Trevor Rogers named Most Valuable Oriole

The climb out of the deepest pit in his professional career has landed Trevor Rogers in first place in voting for Most Valuable Oriole.

Rogers was honored by members of the media covering the team. Coming up next could be appearances on Cy Young ballots and perhaps a Comeback Player of the Year award.

One start remains in Rogers’ season, this weekend at Yankee Stadium. He’s 9-2 with a 1.35 ERA, 0.872 WHIP, .178 opponents’ average and 6.0 bWAR, the lowest ERA in Orioles history among pitchers in their first 17 starts.

"I probably told you a few starts ago, 'You're waiting for the other shoe to drop, the other foot to drop,’” interim manager Tony Mansolino said on Friday. “I don't think we're waiting anymore.”

Rogers has allowed two earned runs or fewer in 15 consecutive starts, the longest streak in Orioles history and longest in the majors since the Dodgers’ Julio Urías (17) from July 16, 2022-April 10, 2023. He’s surrendered more than two earned runs in only one start, and he tossed six scoreless innings while giving up just one hit in his most recent outing against the Yankees.

"He’s been unbelievable,” said Ryan Mountcastle. “Just feels like every time he steps out there, it’s six, seven, one run, no runs. It’s unbelievable.”

The Orioles have Rogers under contract for one more season before he’s eligible for free agency. He didn’t seem like a priority after last summer’s trade deadline, when he posted a 7.11 ERA in four starts and was optioned to Triple-A Norfolk.

Rogers had no chance at earning a spot in the rotation in spring training due to a right knee subluxation. He was recalled May 24 to start Game 2 of a doubleheader in Boston, and shut out the Red Sox on two hits in 6 2/3 innings, and didn’t come back until June 18.

He’s been producing numbers in historical fashion since his return.

Rogers is the fourth left-handed pitcher in franchise history to be named Most Valuable Oriole, joining Randy Myers in 1997, Mike Cuellar in 1974 and Dave McNally in 1968. He’s the first pitcher honored since Rodrigo Lopez in 2002. Also, Rogers made 10 consecutive starts from July 6-Aug. 30 with six-plus innings and two runs or fewer, recording a 1.19 ERA. The 10-start stretch set a franchise record, surpassing Milt Pappas (nine games) in 1964.

Gunnar Henderson was MVO the past two seasons but couldn’t defend his title. He also received votes while leading the Orioles in just about every category and playing an outstanding shortstop.

The Orioles don’t announce second and third place, but Henderson is the presumed runner-up.

Henderson is batting .273/.348/.437 with 33 doubles, five triples, 16 home runs, 65 RBIs, 27 steals in 31 attempts and a 5.1 bWAR in 148 games after beginning the season on the injured list.

Eight other players received votes, as well as interim manager Tony Mansolino, which might be unprecedented: Henderson, Jackson Holliday, Dylan Beavers, Dylan Carlson, Colton Cowser, Dean Kremer, Tomoyuki Sugano and Jordan Westburg.

This proves again that anyone who doesn’t take the ballot seriously shouldn’t take one.

I went back and forth between Rogers and Henderson for first place before settling on the left-hander. I had Holliday third.