Examples of the insanity that masquerades as the 2026 major league season keep circling back to Baltimore.

The month began with the Orioles expanding their roster and also placing outfielder Christian Franklin on the 10-day injured list with left hand inflammation. Five days later, they put outfielder Luis Robert Jr. on the IL with left hamstring discomfort. And three days after that, infielder/outfielder Blaze Alexander went on the IL with lower back discomfort before leaving the team for the birth of his first child.

Watching this team labor can be a pain.

While in Toronto Sunday, the Orioles put starter Kyle Bradish on the 15-day IL with lower abdominal discomfort that was diagnosed as a sports hernia. He could undergo surgery. And they made another move shortly before first pitch Wednesday in Queens due to Jackson Holliday’s left wrist inflammation. He’s getting imaging done in Baltimore.

Through all of the maneuverings and madness, the Orioles actually gained ground in the Wild Card chase. And they hold the tiebreaker over the White Sox, who slid into the third spot Wednesday by losing to the Guardians.

Make sense of it, please.

Thirteen players are on the IL. Franklin and relievers Félix Bautista and Ryan Helsley remain on rehab assignments with Triple-A Norfolk. Samuel Basallo is playing through right shoulder discomfort and went 2-for-4 with a home run Wednesday while the Mets were rolling over like a retirement account.

Alexander is eligible to return on Saturday and, whatever the date, should be able to hop back in the lineup.

In the meantime, Jeremiah Jackson has homered in back-to-back games for the second time in his career. He also did it on Sept. 1-2, 2025.

The Brewers are starting right-hander Dustin May tonight, but Jackson figures to be in the lineup in any matchup. The active roster also includes infielder José Barrero, whose contract was selected from Norfolk on Wednesday, and outfielder Rece Hinds. Heston Kjerstad is 4-for-18 with eight strikeouts since the Orioles recalled him on Sept. 1. Leody Taveras is 4-for-31 with no walks and 17 strikeouts this month. Basallo’s two hits Wednesday made him 11-for-66 since coming off the IL

Sounds like too much to overcome, but the Orioles have won six of nine after a six-game losing streak that followed eight wins in 10 games.

Got all that?

The roster Jenga hasn’t caused the Orioles to collapse, but you’ve got to wonder how much longer they can hold up. Pete Alonso shared the clubhouse mindset when talking to the media after Wednesday’s 7-1 victory.

“There’s no magic number,” Alonso said. “We’ve just got to take it one day at a time. Win against whoever’s in front of us that day, go 1-0 every single day, and I think that’s the thing.

“You can’t look too far ahead, especially where we’re at right now. You can’t look in your crystal ball. The biggest thing that we can do right now is go out there, play the best to our ability every single night, do whatever we can to win the game.” 

That means clearing every obstacle, including the three teams ahead of them.

By my count, the Orioles have used the IL 31 times this season, with Holliday, Alexander, Helsley, Keegan Akin, Tyler O’Neill and Adley Rutschman going on it multiple times. Ryan Mountcastle took a more unique approach by straining his oblique hours before beginning a rehab assignment in an attempted return from a fractured left foot. One IL assignment but two different injuries.

Taking it to the next level.

Dylan Beavers has been leading off, but he exited Wednesday’s game with neck stiffness and an update on his condition is pending.

Shane Baz apparently has avoided a serious injury after being struck on the right elbow by a 105.1 mph line drive. X-rays were negative. But the rotation already needs an adjustment, and Cade Povich will be in Baltimore this weekend.

The move became more obvious when Povich was scratched from yesterday’s start with Norfolk. Jake Dykhoff replaced him, and Alex Pham moved up from Double-A Chesapeake and took the loss after allowing four runs in the eighth inning.

The Tides have their own challenges.

Povich always seemed like the No. 1 choice to replace Bradish. The Orioles are hoping that they don’t need anyone else. The roster churn isn’t making it any easier to stay in the race.

Left-hander Robert Gasser starts Saturday for the Brewers. Sunday is listed as TBA.

May was acquired in a deadline trade with the Cardinals, who signed him to a one-year, $12.5 million contract in December. He’s posted a 4.91 ERA and 1.295 WHIP in seven starts totaling only 29 1/3 innings.

May tossed six scoreless innings with two hits allowed in his last start against the Reds.

The Orioles catch a huge break missing All-Star Jacob Misiorowski, who’s 15-5 with a 1.89 ERA, 0.812 WHIP  and 243 strikeouts in 166 1/3 innings and is the heavy favorite to win the National League Cy Young Award.

The series brings some players with Orioles connections to Baltimore: pitchers DL Hall and Garrett Stallings, catcher Gary Sánchez and infielder Joey Ortiz.