Mansolino, Orioles eyeing returns of key pieces

CLEVELAND – There are plenty of dates circled on the calendar for the Orioles. 

The most notable one, and the biggest topic of conversation, comes in nine days: Major League Baseball’s trade deadline. Baltimore’s roster will look different, and interim manager Tony Mansolino is looking forward to Aug. 2, when the dust settles. 

But the most important date?

“Tonight!” Mansolino exclaimed with a laugh.

There’s some others, too.

“I’m looking forward to the Kyle Bradish return. I’m looking forward to the Ryan Mountcastle return and the Adley Rutschman return and the Keegan Akin return.”

Rutschman hit a double off the wall for Triple-A Norfolk today, an encouraging sign in his rehab from an oblique injury. A return this weekend against the Rockies is a possibility.

“There’s multiple schedules for Adley depending on how things are going,” Mansolino said. “One of the things that he did really well, that’s going to allow him to maybe expedite his process is all the live at-bats he got down in Sarasota when we were down in Tampa. He got a ton of live at-bats there.”

The catcher served as the designated hitter in today’s game and the plan is for him to catch tomorrow. The interim skipper noted that Rutschman’s bat might be ahead of his catching shape, but that building him up in the big leagues is a possibility.

“He doesn’t have to be fully built up,” Mansolino said. “We can get him here and build him up, especially with having a second catcher here.”

Mountcastle could be joining him with the Tides shortly, too. 

“I think within the next couple of days,” Mansolino said. “If all goes well, possibly Thursday we’ll see him plus or minus a day.” 

Mansolino didn’t mention the return of Zach Eflin in his list of dates that he’s looking forward to. That can be chalked up to that date being a lot sooner, though. Tomorrow, to be exact. 

“We’re really excited,” Mansolino said. “Ef’s a great major league pitcher. He’s a guy that’s done it in this league for a long time. … Just talking to him and spending time with him, being on the IL here for the lower back strain, he’s really unhappy about that. Just really optimistic about where he’s at and where his mind’s at. Looking forward to seeing him take the ball tomorrow.” 

Eflin’s season has had two distinctly different tones. 

Prior to any injury, Eflin delivered three gems to kick off 2025, allowing just four earned runs in a dozen innings of work. The right-hander walked just one batter over that stretch, too, a key indicator of his success on the mound. 

A lat injury kept him out until May, and the veteran didn’t seem to have the same stuff upon his return. In nine starts since May 11, Eflin has posted a 7.16 ERA, surrendering 64 hits in 44 innings of work, which included 14 home runs. 

In his final three starts before hitting the injured list again, the right-hander allowed 17 earned runs in nine innings of work. That’s not the Eflin that Baltimore had been accustomed to seeing. 

There’s an important date looming in nine days, and Eflin’s name and expiring contract have been a topic of conversation. But for now, the Orioles are just excited to have him back in the rotation, hopefully back to his old self. 

Tonight might be the most important date for Mansolino, but there’s excitement for tomorrow, too. 

Breadcrumbs from the skipper 

The hope, according to Mansolino, is that Albert Suárez will face live hitters by the end of the month. 

“If that’s happening, then he’s probably about on track,” the interim skipper said.