Blaze Alexander is back with the Orioles.

The club reinstated Alexander from the injured list today and optioned infielder Luis Vázquez to Triple-A Norfolk. Vázquez stays with the Orioles on the taxi squad.

Alexander needed only two games in his rehab assignment to convince the Orioles that he was ready. He didn’t play last night after going 2-for-7 with a double and RBI with Norfolk.

Tonight marks Alexander’s first time on the active roster since a hit-by-pitch caused a non-displaced fracture in his left hand July 12 at Camden Yards. He’s batting .312/.368/.439 with 12 doubles, two triples, four home runs and 29 RBIs in 82 games. Alexander has played six positions.

A goal was met. Alexander wanted to return for the series against the Athletics and he made it.

The second step of a critical road trip for the Orioles takes them to Sacramento for a weekend series against the Athletics, who have the second-worst record in the American League at 53-81.

The Orioles are 65-69 and three games back for the last Wild Card.

These teams met May 8-10 at Camden Yards and the Orioles lost two of three. They also went 1-2 in Sacramento last season.

The Orioles are 44-29 in road games against AL West teams over the last five seasons. They’ve swept five series.

Pete Alonso’s 32 home runs before September rank him fourth in club history among players in their first seasons with the team. Frank Robinson had 43 in 1966, Mark Trumbo 40 in 2016 and Nelson Cruz 35 in 2014. Mark Reynolds had 31 in 2011.

Alonso has nine home runs this month. The only players with more in August in their first season with the Orioles are Frank Robinson (12), Mark Trumbo (10) and Nick Markakis (10 in 2006).

More Alonso: He began today tied for the AL lead with 91 RBIs in this his first season playing in the league. Since RBIs became an official stat in 1920, the only players to lead the AL in RBIs in their first year in the Junior Circuit, including ties, are Ted Williams (1939), Dick Stuart (1963), Frank Robinson (1966), Dick Allen (1972) and Josh Hamilton (2008), according to STATS.

Coby Mayo and Matt Olson are tied for most home runs against left-handers with 14. Gary Roenicke holds the club record with 18 in 1983.

Mayo leads the major leagues in slugging (.723) and OPS (1.084) against lefties this year in a minimum 100 plate appearances.

Mayo’s last five home runs have been hit against five different pitch types: Caleb Ferguson’s cutter, Carlos Rodon’s slider, Shane McClanahan’s four-seamer, Reid Detmers’ curve and Brenan Hanifee’s sinker.

Christian Encarnacion-Strand has a .667 slugging percentage and 1.010 OPS on the road this season, highest in the majors in a minimum 50 plate appearances. He has 16 RBIs in his last 10 road games dating back to Aug. 10, also most in the majors.

Jackson Holliday is slashing .360/.392/.480 (27-for-75) with six doubles, one home run, nine RBIs and 13 runs scored in his last 18 road games.

Since the All-Star break, the Orioles are averaging 5.55 run per game on the road, the second-highest figure in the majors behind the Cubs (6.42). In the first half, the Orioles averaged 4.32 runs per game away from Camden Yards.

Brandon Young faced the Athletics last season in Baltimore and allowed six runs and six hits in three innings.

Former Orioles minor league catcher Jonah Heim is 3-for-4 with two doubles against Young. He’s batting eighth tonight.

The Orioles are 17-5 in Young’s starts.

The Orioles have scored three runs or fewer in each of their last seven games against the A’s, tied for their second-longest streak.

Left-hander Jacob Lopez has a 4.98 ERA and 1.479 WHIP in 21 games (18 starts). He started against the Orioles at Camden Yards on May 8 and allowed two runs and three hits in 5 1/3 innings. Alonso and Adley Rutschman homered.

In his last eight starts, Lopez has allowed 10 earned runs over 40 1/3 innings.

Left-handers are hitting .204 with a .589 OPS against Lopez this season. Right-handers are hitting .271/.356/.468.

The Athletics lost nine of 11 games before winning four of their last five. Their roster is much different since the last time that these teams played on May 10. Nick Kurtz, Shea Langeliers, Brent Rooker, Tyler Soderstrom and Jacob Wilson are on the injured list.

With one more loss, Mark Kotsay would become the first A’s manager to endure five consecutive losing seasons since Connie Mack had 13 in a row from 1934-46, per STATS.

For the Athletics
Henry Bolte CF
Jeff McNeil 2B
Zack Gelof 3B
Lawrence Butler RF
Tommy White 1B
Max Muncy DH
Carlos Cortes LF
Jonah Heim C
Alika Williams SS

Jacob Lopez LHP

Update: Alexander is leading off and playing shortstop, with Gunnar Henderson on the bench.

Alonso is the designated hitter. Holliday is batting third and Mayo fourth.

Samuel Basallo also goes to the bench.

For the Orioles
Blaze Alexander SS
Pete Alonso DH
Jackson Holliday 2B
Coby Mayo 1B
Christian Encarnacion-Strand 3B
Leody Tavareas RF
Christian Franklin CF
Dylan Beavers LF
Carlos Narváez C

Brandon Young RHP