The Orioles have nine more games to play and a Pete Alonso bobblehead to distribute before their roster expands to 28 players. Blaze Alexander could give them an extra hitter who also happens to play on most days if he hasn’t been reinstated from the injured list before Sept. 1. Timing also determines what they’re going to do with reliever Félix Bautista, who’s beginning his rehab assignment Sunday at Double-A Chesapeake and then reporting to Triple-A Norfolk.

We’re waiting to find out if outfielder Heston Kjerstad, who’s hitting .287 with 15 doubles, 11 homers and a .799 OPS in 73 games with Norfolk, makes his return to the majors. His last Orioles at-bat was June 6, 2025, he’s out of minor league options next season, etc.

A curveball was thrown with the Orioles deciding to move left-handed pitching prospect Luis De León to Norfolk’s bullpen, where he tossed a scoreless inning earlier this week. The two strikeouts were a nice touch. The three walks were are reminder that he’s still developing and he needs to become more consistent with his command.

MLB Pipeline and Baseball America rank De León, 23, as the organization’s No. 7 prospect. He earned a promotion to Norfolk after posting a 1.80 ERA in his last eight starts with Double-A Chesapeake. He’s got a 5.28 ERA in Triple-A because of the six runs he allowed in four innings on Aug. 8 in Buffalo.

“The stuff’s really good. It speaks for itself,” said Norfolk pitching coach Jeff Ware.

“When he gets the ball in the zone, whether it’s his sinker, his slider, split or changeup, hitters have a tough time. It seems like hitters have a tough time just seeing him in general. The ball jumps on them pretty good. And the amount of movement, that kind of crossfire that he has, it just really makes for an uncomfortable at-bat.”

A bullpen role might not fit like a glove, at least on the major league level, but the organization believes that he can handle it. That’s a lot of trust, especially if he’s dumped into a Wild Card race.

It might not be permanent. The Orioles would rather develop starters. It might just be a weapon for late in the season, with the hope that a young pitcher averaging 4.7 walks and 11.3 strikeouts per nine innings in five minor league seasons won’t misfire.

The Orioles keep carrying two left-handers in relief – Grant Wolfram and Josh Walker. Keegan Akin is done for the year after undergoing ligament-reconstructive surgery on his elbow. The club also tried Dietrich Enns and Nick Raquet.

De León has made 20 relief appearances in the minors. He won’t push back on any instructions from the big league club. His stated goal in spring training was the join the Orioles later this season. He never specified starter or reliever.

“We had a good conversation with him the other day when we decided on the move, and he took it really well,” Ware said. “He’s excited. If he has an opportunity to go to the big leagues in a few weeks, obviously just like anybody to be super excited.

“We feel if the move does happen, he’ll be able to handle it extremely well. He’s got such a good heart beat. Nothing seems to faze him when he’s out on the mound and he just goes about his business, knows his game plan. The bottom line is he can handle himself really well. So that’s what we expect him to do, whatever level he’s at.”

*Albert Suárez already had the nameplate removed from his locker yesterday before the team announced a roster move. Keen observers would have notice that another reliever, Anthony Nunez, occupied the space.

(Meanwhile, Alexander has inherited Adley Rutschman’s locker and Samuel Basallo has slid over one spot in his row. Where they stop, well, we know.)

Suárez was designated for assignment for a fourth time this season. He’s kept coming back to the Orioles, but it isn’t a certainty at this late date.

Suárez turns 37 in October but might want to take another shot at a major league job next year. Orioles manager Craig Albernaz believes that Suárez could have a future in coaching.

“In my opinion, there’s still a lot left in the tank with Al, but he has the personality traits, the care level, the demeanor, the attention to detail, and the love for the game that he could be a really great coach,” Albernaz said.

“He’s also a person that whatever he decides to do, post-playing, he’ll be great at. He’s just one of the those special people.”

*Alonso singled last night to extend his hitting streak to 13 games and pulverized a fastball from Freddy Peralta for a tie-breaking, 443-foot, two-run homer. But he also made another impressive play at first base to end the sixth inning, ranging to his right to backhand speedster Chandler Simpson’s grounder, racing to the bag and diving to tag it.

Trevor Rogers couldn’t get there in time, leaving Alonso with no other choice.

“I was hoping one of us made it with Simpson running as hard,” Rogers said. “He was trucking, I was trucking, and I’m glad I stopped when I did, because it would have been a major collision and I don’t think I would have survived that one if I make contact with that guy. He puts everything he has into defense, and we got the job done.”

“He’s played outstanding first base for us all year,” Albernaz said. “He’s been consistent at first, playing every day at first, and he put a ton of work in. It started in spring training. Up until this point, he doesn’t stop working. Like I say with a lot of our guys, it doesn’t happen by accident. He put the work in, he keeps on putting the work in. Now we’re seeing that right now.

“That play, that’s a tough play, to put your foot in the ground and then he’s not the smallest guy and to kind of dive and get there to beat Simpson was a great play.”

Alonso was 100 percent certain that he wouldn’t record the out unless he got the uniform dirty again. He sat at his locker afterward, waiting for the media before getting undressed and showering.

“I know with Rog being a big lefty, like that’s the only play, and that’s probably the only time I’m ever going to beat that guy in a race,” Alonso said.

“I leave it all out there every single night for better, for worse, and I really think it’s an honor and a blessing to put on a big league uniform every single day and go out there. So for me, what other option? There is no other option. I just want to play hard, play winning baseball, and for me, I don’t care how it looks. I just want to get it done.”

*Not to be lost in the Alonso foul ball controversy Wednesday night was the double steal that gave the Orioles a 1-0 lead in the first inning.

Yankees starter Will Warren walked Jackson Holliday, struck out Alonso and walked Gunnar Henderson. Holliday raced to third base on Basallo’s liner to center field, and he broke for home when Henderson attempted to swipe second.

Jazz Chisholm Jr. took the throw and applied the late tag, as if he didn’t consider the possibility of Holliday trying to score.

This is the second time that the Orioles stole home after Henderson did it on July 19 in Houston. Alonso swiped second on the play.

The club also had two last season, both by Ryan Mountcastle. The 1980 team did it three times.

The four steals of home in the past two seasons lead the majors. The Nationals, Rays and Red Sox each have three.

The more you know …

*Kyson Witherspoon tossed five scoreless and hitless innings yesterday in Game 1 of High-A Frederick’s doubleheader in Wilmington. He walked three and struck out eight.

MLB Pipeline ranks Witherspoon, part of the return from the Red Sox for Adley Rutschman, as the No. 12 prospect in the system. He has a 1.26 ERA since joining the organization.

Double-A Chesapeake’s Patrick Reilly held Richmond to one run and three hits in five innings. He struck out six.

Class A Delmarva’s Esteban Mejia tossed 3 1/3 scoreless innings with two hits and five strikeouts. Ty Head had another hit.