?

“Of course,” he said, eliciting laughter in his first media scrum as a major leaguer.

CLEVELAND – The prospect watch has lost another participant. Coby Mayo officially is in the majors.

The Orioles selected Mayo’s contract today from Triple-A Norfolk, filling the one vacancy on the 40-man roster. Livan Soto was optioned as the corresponding move on the active roster, a day after he was recalled and met with the local media.

Mayo was told yesterday to have his passport overnighted, but he didn’t find out officially about his promotion until his removal from last night’s game in Charlotte. He went 4-for-6, came out in the eighth inning and received the news from manager Buck Britton. He boarded a flight this morning to Cleveland.

The move was inevitable for the No. 3 prospect in the system. Mayo, a fourth-round pick in the 2020 draft, was batting .301 with 22 doubles, two triples, 20 home runs, 61 RBIs and a .961 OPS despite missing a month with a rib injury sustained in a collision with a dugout railing.

Injuries pulled Mayo out of the minors. Jorge Mateo has a dislocated left elbow and Jordan Westburg has a fractured right hand, and their absences will extend deep into September. Mayo can play third base, where Westburg made 64 starts this season. He’s another right-handed bat for a team that wanted to correct its imbalance.

CLEVELAND - Gregory Soto thought he ruined his chance. Fire a pitch too close to Gunnar Henderson and forget about playing for the Orioles.

The anecdote is more amusing when told in front of his locker in the visiting clubhouse at Progressive Field, where the Orioles played the Guardians last night.

Soto was acquired from the Phillies last Friday for right-handed pitchers Seth Johnson and Moisés Chace. He met his teammates and drew a crowd of media at his locker.

There was a lot of it going around with five newcomers at the scene. Trevor Rogers wasn’t bothered until later because he was the starting pitcher. Can't break the unwritten rule.

A three-game series in Baltimore in June gave Soto more chances to observe and study the Orioles.

When Coby Mayo came out of Triple-A Norfolk’s game tonight in Charlotte in the bottom of the eighth inning, it wasn’t just to empty the Tides’ bench in an 18-10 win.

Mayo is joining the Orioles in Cleveland, according to two industry sources.

The trade deadline passed and the Orioles made the call to Mayo, the No. 3 prospect in the organization per MLB Pipeline and the 15^th in baseball.

Their infield has undergone drastic changes with Jorge Mateo and Jordan Westburg set for lengthy stays on the injured list with a dislocated left elbow and fractured right hand, respectively. Westburg, an All-Star, was hit by a pitch Wednesday.

Mayo is ready for the opportunity, with no reason to stay in the minors beyond padding statistics. He went 4-for-6 tonight and is batting .301 with 22 doubles, two triples, 20 home runs, 61 RBIs and a .961 OPS.

CLEVELAND – Trevor Rogers walked into the visiting clubhouse at Progressive Field this afternoon with bags in hand and met his new teammates, manager and staff. The plan called for some small talk and heavy preparation for his first start with the Orioles. The time to get acclimated was scarce. Save it for later.

“Those things happen,” Brandon Hyde said this afternoon. “I’ve seen it many times before.”

Hyde watched as Rogers fell behind early, appeared to find his rhythm and lost the slim margin that separated the teams with the best records in the American League.

David Fry hit a three-run homer in the third inning, Rogers didn’t get out of the fifth and the bullpen didn’t get enough outs in the Orioles’ 10-3 loss to the Guardians before an announced crowd of 26,194.

Anthony Santander belted his 32^nd home run in the fourth inning, one short of his career high, to reduce the lead to 5-2. Ben Lively’s sinker traveled 416 feet to right field at 111.2 mph off the bat, moving Santander into a tie with Shohei Ohtani for second-most in the majors.

CLEVELAND - The Orioles held their usual pitchers and hitters meetings prior to the first game of a series. Name tags would have been a smart idea.

Starter Trevor Rogers and outfielders Eloy Jiménez and Austin Slater were activated early this afternoon, and infielder Livan Soto was recalled from Triple-A Norfolk. The Orioles optioned outfielder Heston Kjerstad and left-hander Keegan Akin, placed infielder Jordan Westburg on the 10-day injured list with a fractured right hand, and designated outfielder Cristian Pache for assignment.

Pache lost out to Slater, who can provide more offense as a career .252/.342/.388 hitter. Akin, on the club since Opening Day, is one of the few optionable relievers on the club and became expendable despite his 3.34 ERA and 0.971 WHIP in 56 2/3 innings.

“This is kind of normal for a post-deadline day when you get some new faces in the clubhouse,” said manager Brandon Hyde. “A lot of our guys who have been around for a while now are kind of acclimated to it and understand it.

“I think the guys who have come in here, talked to all of them now, they’re really excited to be here, excited to be part of the team and where we are in the standings. And all of them said, just want to contribute and help out any way they can. So really appreciate the attitudes of all the guys who have come in.”

CLEVELAND – The Orioles made a series of roster moves this afternoon leading into their four-game series against the Guardians at Progressive Field.

Jordan Westburg was placed on the 10-day injured list with a fractured right hand, and the Orioles recalled Livan Soto from Triple-A Norfolk. Westburg could return by late September. Soto is wearing No. 73.

Outfielder/designated hitter Eloy Jiménez has joined the club after the Orioles acquired him from the White Sox at the deadline and he’s wearing No. 72. Heston Kjerstad was optioned again to Triple-A Norfolk.

Kjerstad is batting .301 with a .998 OPS, 14 doubles and 16 home runs and 58 RBIs in 56 games with Norfolk, but his opportunities remain limited in the majors.

Outfielder Austin Slater, acquired from the Reds, was activated and given No. 15. Reliever Keegan Akin was optioned.

The immediate takeaway from the Orioles’ work at the trade deadline is how they went hard after quantity and also feel like they improved the quality of their rotation and bullpen and the depth of their right-handed hitters.

They really didn't skimp on the quantity.

They were as busy adding players as the Marlins were subtracting them. The flurry over the last 15-20 minutes made the evening a blur. Blizzard conditions in 90-degree heat.

The Orioles didn’t get overly aggressive and go for the trade kill, keeping top prospects who would have netted an elite starter. And I’ll say again that they weren’t dealing those guys, no matter how many rumors swirled and reports surfaced about aggressive pursuits.

How aggressive are talks if they don’t include Jackson Holliday, Coby Mayo, Samuel Basallo or Colton Cowser?

Liván Soto finally is going to play for the Orioles in his third stint in the organization.

The circumstances, however, are crushing.

Soto will be recalled from Triple-A Norfolk for Thursday night’s series opener in Cleveland as the injury replacement for Jordan Westburg, according to an industry source.

Westburg was hit on the right-hand today by a 95.2 mph fastball from Blue Jays reliever Yerry Rodríguez in the fifth inning. X-rays revealed a fracture.

Westburg circled the bases on Jackson Holliday’s first major league home run, a grand slam onto Eutaw Street in the Orioles’ 10-4 win. Ramón Urías replaced him at third base.

Trade deadlines are supposed to address questions and deficiencies with the roster for a team in buyer mode. There are always questions, however. The work gets done and explanations are sought. Why do this and that? Is the club actually better than the previous model?

And about those rumors.

Executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias met with the media for about 23 minutes today in the home dugout. He’s pleased with the results, which netted starter Zach Eflin from the Rays for minor league pitcher Jackson Baumeister, infielder Mac Horvath and outfielder Matthew Etzel, reliever Seranthony Domínguez and outfielder Cristian Pache from the Phillies for outfielder Austin Hays, starter Trevor Rogers from the Marlins for second baseman Connor Norby – who was optioned to Triple-A this morning – and outfielder Kyle Stowers, outfielder Eloy Jiménez and cash from the White Sox for Triple-A Norfolk left-hander Trey McGough, outfielder Austin Slater, infielder Livan Soto and cash considerations from the Reds for cash considerations, and left-handed reliever Gregory Soto from the Phillies for Double-A pitching prospect Seth Johnson and High-A Aberdeen pitcher Moisés Chance.

According to a source, there won’t be a player-to-be-named later in the deal with Cincinnati. Straight cash.

“Trade deadline’s always tough,” Elias said. “It’s always bittersweet trading players for other players. It’s not a one-way street. You’re losing talent but you’re getting different talent that’s a different fit and more of a short-term concentration for the needs of the team. We added two starting pitchers that are going right in our rotation, we added two really hard throwers with success in the major leagues for a long time – one from the left side, one from the right side. And we added a couple of right-handed bats which were especially necessary in the outfield with Austin Hays being gone. So I think that the roster is very fortified.

The Orioles recalled Jackson Holliday this morning and he’s starting at second base to close out the series against the Blue Jays at Camden Yards.

Left-hander Gregory Soto was activated and is wearing No. 65. Catcher Blake Hunt and infielder Terrin Vavra were optioned to Triple-A Norfolk. Hunt is on the taxi squad.

Also, right-hander Levin Stoudt cleared waivers and was outrighted to Double-A Bowie.

Another slow day for the Orioles.

Holliday took ground balls at second this morning. He’s batting eighth.

The Orioles sit in first place and won’t stand pat.

They posted a 6-2 win last night over the Blue Jays after acquiring Seranthony Dominguez, Cristian Pache, Zach Eflin, Trevor Rogers, Eloy Jiménez, Gregory Soto, Austin Slater and Liván Soto, along with High-A pitcher Patrick Reilly, over the past five days.

They can’t get rebuilding out of their blood.

Speaking of blood, James McCann has avoided the injured list. He’s playable despite fractures in his nose. Of course he is. Who doubted this guy?

The Orioles recalled Triple-A Norfolk catcher Blake Hunt, but his stay could be brief.

As Corbin Burnes walked to the mound tonight to begin his warmups, the Orioles were dismantling their roster at the trade deadline. He didn’t seem to notice.

A game that could determine whether the club stayed in first place or slipped into second became oddly secondary to the news.

As time passed, the importance of the outcome came back into focus. Burnes remains the undisputed ace, notching his 18^th quality start in a 6-2 victory over the Blue Jays before an announced crowd of 21,710 at Camden Yards.

Anthony Santander belted his 31^st home run, a solo shot onto the top of the grounds crew shed in the fifth, Ramón Urías homered and had an RBI single and infield hit while unsure how the next few days will impact his status, and the Orioles improved to 64-44. They remain a half-game ahead of the Yankees.

Burnes was charged with two runs and four hits with three walks and seven strikeouts over 6 2/3 innings. Cionel Pérez let an inherited runner score in the seventh.

The roster reshaping by the Orioles isn’t over.

No. 1 prospect Jackson Holliday is headed to Baltimore, multiple sources have confirmed. He could join the active roster before Wednesday afternoon’s game against the Blue Jays or accompany the team to Cleveland before he’s officially recalled.

Holliday was removed from tonight’s lineup, as MASNsports.com reported earlier, following the Connor Norby trade that also sent outfielder Kyle Stowers to the Marlins in exchange for left-hander Trevor Rogers.

This will be Holliday’s second stint in the majors. An unpopular camp cut, Holliday had his contract selected on April 10 and he went 2-for-34 with 18 strikeouts before the Orioles optioned him April 26.

Holliday missed almost two weeks with right elbow inflammation and was eased back into action as the designated hitter before returning to second base. He’s batting .271/.431/.477 with 25 doubles, 10 home runs, 38 RBIs, 75 walks and 77 strikeouts in 73 games.

With about 15 minutes until the trade deadline, Orioles executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias found his right-handed hitting outfielder to check another box.

The Orioles are trading for White Sox outfielder Eloy Jiménez, with Triple-A reliever Trey McGough leaving the organization in return, according to an industry source.

Jiménez missed a month of the season with a hamstring injury and has appeared in 65 games, batting .240/.297/.345 with nine doubles, five home runs and 16 RBIs. He’s a career .270/.321/.469 hitter in six seasons since his debut in 2019. He finished fourth in American League Rookie of the Year voting after hitting 31 home runs.

The following season brought a Silver Slugger Award during the COVID year.

The Orioles are inheriting the remainder of Jiménez’s $13 million salary. The contract includes club options for 2025 at $16.5 million and 2026 at $18.5 million with a pair of $3 million buyouts.

The Orioles announced today’s trade, with second baseman Connor Norby and outfielder Kyle Stowers going to the Marlins for starting pitcher Trevor Rogers.

Rogers posted a 4.53 ERA and 1.528 WHIP this season in 21 games but has a 3.32 ERA in his last eight starts. He's under team control through 2026.

“It’s a left-handed starter,” said manager Brandon Hyde. “I haven’t talked with Mike (Elias) much about it at this point just because he’s still working really hard and it happened not that long ago, but from what I do know, he’s a guy that’s had nine or 10 really good starts his last times out, and always looking for starting pitching and hopefully he can help us down the stretch.”

Hyde isn’t ready to discuss his rotation or bullpen until the 6 p.m. deadline. He kept reminding the media about it.

Albert Suárez could shift to the 'pen with the rotation filled by Rogers, Corbin Burnes, Grayson Rodriguez, Zach Eflin and Dean Kremer. Triple-A Norfolk pitchers Cade Povich and Chayce McDermott could be used in relief down the road.

The Orioles found another starting pitcher before this evening’s trade deadline. It cost them a pair of major league-caliber players, including their No. 5 prospect.

Marlins left-hander Trevor Rogers, 26, was acquired from the Marlins for second baseman Connor Norby and outfielder Kyle Stowers, according to multiple sources. Norby will be removed from the major league roster after appearing in five of the last six lineups. He sat for Game 1 of yesterday’s doubleheader and had a double in the nightcap for his first hit at Camden Yards.

Rogers was the 13^th-overall pick in the 2017 draft who’s gone 15-32 with a 4.23 ERA and 1.385 WHIP in 80 starts on some pretty bad teams. He’s posted a 4.53 ERA and 1.528 WHIP this season in 21 games but has a 3.32 ERA in his last eight starts.

Rogers appeared in only four games last season due to biceps, lat and shoulder injuries. He was an All-Star in 2021 and finished second in National League Rookie of the Year voting with a 2.64 ERA and 1.150 WHIP in 25 outings, striking out 157 batters in 133 innings.

The Orioles can field a rotation with Corbin Burnes, Grayson Rodriguez, Zach Eflin, Dean Kremer and Rogers, however the last two are aligned. They didn’t show a willingness to part with the top prospects in their system despite rumors tying them to Tarik Skubal, Garrett Crochet and Blake Snell.

The trade deadline clock is ticking louder. Pencils are down at 6 p.m., though deals tend to trickle in after it. A clean getaway from the incremental non-updates, rumors and speculation.

Who’s gonna miss it?

The Orioles are missing a second starter, reliever and right-handed hitting outfielder. They have one of each so far with Zach Eflin, Seranthony Domínguez and Cristian Pache. Executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias is trying to find more matches.

The only players surrendered have been outfielder Austin Hays and mid-level prospects Jackson Baumeister, Mac Horvath and Matthew Etzel. MLB Pipeline ranked Horvath 10^th in the organization and Baseball America has him 13^th.

Elias has to climb up that list to get a top-tier arm, but other starters could slot in the middle of the rotation at a less painful cost.