A season that might be the most disappointing in franchise history – it’s certainly in the discussion and ignores each time 2018 wants it to hold a beer – won’t define the future of the Orioles organization.

Every player, coach, instructor front office member and team employee expresses confidence in a major bounce back in 2026. Control owner David Rubenstein waited for executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias to finish an answer Saturday at catcher Samuel Basallo’s press conference and chimed in with his thoughts on the season and what lies ahead.

“We had some bad luck this year, obviously,” he said. “Health challenges were more severe than anybody could have ever predicted. Our players, when we have our best team on the field and they’re healthy, I think we’re as good as anybody in baseball. We just need to stay healthy, and hopefully we can be healthier next year. We’ve got some really good other projects under way. I think people are going to be really happy in Baltimore with what we field next year.”

Catcher Adley Rutschman knows disappointment. He’s roomed with it. They order DoorDash and binge Netflix.

Rutschman is as qualified as anyone to talk about it, with his first two career stops on the injured list due to left and right oblique strains and a .227/.310/.373 line in 85 games. His run of All-Star selections ended at two in a row. And he might not get another at-bat this season until he heals faster than his first shutdown.

“It’s been frustrating, it’s been really frustrating,” he said. “I think that’s kind of the word that everyone’s going back to. With the amount of talent we have and just the quality of the guys we have in this locker room, everyone expects more of themselves and everyone wants more, and it’s frustrating when you come up short of that.”

Rutschman talked about Samuel Basallo’s contract extension, of course. He wasn’t going to make it through the summer without the media asking for his reaction. And he makes the same assumptions about the organization’s commitment to spending and drive to reach the playoffs next fall.

“I think they want to win, we want to win, and I think for everyone in this locker room the goals are the same,” Rutschman said. “We want to win a championship and that’s kind of the extent of it.”

The first World Series title since 1983 is a realistic goal in the eyes of the Orioles – which would make a sweet Sarah McLachlan song.

“I don’t think anyone has any doubts or anyone’s discouraged by the frustrating times we’ve had,” Rutschman said. “I think everyone knows how talented this group is and the guys we have in this locker room, and I think we have a lot of confidence in that.”

The Orioles also are confident in being able to provide at-bats for Rutschman and Basallo, that they can co-exist with first base an option for the rookie and the designated hitter spot open to anyone.

“Honestly, right now my biggest goal is just to get back healthy as quick as possible,” Rutschman said. “That’s kind of my main priority concern right now. And obviously helping out wherever I can, in on meetings, just like with scouting reports and whatnot. Those are my main two things I’m worried about right now.”  

* Shortstop Gunnar Henderson turned 24 years old in June and is two years removed from being the American League’s Rookie of the Year. Place him in the same clubhouse as Basallo and outfielder Dylan Beavers and he suddenly becomes the wise sage.

Henderson is young in years but one of the veterans in this inexperienced group.

“Yeah,” he said, chuckling. “It’s weird to say that, but yeah.”

The core must lead. It’s been put on notice.

“I’m honestly looking forward to that, being in that role, because obviously it’s gonna be a lot of guys that are in this room right now that are gonna help us win championships down the road, so being able to take my 2 ½ years of experience,” Henderson said.

“It’s kind of fun being in that position. It’s only gonna help me down the road being able to just kind of help guys whenever they need it. And I know for a lot of guys in the room that are in the same position, they’re really gonna enjoy this experience.”

* Twenty-two different Orioles have hit home runs this season after Jeremiah Jackson’s first major league bomb Saturday night and Luis Vázquez’s first yesterday.

Name them.

OK seriously, Henderson took the team lead yesterday with his 16^th, followed by Jackson Holliday, Ramón Laureano, Jordan Westburg and Cedric Mullins with 15. Laureano plays for the Padres and Mullins for the Mets, so they’re out of the race.

Ryan O’Hearn is next with 13 and he’s playing for the Padres. Colton Cowser has 11, Rutschman nine, Tyler O’Neill and Ramón Urías (Astros) eight, Dylan Carlson six, Coby Mayo and Gary Sánchez five, Heston Kjerstad and Ryan Mountcastle four, Alex Jackson three, and Jackson, Vázquez, Beavers, Vimael Machín, Jorge Mateo and Chadwick Tromp one.

Samuel Basallo would be a smart bet to become No. 23, though we don’t encourage wagering here.

(I wrote this note in advance yesterday afternoon and included the line, “And don’t sleep on Luis Vázquez. I hear he kicks.” Turns out, he also ruins a quip.)

The Orioles tied the season club record yesterday set in 2018 and 2012, which proves that spreading out home runs among players can get you into the playoffs or to 115 losses. They were tied with the 2015 and 1958 Orioles at 21 before Vázquez’s big swing.

The last five weeks of the season are “very important” to Vázquez.

“I think it’s important to receive these opportunities,” he said via interpreter Brandon Quinones, “to show what I’m capable of doing, making the most of them and set myself up going forward in the future.”

* Trevor Rogers might get some votes on the five-player Cy Young ballot.

Rogers and Hall of Famer Jim Palmer are the only Orioles pitchers to go six consecutive starts of at least six innings with one run or less allowed. Palmer did it in eight straight in 1978.

Fast starts are common with Rogers, and not just time of game. He hasn’t surrendered an earned run in the first inning this season.

* Ryan Mountcastle extended his hitting streak to 10 games yesterday, the fourth time in his career that he’s strung together hits in 10 or more.

* The Orioles’ win yesterday kept them from being swept in a four-game series for the first time since Aug. 16-19, 2021 at Tropicana Field. They haven’t suffered one at Camden Yards since Aug. 4-6, 2020 against the Marlins.