Orioles utility player Blaze Alexander said X-rays on his left hand yesterday looked good and he’s waiting to receive clearance for an injury rehab assignment.

“We’ll figure out when that’s gonna be, what day that’s gonna be,” he said this afternoon, “but super, super soon.”

Alexander suffered a non-displaced fracture in his hand after being hit by a pitch on July 12. He’s aiming for a return later this month, while the Orioles are on a trip that takes them to St. Louis Aug. 25-27, Sacramento Aug. 28-30 and Colorado Aug. 31-Sept. 2.

“Hopefully at some point that West Coast trip I’d love to be there,” he said. “That’s what we’re shooting for. Maybe first day in Sacramento.”

Alexander doesn’t think he’s necessarily ahead of schedule, but he’s moving in the right direction.

“It’s what my body’s telling me,” he said, adding that the medical and training staffs have made his IL stint much easier.

“I definitely think I had that week of that All-Star break that kind of feels like it fast-forwarded things. We’re progressing real well, feeling super strong, and I’ll be ready to go here shortly.”

The Orioles can get back a versatile, high-energy player who’s batting .312/.368/.439 in 82 games. Alexander can jump back into a Wild Card race.

“That’s why you play the game,” he said. “You play the game to be in situations like these, to make that playoff push in September and be the team that we know we can be.

“It’s not fun watching from the sideline. Your guys are out there battling every day and you feel like you can’t really do anything to help but kind of just cheer for them. Definitely feel like I’m a whole lot more valuable to this team when I’m out in the field. There’s no doubt about it.”

In a season that can create vertigo from the sudden movements, the Orioles fell back into last place after back-to-back losses.

The Rangers hold the third Wild Card. The Twins and Blue Jays began today a half-game behind, and the Orioles, Guardians and Tigers were one behind.

The Tigers took a 3-2 lead into the ninth inning in Pittsburgh this afternoon, but Rafael Flores Jr. hit a solo homer off closer Kenley Jansen to tie the game and Brandon Lowe hit a walk-off homer.

Chris Bassitt is making his second start since his reinstatement from the injured list. He allowed two runs and five hits in 5 1/3 innings at Tropicana Field.

Bassitt owns a 2.06 ERA in nine career starts against the Yankees. Paul Goldschmidt is 4-for-9 with a double and home run. Trent Grisham, who drove in all three runs for New York last night, is 4-for-20 with two homers.

Pete Alonso has a 10-game hitting streak, one short of his career high.

Jeremiah Jackson is 0-for-25 after striking out last night as a pinch-hitter.

Catcher Samuel Basallo took some swings at Camden Yards today and posed for the team photo before returning to Double-A Chesapeake to resume his injury rehab assignment. He isn’t in the Baysox’s lineup.

Yankees right-hander Will Warren has a 4.42 ERA in 24 games (23 starts). He’s allowed eight runs and 13 hits in two starts this month totaling 9 1/3 innings after shutting out the Cubs over 6 2/3 on July 31.

Warren faced the Orioles twice in May, allowing one earned run (two total) and three hits in 6 1/3 innings at Yankee Stadium and two runs and four hits in 5 2/3 at Camden Yards. He struck out 15 batters in the two games.

Warren owns a 3.94 ERA in six career starts against the Orioles. It’s 4.40 in three starts in Baltimore. Colton Cowser is 3-for-9 with three doubles. Tyler O’Neill is 2-for-6 with a double and home run.

The Yankees are hitting .241 against fastballs this season, the lowest in the majors. Orioles pitchers have a 48.8 percent fastball usage, the 11th highest in the majors, per STATS.