The Orioles will go for the four-game sweep this afternoon, in the final game before the trade deadline, with Adley Rutschman serving as designated hitter and cleanup hitter, and Dylan Carlson in right field.

Tyler O’Neill and Ramón Laureano are on the bench.

Dean Kremer allowed five runs in six innings against the Rockies in his last start after surrendering one run over 14 innings in his two previous outings. His first start came in Toronto on March 29 and he allowed five runs in 5 2/3 innings.

Kremer owns a 5.14 ERA and 1.516 WHIP in 12 career games (11 starts) against the Blue Jays. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is 11-for-31 with two doubles and five home runs.

The Orioles have won five games in a row and six out of seven, but they remain seven back for the last Wild Card with seven teams ahead of them.

Yennier Cano left his seat in the Orioles’ dugout after the bottom of the third inning and began his stroll to the home bullpen. He’s already said his goodbyes to Bryan Baker, Gregory Soto and Seranthony Domínguez. Just part of the business. And it creates major complications for those left standing, and walking, who want to keep winning.

Rookie Brandon Young, recalled today as the 27^th man in Game 2, hadn’t completed the fifth inning in six of his seven starts. Interim manager Tony Mansolino probably spent part of his afternoon introducing himself to his new relievers and wondering how he’d piece together nine frames. And whether everyone in the room was ready for the possibility of high-leverage work.

Young retired the side in order in the fifth and earned the chance to keep going, getting through the sixth and leaving with the score tied and a quality start on his resume. That was one worry put to bed.

Gunnar Henderson and Adley Rutschman hit back-to-back doubles off Jeff Hoffman in the eighth and Corbin Martin earned his first career save in the Orioles’ 3-2 victory over the Blue Jays before an announced crowd of 14,929 at Camden Yards. The bullpen logged three scoreless innings, and the Orioles won their fifth game in a row and sixth out of seven.

Oh, these silly sellers.

The swing and the sound were vintage Tyler O’Neill. A positive perfect storm creating a loud clap of thunder and putting more runs on the scoreboard.

This is the version of Tyler O’Neill that the Orioles anticipated for the 2025 season and perhaps beyond, depending on the opt-out clause in his three-year, $49.5 million free-agent contract.

His health didn’t allow it, whether keeping him off the field or out of the batting cages, but O’Neill is teasing again – just like he did in March with three hits on Opening Day, including another home run, and four on the 31^st in Boston.

O’Neill homered in four consecutive games and almost made it five last night in the nightcap of a doubleheader, his drive to deep left field in the fifth inning so close to sneaking inside the pole that the Orioles challenged the call. The at-bats are much better, much more competitive.

For example, O’Neill saw 19 pitches in his first three plate appearances in Game 1, running the count full each time and producing a sacrifice fly, a walk and single after falling behind 0-2. O’Neill changed his approach and homered on a first-pitch slider in the sixth, and he struck out on six pitches in the seventh.

HOUSTON – Michael Soroka took the mound tonight knowing there was a good chance it would be his final start for the Nationals, knowing the better he pitched, the more attractive he might make himself to any interested contenders.

He then found out that’s easier said than done, especially when the opposing lineup makes you work as much as the Astros did.

Unable to complete four innings for the first time this season due to a high pitch count, Soroka didn’t figure in the decision in the Nats’ eventual 7-4 loss. The bullpen was charged with the final five runs, turning a once-tied game into a relatively comfortable victory for Houston.

But the spotlight tonight was squarely on Soroka, who took the mound less than 48 hours before the trade deadline and once again turned in a start that included a combination of positive and negative developments.

Houston’s hitters put up a massive fight from the get-go, battling tough pitches and prolonging at-bats. Their first four batters saw a combined 28 pitches, and a whopping 13 of those were fouled off. Cam Smith then got a pitch he could do something with and sent it down the right field line for an RBI double and a 1-0 lead.

The Orioles today announced that they have acquired minor league right-handed pitcher JUARON WATTS-BROWN from the Toronto Blue Jays in exchange for right-handed pitcher SERANTHONY DOMÍNGUEZ and cash considerations.

Watts-Brown, 23, is 2-5 with a 3.54 ERA (35 ER/89.0 IP) with 70 hits (6 HR), 38 total runs allowed, 38 walks, six hit batters, and 115 strikeouts in 19 games, all starts, between Double-A New Hampshire and High-A Vancouver this season. His 115 punchouts rank fifth among minor league pitchers, while his 30.5 percent strikeout rate is seventh in the minors (min. 80.0 IP) in 2025. In two professional seasons, he is 6-16 with a 4.17 ERA (89 ER/192.0 IP) and 246 strikeouts in 40 appearances, all starts. Watts-Brown is currently ranked Toronto’s No. 10 prospect by MLB Pipeline and No. 14 by Baseball America. The Visalia, Calif. native was originally selected by the Blue Jays in the third round of the 2024 First-Year Player Draft out of Oklahoma State University.

Domínguez, 30, made 68 relief appearances in parts of two seasons with the Orioles, going 2-5 with 12 saves and a 3.50 ERA (25 ER/64.1 IP). In 43 appearances this year, he went 2-3 with two saves and a 3.24 ERA (15 ER/41.2 IP). He was acquired by Baltimore from the Philadelphia Phillies on July 26, 2024, along with outfielder Cristian Pache, in exchange for outfielder Austin Hays. The seven-year veteran is 21-22 with 40 saves and a 3.54 ERA (112 ER/285.0 IP) in 298 career appearances.

The Orioles won the first game of today’s doubleheader and traded another high-leverage reliever. And he can make a short walk down the hallway at Camden Yards to join his new team.

Right-hander Seranthony Domínguez was dealt to the Blue Jays for pitching prospect Juaron Watts-Brown, according to an industry source. Toronto is in Baltimore for a four-game series.

Domínguez is the third reliever traded by the Orioles this month after Bryan Baker (Rays) and Gregory Soto (Mets).

MLB Pipeline ranked Watts-Brown, 23, as the Jays’ No. 10 prospect. They drafted him in the third round in 2023 out of Oklahoma State and he’s registered a 4.17 ERA and 1.328 WHIP in 40 starts. He’s struck out 246 batters and walked 98 over 192 innings.

Watts-Brown was in the Eastern League with Double-A New Hampshire, where he made 11 starts and posted a 3.48 ERA and 1.239 WHIP in 11 outings with 26 walks, 53 strikeouts and only four home runs surrendered over 51 2/3 innings. He also started eight games with High-A Vancouver and posted a 3.62 ERA and 1.179 WHIP with 12 walks, 62 strikeouts and two homers in 37 1/3 innings.

HOUSTON – The Nationals (gulp) are currently on a winning streak. Three in a row. The first time they’ve done that since that trip to Seattle and Arizona two months ago. (Or maybe it was a lifetime ago.) And tonight they’ll look to make it four in a row against an Astros club that’s hanging onto first place in the American League West but is currently teetering, having lost five games in a row (the first four to the Athletics).

This very well may be Michael Soroka’s final start for the Nats. The 27-year-old right-hander has proven to be a solid addition to the team, his 4.85 ERA not really in concert with how well he’s pitched (1.128 WHIP, 9.6 strikeouts per nine innings). The right-hander has been good of late, with only four runs allowed over his last 14 2/3 innings. You have to think some team out there is willing to make Mike DeBartolo a reasonable offer for him before Thursday’s trade deadline, but it would help if he pitches well again tonight.

A Nationals lineup that scored two runs and won Monday night despite striking out 19 times faces a bit less imposing opposing starter than Framber Valdez in Jason Alexander. The 32-year-old right-hander (who is NOT the actor who played George Costanza on "Seinfeld") makes only his third big league start of the season, only his 14th career start, having been roughed up by the A’s last time out to the tune of five runs and 11 hits in six innings. Maybe he’d be better off pursuing his other dream of pretending to be an architect …

WASHINGTON NATIONALS at HOUSTON ASTROS
Where: Daikin Park
Gametime: 8:10 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN2, MLB.tv
Radio: 106.7 FM, 87.7 FM (Spanish), MLB.com
Weather: Indoors

NATIONALS
SS CJ Abrams
LF James Wood
2B Luis García Jr.
DH Josh Bell
1B Nathaniel Lowe
3B Brady House
RF Daylen Lile
C Riley Adams
CF Jacob Young

Kade Strowd was hesitant to talk about it. The 96 mph sinker last night that crashed into the side of George Springer’s batting helmet in the ninth inning. The collective gasp from fans and the silence as Springer stayed face-down in the dirt.

Strowd eventually told the media this morning that he would speak about the incident, but it still shook him.

Springer is OK. Strowd has to move on but remains impacted by it.

“The one pitch, lost control,” he said. “It was my first sinker of the day. Just lost that one up and in. Part of the game but you hate to see somebody, especially like George, go down like that, so hope he’s all right.”

Strowd walked toward Springer and later crouched at the mound.

Colin Selby became the 27^th different Orioles player to go on the injured list, tossing a scoreless inning last night and being sidelined today with a left hamstring strain. Selby will undergo an MRI this morning.

Yaramil Hiraldo was recalled from Triple-A Norfolk after the Orioles optioned him yesterday.

The Orioles are playing a day-night doubleheader as a makeup for an April 11 postponement. Charlie Morton is starting Game 1 this afternoon, and Brandon Young will start or work in bulk relief in Game 2 after being summoned as the 27^th man.

Former Orioles minor league left-hander Easton Lucas is starting Game 1 for Toronto, and left-hander Eric Lauer is starting Game 2.

Morton could be making his last start with the Orioles, with the trade deadline 6 p.m. Thursday. He allowed three runs in 6 2/3 innings in Cleveland after surrendering seven over 5 1/3 in Tampa.

HOUSTON – One of the most significant months in recent Nationals history already included the firing of their longtime general manager and manager. Then it featured a rare opportunity to select the No. 1 overall player in the MLB Draft. On Monday, we got news the organization's top pitching prospect needs Tommy John surgery. And now the month is about to conclude with a potentially active trade deadline that will probably include several veterans dealt before 6 p.m. Thursday, with perhaps a chance of someone younger and more prominent also departing.

Given all that, it's understandable if you haven't been paying close attention to what's actually happening on the field. Here's an update for you: The Nats have won five of their last seven games, including a taut 2-1 nailbiter over the Astros on Monday night during which they became only the fifth team in MLB history to win a nine-inning game despite striking out 19 times.

So there should be no shortage of topics to discuss today in our latest Q&A entry. As always, submit your questions in the comments section below, then check back throughout the morning for my replies ...

The Orioles used their 95th lineup last night in their 106^th game. Catcher Adley Rutschman was reinstated from the injured list and batted cleanup for the fifth time, and the first since May 18.

There seems to be some interest from interim manager Tony Mansolino in going with a top four of Jackson Holliday, Jordan Westburg, Gunnar Henderson and Rutschman You can read between the lines or just focus on the actual lines.

“I’m fascinated by sticking (Rutschman) in that four hole, kind of sitting behind Gunnar, having a switch-hitter sitting right there, and the effect of that on Gunnar and just trying to navigate our lineup if all four of those guys at the top are cooking and fulfilling and reaching their potential,” Mansolino said during his afternoon media session.

“It's an absolute dynamic four hitters. And the guys behind them are pretty good, too.”

Ryan O’Hearn has batted cleanup 48 times, easily the most on the team. Ryan Mountcastle is next at 17. O’Hearn was slotted fifth last night and Laureano sixth.

HOUSTON – To beat the Astros on a night in which Framber Valdez’s curveball was untouchable, the Nationals were going to need an equally effective outing from starter-turned-reliever-turned-starter Brad Lord, just enough offense from a lineup missing James Wood to give themselves a lead and then zeros from their bullpen to close things out.

When they found a way to get all of that and walk out of Daikin Park with a 2-1 victory, it might well have represented the most impressive victory of the still-nascent Miguel Cairo Era.

Behind 5 1/3 standout innings from Lord, clutch hits from Nathaniel Lowe and Riley Adams and 3 2/3 scoreless innings from the bullpen, the Nationals emerged on top in a pitchers’ duel and won for the fifth time in their last seven games. To have done that against one of the toughest opponents on their recent schedule, against their ace nonetheless, made it particularly notable.

"It's exciting, because you have to play a clean game," Lowe said. "And especially against a first-place team, you have to play a clean game anyway. We did that today."

Adams’ solo homer in the seventh off reliever Bryan King proved the difference, an opposite-field blast for his third homer in his last 11 games, equaling the total from his first 31 games.

Adley Rutschman celebrated his return to the Orioles tonight. If Cedric Mullins passes him going the other way, he’s doing it with a bang.

Mullins and Coby Mayo hit back-to-back home runs in the second inning, Rutschman broke a tie with a two-run double in the third, and the Orioles kept unloading on Blue Jays pitching to win their third game in a row, 11-4, before an announced crowd of 20,176 at Camden Yards.

Zach Eflin lasted only 4 1/3 innings in what could be his last game with the Orioles, who improved to 48-58 with the trade deadline arriving at 6 p.m. Thursday. The Blue Jays have the best record in the majors at 63-44 but are 26-27 on the road.

Eflin wasn’t sharp and his luck wavered, but the Orioles supported him in every possible way. Runs were plentiful, and Mullins made a leaping catch at the center field fence to rob Nathan Lukes of a game-tying two-run homer in the fourth. Eflin stood frozen, the same look of disbelief that Trevor Rogers wore on Saturday after Mullins’ diving grab, and raised his cap.

Mullins landed with his back against the fence and with knees bent, as if sitting on an imaginary chair. He tossed the ball underhand to Ramón Laureano, who raced over from right field, and they jogged back to the dugout. One of them received a standing ovation.

HOUSTON – Travis Sykora, the Nationals’ top pitching prospect, needs Tommy John surgery after a recent MRI revealed a torn ulnar collateral ligament.

It’s a significant blow for the 21-year-old, who was trending toward being big league-ready sometime in 2026. Now he’s likely to miss most, if not all, of that season while recovering from the elbow surgery.

Sykora hadn’t pitched since July 5, when he departed his second start with Double-A Harrisburg after only one inning. Initial exams on his arm suggested he had not suffered a significant injury, and the organization’s medical staff decided to shut him down for two-to-three weeks before resuming a throwing program. A club source at the time compared the situation to that of fellow prospect Jarlin Susana, who recently returned to the mound after two months on the minor league injured list following his own shutdown period.

Sykora did not, however, get an MRI after first experiencing symptoms, according to multiple sources. That test was finally performed recently after the right-hander wasn’t showing signs of progress, with the results showing he actually had suffered a tear of the ulnar collateral ligament.

Surgery to reconstruct the ligament is now scheduled to take place in two weeks.

An MRI on closer Félix Bautista’s right shoulder was inconclusive, but he’s going to remain unavailable for a considerable period.

Bautista went on the 15-day injured list after throwing a season-high 34 pitches on July 20 in Tampa and experiencing a decline in velocity.

“There’s a lot of swelling in the shoulder, can’t quite make a determination quite yet or diagnose it,” said interim manager Tony Mansolino. “Once the swelling goes down enough to scan it again, then we’ll have more information, and that’s gonna be probably more weeks than days.”

Bautista underwent elbow reconstructive surgery in October 2023 and didn’t pitch again until 2025. He hasn’t recaptured the triple-digit heat that was common during his All-Star season, but he recorded 19 saves in 20 chances and had a 2.60 ERA in 35 games. He struck out 50 batters in 34 2/3 innings but also walked 23.

The need for a closer lessens with the Orioles in last place and approaching the trade deadline as sellers, but they want to remain competitive, and their options are limited with Bryan Baker dealt to the Rays and Gregory Soto to the Mets. Seranthony Domínguez and Andrew Kittredge also are trade possibilities.

HOUSTON – Hello from Daikin Park in downtown Houston. No, it’s no longer Minute Maid Park. The memories of October 2019 from this place, however, remain, regardless of the stadium’s name.

The Nationals kick off the second leg of their road trip tonight with the opener of a three-game series against the Astros. They just took two of three from the Twins in Minnesota, this after taking two of three from the Reds in D.C. Could they actually pull off three straight series victories? This one should be a stiffer challenge than the last two, especially with Astros ace Framber Valdez on the mound tonight.

Given that tough matchup against one of the best lefties in the league, Miguel Cairo has a very different looking lineup for this one. Most notably, James Wood is not playing for only the second time in his major league career. Wood has been in a significant slump (7-for-64, eight walks, 32 strikeouts over his last 17 games) so you can understand why Cairo may believe it’s a good time to give the young star a physical and mental breather.

Brad Lord, meanwhile, makes his second start since rejoining the rotation. After tossing four innings of one-run ball against Cincinnati, the rookie right-hander should be good to build up to a heavier workload. He threw 50 pitches in that game, so perhaps 65 or so tonight if all goes well?

WASHINGTON NATIONALS at HOUSTON ASTROS
Where: Daikin Park
Gametime: 8:10 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN2, MLB.tv
Radio: 106.7 FM, 87.7 FM (Spanish), MLB.com
Weather: Indoors

The Orioles could peel more players off their roster this week, but they’ve added two from the injured list.

Catcher Adley Rutschman (oblique) and reliever Keegan Akin (shoulder) were reinstated this afternoon, as expected. The Orioles designated catcher Jacob Stallings for assignment and optioned right-hander Yaramil Hiraldo to Triple-A Norfolk.

The 40-man roster has 38 players.

The Blue Jays are in town for a four-game series, including Tuesday’s split doubleheader. Rutschman is expected to catch for the first time since June 19 in Tampa. He has a .993 OPS in 47 career games against Toronto, the highest by any catcher all-time in a minimum 175 plate appearances, according to STATS.

Tyler O’Neill has homered in three consecutive games. Yesterday’s homer had an exit velocity of 113.6 mph, the hardest of his career.

The Orioles have made the following roster moves:

• Reinstated LHP Keegan Akin (left shoulder inflammation) from the 15-day Injured List.
• Reinstated C Adley Rutschman (left oblique strain) from the 10-day Injured List.
• Optioned RHP Yaramil Hiraldo to Triple-A Norfolk.
• Designated C Jacob Stallings for assignment.

The Orioles’ 40-man roster currently has 38 players.

The trade deadline is 6 p.m. Thursday and I’m told that MASN is a seller only when it comes to me. Make them an offer.

A reporter-to-be-named later or cash considerations should get it done.

A straight-up for Chad Bradford is being discussed, according to an industry source with direct knowledge. He actually was at the ballpark over the weekend to sign autographs. At least, that's their story. I'm still suspicious. 

Players wonder how much the roster is going to change in the next few days. They try to block it out, but how is that possible? Relievers Bryan Baker and Gregory Soto already left and others are going to follow. They know it.

“Definitely a new experience for me, because the past two years, we’ve obviously won a lot more games,” said shortstop Gunnar Henderson. “Definitely a new experience. It’s a weird one, because obviously, don’t know who, when or if. It’s just kind of a crappy situation.

MINNEAPOLIS – The Nationals departed the Twin Cities after Sunday’s victory with a roster that experienced only one change over the course of the weekend, with Jose Tena replacing the traded Amed Rosario.

By the time the team departs Houston following Wednesday’s game, there’s a decent chance that roster will have undergone even more change.

With Major League Baseball’s trade deadline now fast approaching, we’ve reached that point in the season where anything and everything can happen, and usually does. Though the deadline doesn’t arrive until 6 p.m. Eastern Thursday (an off-day for the Nationals), plenty of deals will be consummated these next three days as teams look to get a jump on the process and add key players for a few extra games.

We’ve known for a while the Nats were going to be active. Once they endured through a miserable 7-19 month of June, and certainly once ownership made the decision July 6 to fire general manager Mike Rizzo and manager Davey Martinez, it became clear they would once again be deadline sellers and not buyers for the fifth consecutive year.

Some of these recent deadline periods have included only a handful of trade candidates. This one, though, includes a bunch, because the Nationals entered the weekend with seven veteran players on expiring contracts: Rosario, designated hitter Josh Bell, infielder Paul DeJong, starter Michael Soroka and relievers Kyle Finnegan, Andrew Chafin and Luis Garcia. Rosario was dealt to the Yankees late Saturday night for a pair of prospects. The others all have a good chance of being dealt at some point over the next 82 hours.