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Because the Orioles’ roster can’t sit still, much like a fussy toddler except with grown men, changes are coming again to a rotation that posted the second-highest ERA in the American League before today.
Cade Povich is trying to stay in it. He’s pitching to win and also keep his job, and he isn’t alone. The club is allowing for a developmental period after falling out of the playoff race, but there’s a limit to the number of starters and length of the patience displayed.
Povich registered his first quality start since April 24, holding the Athletics to one run over six innings, but Willie MacIver's two-run double off Keegan Akin in the ninth gave them a 3-2 win over the Orioles before an announced crowd of 23,183 at Camden Yards.
Akin was trying for his third save in his new role, but a leadoff walk to Darell Hernaiz and one-out single by Gio Urshela preceded MacIver's double. Pinch-runner Lawrence Butler ran through the stop sign and would have been an easy out if catcher Alex Jackson had held onto the ball. Or maybe if Gunnar Henderson's relay wasn't so far up the line.
"He didn’t mean to throw it there," said interim manager Tony Mansolino. "Things are speeding up right there. He’s got his back to the play. He’s catching the ball and he just kind of threw a sinker to the plate, just kind of getting on top of it, straighten the thing out, making a better throw.”
The Orioles are shuffling their outfield again today for the series finale against the Athletics.
Jordyn Adams gets his first start, playing center field and batting ninth. He’s made six appearances in center and two in right.
Greg Allen is playing left field and Jeremiah Jackson is in right. Dylan Carlson, who's in an 0-for-34 slump, goes to the bench.
Adley Rutschman is the designated hitter. Ryan Mountcastle is the first baseman, with Coby Mayo on the bench.
Alex Jackson is batting seventh and catching.
The Orioles have a group of relievers on the roster who will be tasked with protecting slim leads in the ninth inning. They do not have a closer.
There’s a difference.
Félix Bautista is on the injured list with shoulder inflammation, and the Orioles drained the pool of veteran replacements by trading Bryan Baker, Seranthony Domínguez, Gregory Soto and Andrew Kittredge.
Keegan Akin recorded the save Friday night, but Rico Garcia warmed in case right-handed hitting Brent Rooker stepped to the plate.
Interim manager Tony Mansolino was asked yesterday whether Garcia will get chances in high-leverage situations. That’s clearly the case. He was on the verge of a save opportunity.
Before the Orioles played their 117th game of the season tonight, they switched up the usual routine at home by gathering in the dugout to watch the latest Hall of Fame inductions. They stood at the railing, eyes locked on former center fielder Adam Jones as he addressed the crowd and tried to control his emotions.
"I took tremendous pride playing for you guys,” he said. “I took tremendous pride playing more for the name on the front of the chest than the name on the back."
Jones turned to the bench and reminded a team going through hard times that he was there, too, early in his career and to keep grinding.
“Trust me,” he said, “you do it long enough, you’ll be where I’m at.”
Rookie Brandon Young went to the mound and began warming for his 10th major league start, walked the first batter he faced and surrendered a long home run to Shea Langeliers.
Six players from the Orioles’ 2025 draft class are reporting next week to Class A Delmarva for their professional debuts, including the first two selections, according to a source.
Catcher/outfielder Ike Irish and catcher Caden Bodine, the 19th and 30th overall picks, respectively, are joined by shortstop Wehiwa Aloy (31st), center fielder RJ Austin (93rd), shortstop Colin Yeaman (124th) and second baseman Brayden Smith (394th).
Irish was chosen out of Auburn, Bodine out of Coastal Carolina, Aloy out of Arkansas, Austin from Vanderbilt, Yeaman from UC Irvine and Smith from Oklahoma State.
The drafted players who signed have been working out in Sarasota.
On the major league side, the Orioles didn’t make any roster moves today and didn’t have any updates on injured players.
Coby Mayo stays at first base tonight and Ryan Mountcastle remains the designated hitter, as the Orioles try for their third win in a row.
Mayo has a .460 slugging percentage at home this season.
Jeremiah Jackson is in right field, Dylan Carlson is in left and Greg Allen is in center.
Brandon Young is making his 10th major league start after registering a 5.88 ERA and 1.669 WHIP in 41 1/3 innings. He’s allowed two earned runs and four total in 10 2/3 innings in his last two starts.
Athletics right-hander Jack Perkins is making his second start among 10 appearances in his rookie season. He’s recorded three saves.
Joe Orsulak wasn’t the biggest name on the Orioles. He wasn’t flashy and he didn’t put up gaudy numbers. But he could hit and throw and was comfortable flying under the radar.
Now comes his chance to soar with his selection to the Orioles Hall of Fame.
The induction ceremony will be held tonight at Camden Yards, where Orsulak joins center fielder Adam Jones and broadcaster Tom Davis.
“It feels great,” he said yesterday. “Like one of my friends was telling me, you’re in the same Hall of Fame with that. It doesn’t matter if you’re the top dog or the bottom dog. You’re still in the Orioles Hall of Fame. We’re in the Hall of Fame. And that’s an honor for me.”
Orsulak led the Orioles in batting average in 1988, 1989 and 1992 and was second behind Cal Ripken Jr. in 1991, but he’s probably remembered more for his defense. Orsulak led the majors and set the franchise record with 22 outfield assists in 1991 and committed only one error in 132 games.
The clubhouse that Ryan Mountcastle walked into earlier today isn’t the same anymore. Many of his teammates are gone. No one is talking about a playoff run. He came back from his injury rehab assignment and entered a new world.
The old power returned.
Mountcastle followed Adley Rutschman’s two-run homer in the first inning with a 433-foot shot to center field, and the Orioles began their homestand with a 3-2 victory over the Athletics before an announced crowd of 20,796 at Camden Yards.
Tomoyuki Sugano completed seven innings for the fifth time this season and first since June 3 in Seattle, and the Orioles improved to 53-63. They won for the first time when held to three hits or fewer and have won twice under those circumstances in the past two seasons.
“It feels like we stole one," said interim manager Tony Mansolino. "I think you guys probably feel the same, the way that thing was kind of going."
Trades and injuries have torn apart the Orioles’ outfield, leading to a different kind of rebuild.
Cedric Mullins, Ramón Laureano and Ryan O’Hearn departed at the deadline. Colton Cowser went on the seven-day concussion list today, retroactive to yesterday, and Tyler O’Neill went on the 10-day IL with right wrist inflammation, retroactive to Wednesday.
In response, the Orioles signed Greg Allen to a one-year major league contract and he’s starting in center field tonight against the Athletics at Camden Yards. Ryan Noda is in right field and Dylan Carlson is in left.
Noda is making his third major league start in right. Carlson has much more experience but he’s in 0-for-28 and 2-for-35 slumps.
“We’ll figure it out as we go,” said interim manager Tony Mansolino. “We’ll play the hot hand. We’ll see what we’ve got. There will be a little platooning. We’re doing it today with Noda in right field.
The Orioles are making another series of roster moves.
They agreed to terms today with outfielder Greg Allen on a one-year major league contract. He’s wearing No. 25.
Allen, 32, is a switch-hitter who batted .270/.355/.440 with 14 doubles, a triple, six home runs and 32 RBIs in 61 games with Triple-A Iowa in the Cubs organization. He was released on Aug. 4.
Allen has a locker at Camden Yards.
Infielder/outfielder Vidal Bruján is gone. The Braves claimed him on waivers today.
The Orioles have returned home after a 2-4 road trip in Chicago and Philadelphia, with a three-game series beginning tonight against the Athletics.
Only two games separate the teams in the Wild Card race. Unfortunately, the Orioles are nine back and the Athletics are 11.
There must be more to focus on this weekend than the standings.
Ryan Mountcastle returns.
The Orioles are expected to reinstate Mountcastle from the injured list this weekend, perhaps as early as tonight. He served as designated hitter yesterday afternoon in his ninth rehab game with Triple-A Norfolk.
PHILADELPHIA – Keegan Akin is living, breathing baseball proof that you’re never too old to learn.
Akin turned 30 this year, and the second-round draft choice in 2016 is the longest-tenured Oriole after Ryan Mountcastle. He debuted in the 2020 COVID season, experienced his ups and downs and really became established last season with 66 appearances and a 3.32 ERA and 0.941 WHIP. He blended with his teammates, able to fill multiple roles as an extra left-hander in the bullpen. Nothing flashy, just a grinder who became more trustworthy in spots that weren’t filled by his higher-profile teammates.
That’s the way he liked it.
That isn’t how he’s operating past the trade deadline.
The Orioles became sellers and the bullpen was the hot spot, with Bryan Baker, Gregory Soto, Seranthony Domínguez and Andrew Kittredge traded in that order for four minor leaguers and a competitive balance pick. Akin couldn’t see clearly until the dust settled.
PHILADELPHIA – The Orioles hadn’t scored in 18 innings and their No. 5 hitter today didn’t produce an extra-base hit or RBI in his first 17 major league plate appearances. The batter behind him began the day with a .213 average and was 2-for-23 since a three-hit game in Baltimore. But post-deadline baseball is meant to provide opportunities with the hope that some wins are attached.
Jeremiah Jackson broke a scoreless tie in the fourth inning with a double down the left field line off Ranger Suárez and Coby Mayo followed with a big-boy three-run homer in a 5-1 victory over the Phillies that prevented a sweep at Citizens Bank Park.
Trevor Rogers had traffic every inning but held the Phillies to one run through the sixth, and the Orioles improved to 52-63 overall and 2-4 on their road trip. They’re off Thursday and host the Athletics over the weekend.
"It feels great," said interim manager Tony Mansolino. "You walk in here against this team, especially after getting your teeth kicked in for two nights, it’s easy to lay down at a 12:35 game when you’ve got Ranger Suárez on the mound in Philadelphia with kind of the momentum they have and the lack thereof that we have. For the boys to go out there and do what they did, awesome."
Gunnar Henderson began the fourth with an opposite-field single and Adley Rutschman beat out a grounder that deflected off Suárez’s glove. Jackson gave the Orioles a 1-0 lead and Mayo padded it with authority, blistering a first-pitch changeup 421 feet to left field at 108.5 mph.
PHILADELPHIA – Tyler O’Neill is wearing a soft brace on his right wrist after leaving last night’s game in the sixth inning. He’s out of today’s lineup.
O’Neill sustained the injury while leaping at the right field wall for Max Kepler’s home run ball. He stayed in the game for four more innings and underwent X-rays that came back negative.
The testing isn’t done.
“Just sore this morning,” said interim manager Tony Mansolino. “He’ll get some imaging tomorrow, and after we go through the imaging tomorrow we’ll have a better idea of what it looks like. I does sound like, talking to Scott (Barringer), our trainer, that there’s a little bit of progress and he’s feeling a tick better. But he’ll be out today.”
O'Neill has made two trips to the injured list this season with neck inflammation and a left shoulder impingement.
PHILADELPHIA – Vimael Machín has joined the Orioles on the medical taxi squad with Tyler O’Neill’s status uncertain.
O’Neill exited last night’s game in the sixth inning with right wrist soreness. X-rays were negative.
Machín can stay with the Orioles for 24 hours without having his contract selected. He hasn’t played in the majors since 2022 with the Athletics.
Machín was removed from last night’s game at Triple-A Norfolk after one at-bat. He’s hitting .294 with an .835 OPS, 22 doubles, two triples, 15 home runs and 69 RBIs in 97 games with the Tides.
Neither team has posted its lineup for today’s series finales. The Orioles are 1-4 since the trade deadline and have lost five of six games overall.
PHILADELPHIA – The latest count shows the Orioles with 13 players on the injured list. They can get back down to a dozen with Ryan Mountcastle’s anticipated return on Friday.
Tyler O’Neill will try to avoid it after leaving last night’s game with right wrist soreness. X-rays were negative.
O’Neill has already made two stops with neck inflammation and a left shoulder impingement, raising his career total to 16. He’s never been shelved by an injury to his right wrist, but he’s gone on the IL with a left wrist strain.
Meanwhile, Triple-A Norfolk's Vimael Machín was removed last night after one at-bat. Could be totally unrelated or he's a possibility for the 24-hour taxi squad.
Kyle Bradish and Tyler Wells are making their rehab starts and should reappear with the Orioles later this month. Good for them. That’s a long road to travel after elbow reconstructive surgery.
PHILADEPHIA – A bat shatters, a ball rolls past the mound and into center field, and a pitcher’s fist slams into his glove.
Dean Kremer couldn’t predict what would happen next, but frustration was the appropriate response.
The Phillies sent nine batters to the plate in the second inning, scored three times and led the entire way in a 5-0 victory over the Orioles before an announced sellout crowd of 43,660 at Citizens Bank Park.
The road trip concludes tomorrow with the Orioles 51-63 overall and 1-4 since the trade deadline. A sweep would be the first with Tony Mansolino as interim manager for an entire series.
Phillies starter Taijuan Walker held them scoreless over six innings. Tonight marked their 12th shutout loss.
PHILADELPHIA – As the Orioles work to get their rotation healthier with rehab assignments for Kyle Bradish and Tyler Wells, they’ve got an indefinite wait on veteran right-hander Zach Eflin.
Eflin returned to the 15-day injured list Thursday with lower back discomfort. He received an epidural shot and the Orioles don’t know how much more time he’s going to miss.
“There is no plan in place for him right now,” said interim manager Tony Masolino. “Still letting the shot do its work, see how he comes out of that. And then, as he feels better or when he does, then we’ll be able to map out what the next month or two months will look like for him.”
Eflin was expected to be a trade chip at the deadline, but the injury likely quieted the market for him.
This is Eflin's third trip to the IL and his second with back pain. He was sidelined in April with a mild lat strain.
PHILADELPHIA – The Orioles are making another change to their bullpen, claiming right-hander Rico Garcia on waivers from the Mets this afternoon. He hasn’t reported.
Garcia appeared in six games with the Orioles in 2022 and allowed four runs in eight innings. He appeared in one game with the Yankees this season and allowed three runs in 2 2/3 innings, and in eight with the Mets and surrendered three with 16 strikeouts in 12 2/3.
The 40-man roster has 38 players.
While waiting for the Orioles to post their lineup ...
Dean Kremer registered a 7.04 ERA through April and had a 2.72 ERA in May, a 3.30 ERA in June and a 4.30 ERA in July. He’s registered a 2.89 ERA, 1.018 WHIP and .207 opponents’ average in nine home games and a 5.37 ERA, 1.464 WHIP and .294 opponents’ average in 13 road games.
PHILADELPHIA – The visiting clubhouse at Citizens Bank Park isn’t a good location for trying to identify new players.
Lockers don’t come with names, just uniform numbers that aren’t much use without a program or freakish memory skills. And the Orioles’ roster has undergone a startling makeover.
A player sat on a couch yesterday wearing a thick white headband and looking at his phone. The face was unrecognizable to anyone who missed the introductions in Chicago.
The stranger turned out to be first baseman Ryan Noda, who had a pinch-hit single Sunday. The Orioles claimed him on waivers from the White Sox over the weekend.
A pitcher sat at his locker who also hadn’t been in the organization the last time that the Orioles were home. A reporter on the beat discreetly held up his phone to reveal the player page belonging to left-hander Dietrich Enns, who was acquired from the Tigers at the trade deadline for cash considerations. Enns allowed a run and five hits Sunday in 1 2/3 innings.
