With the understanding that not all fan reaction one gets on a radio talk show, on a blog, via social media and/or Twitter represents all of Birdland, it appears a good percentage of the fanbase has emotions surging after the O's lost in the last of the ninth at Cleveland Friday night.

Some are worried, some are nearly panicked and we see just about everything in between.

First let's do this fact check: The Orioles let a game get away last night but with Tampa Bay's loss to Toronto, they saw their magic number to win the division reduced to six.

Since Sept. 12 the Orioles are 4-7. But in the same time frame, the Rays are 5-5 and have cut the O's lead from three games to 1.5 in that span.

Just a week ago on that Friday night, the O's were getting questioned and criticized after losing two games to the Rays. They answered that by winning the next four by scoring 30 runs against Tampa Bay and Houston.

HOUSTON – Jack Flaherty is moving to the bullpen.

Orioles manager Brandon Hyde is starting Kyle Bradish in Wednesday afternoon’s series finale in Houston, and rookie Grayson Rodriguez gets the ball Thursday night in Cleveland.

In a six-man rotation, Flaherty would have taken his next turn Thursday in his eighth game with the Orioles since the deadline trade. He’s carrying a 7.11 ERA and 1.674 WHIP in 31 2/3 innings since leaving the Cardinals.

Flaherty hasn’t worked more than 4 2/3 innings in three starts this month, and he hasn’t reached the same level of effectiveness as in his debut in Toronto, when he allowed one run in six frames.

The switch to relief isn’t necessarily a permanent assignment.

HOUSTON - Aaron Hicks is out of tonight’s Orioles lineup after leaving last night’s game in the ninth inning with cramping in his hamstring. However, Hicks is walking without a limp today and said he should be available.

“I feel good today,” Hicks said.  “I can play today. I’m good to go. Just got to hydrate and get things going a little quicker than normal.”

Hicks slid into second base last night and felt the hamstring grab, but it became much worse after he was ready to run onto the field for the bottom of the ninth.

“Obviously, it was enough to where I couldn’t finish the inning,” he said.

“I feel amazing because the last thing you want to happen is for it to keep happening. Today, I feel really good. I’ve been hydrating a lot. So, I’ll be good to go if I have to come in later in the game.”

The Orioles and Rays are tied atop the American League East. The one win that the Orioles need to clinch the tiebreaker remains on hold, but their magic number to secure a playoff spot is three after the Rangers lost last night.

It’s complicated.

What’s apparent is a four-game losing streak that’s tied for the longest this season.

The Orioles also lost four in a row June 27-July 1 and won nine of their next 11, including a season-best eight-game winning streak.

Orioles batters are 6-for-59 in this series. They’ve scored six runs in the last four games.

After going 7-2 on their road trip, the Orioles begin their penultimate homestand of the season with a three-game series against the Cardinals.

This is the first Cardinals visit to Baltimore since 2017, when the Orioles lost the first game 11-2 and won the next two 15-7 and 8-5.

Jordan Westburg came out of Saturday’s game in the seventh inning and wasn’t in yesterday’s lineup. He’s on the bench again tonight.

"Everybody's got little things going on right now," manager Brandon Hyde said on Saturday, adding yesterday that he didn’t have any other updates.

Austin Hays also is a reserve. Aaron Hicks is in left field.

BOSTON – Aaron Hicks is in center field this afternoon against the Red Sox and James McCann is catching. Adley Rutschman is the designated hitter.

Austin Hays is the cleanup hitter. Jordan Westburg is at second base and Gunnar Henderson is at third.

Jack Flaherty has posted a 6.66 ERA and 1.521 WHIP in five starts with the Orioles. He struck out seven batters in 4 2/3 innings in Arizona but gave up four runs and six hits.

Flaherty has never faced the Red Sox.

The Orioles have won six games in a row and 12 of 15 and are 89-51 overall, 47-25 on the road. They’ve scored 34 runs this season in four games at Fenway Park.

The Orioles are trying today to claim their 28^th series as they conclude their visit to Arizona.

Ryan Mountcastle has returned to the lineup after missing the past few games due to an illness. He’s batting cleanup and playing first base.

Anthony Santander was hit on the right hand last night in the ninth inning, left the game and underwent testing, and is serving today as designated hitter.

Two positive developments before the first pitch is thrown.

Aaron Hicks, reinstated from the injured list today, is in left field. Ryan O’Hearn is the right fielder. Austin Hays is on the bench.

The Orioles have made the following roster moves:

• Activated RHP Jorge López. He will wear #73.
• Reinstated OF Aaron Hicks (low back strain) from the 10-day Injured List.
• Optioned OF Colton Cowser to Triple-A Norfolk after yesterday’s game.
• Designated RHP Austin Voth for assignment.

The Orioles’ 40-man roster currently has 39 players.

The Orioles’ roster has changed again.

Get used to it.

Jorge López was activated this morning after the Orioles claimed him on waivers yesterday from the Marlins. Aaron Hicks was reinstated from the injured list.

To make room, outfielder Colton Cowser was optioned to Triple-A Norfolk and reliever Austin Voth was designated for assignment.

López enters a bullpen that includes Yennier Cano. They were involved in the 2022 deadline trade with the Twins.

PHOENIX - Two players who spent time on the Orioles roster earlier this year officially returned to the team today as the September roster expanded from 26 to 28 players. Outfielder Colton Cowser and right-handed reliever Joey Krehbiel are back.

Cowser was the O’s top draft pick, taken No. 5 overall, in the 2021 MLB Draft. Krehbiel, 30, was a big part of the 2022 Orioles bullpen, going 5-5 with a 3.90 ERA and 1.231 WHIP.

"Honestly, really encouraged with how Joey was throwing the ball in Triple-A," manager Brandon Hyde said this afternoon in the visitor's dugout at Chase Field. "Some really good appearances as of late and threw the ball well for us in a few brief moments this year. And Colton, just kind of where we are from an outfield standpoint, a health standpoint, have a lot of guys that have played a lot of innings out there. He adds outfield depth with a guy that can play all three spots. We thought that was important."

Hyde was asked if Cowser will be up for the rest of the season?

"I think we're day-to-day right now with everybody," he said. 

Teams can expand their rosters by two players on Friday and the Orioles are meeting to review the options. Time is running out.

“We better be pretty close,” manager Brandon Hyde said this morning.

“We’re going to see how the roster looks after today. Things can change quickly. But we’re talking about it right now.”

The Orioles can find reinforcements on the injured list and in the minors. The task is more complicated than just choosing a couple names.

“There’s a lot of moving pieces right now,” Hyde said. “We’re kind of seeing how everything fits. The off-day tomorrow is a little bit helpful in figuring that out. We’re having those discussions now, every type of scenario that we feel like is going to help our club in September.”  

Anthony Santander broke into the majors as a Rule 5 pick in 2017, playing in only 13 games. He appeared in 33 the following season, again making him a brief teammate of Adam Jones. Crossing paths more than settling into a deeper relationship.

Jones was gone by 2019, when Santander hit 20 doubles and 20 home runs to begin his ascension to impact player, but an impression already was made.

It didn't take long. Jones never needed a lot of time to leave an imprint.

The memories come back to Santander with today’s news that the five-time All-Star is returning on Sept. 15, presumably on a one-day contract, to retire as an Oriole.

“As a teammate, great, and his personality, awesome,” Santander said. “Thank God I got an opportunity to get to the big leagues and have him here, learn from him. How he prepared for the game to be able to compete every night. I think he brought a lot here to the Orioles and I was so happy having him as a teammate. I call him ‘The Jefe.’ He was really good with us.”

The Orioles have made the following roster moves:

• Recalled OF Ryan McKenna from Triple-A Norfolk.
• Placed OF Aaron Hicks on the 10-day Injured List with a low back strain, retroactive to August 16.
• Placed RHP Mychal Givens on unconditional release waivers.

OAKLAND – Orioles manager Brandon Hyde didn’t know which pitcher would start for the Athletics tonight until receiving a text message yesterday afternoon from manager Mark Kotsay.

“Pro move by him,” Hyde said.

Hyde’s club would face an opener, left-hander Francisco Pérez, who’s never started in the majors. Pérez made four relief appearances with the Guardians in 2021, 10 with the Nationals last season and two with Oakland this year.

Pérez hasn’t started in the minors since 2019.

“Usually, if you change your starter, it’s kind of an unwritten professionalism type of thing to let the other team know, as much advance as you can give them. And then you want to reciprocate it, too,” Hyde said.

OAKLAND – Aaron Hicks remains out of the Orioles lineup as they resume their West Coast trip with three games against the Athletics.

Jordan Westburg is batting ninth and playing third base. Adam Frazier is the second baseman.

Adley Rutschman stays in the leadoff spot, followed by shortstop Gunnar Henderson.

Ryan Mountcastle is the designated hitter and attempting to extend his on-base streak to 24 games. Cedric Mullins is batting sixth, followed by Austin Hays.

In Kyle Gibson’s last start in Seattle, he allowed a career-high nine runs and tied his career high with 12 hits. He faced the Athletics on April 10 and held them to one run in 6 1/3 innings.

SAN DIEGO – The Orioles are keeping their rotation in line for the series in Oakland that begins Friday night.

Kyle Gibson starts the opening game, followed by Cole Irvin and Kyle Bradish. The six-man arrangement isn't changing.

The club didn’t make a roster move today to bring in a fresh bullpen arm. The off-day on Thursday influenced its decision after Jack Flaherty worked only three innings last night and Nick Vespi threw 34 pitches in two innings.

"It's always helpful," said manager Brandon Hyde. "We're not in great shape, but if worse comes to worse, probably could throw a couple guys that I normally wouldn't throw."

Outfielder Aaron Hicks is out of the lineup again due to back soreness. He might be available off the bench.

SAN DIEG0 - Orioles outfielder Aaron Hicks returned to the club yesterday after injuring his left hamstring, started in left and exited in the eighth inning with discomfort in his back.

Hicks singled twice but didn’t appear to be running at full speed.

Austin Hays replaced Hicks last night and is starting in left tonight.

“He feels better today,” said manager Brandon Hyde. “Just came out with some back soreness. I don’t know if it was maybe just a little more intensity in these types of games, or maybe locked up on him a little bit. But feels much better today.”

Hicks played two games on his rehab assignment with Triple-A Norfolk. He hadn’t appeared with the Orioles since July 24 in Philadelphia.

SAN DIEGO – Outfielder Colton Cowser is taking his turn at a minor league reset.

The Orioles optioned Cowser today after he went 7-for-61, creating a spot for Aaron Hicks’ return to the active roster.

“We talked a lot about that with certain guys this year, about how it’s not always a terrible thing to have a guy come up here and experience what major league pitching’s like and what big league life is like,” said manager Brandon Hyde. “Understand how to go through some adjustments when you go back down to Triple-A. It’s like, we saw Grayson (Rodriguez) do that earlier this year, he came back a different guy.

“Colton’s going to be a really good major league player. Got off to a pretty good start, and then he just kind of got caught in between a little bit in his at-bats. I just want him to go down there and free his mind up. Kind of reset a little bit, relax and breathe and go take some at-bats, and don’t worry about trying to produce up here. And maybe we’ll see him soon.”

Hyde noticed that the league got a little more aggressive early in the zone, and Cowser wasn’t able to adjust to it.

SAN DIEGO – Aaron Hicks is starting in left field and batting eighth tonight after his reinstatement from the injured list earlier today.

Cedric Mullins is in center field and batting sixth. Austin Hays sits against Padres right-hander Yu Darvish.

Adley Rutschman stays in the leadoff spot, followed by shortstop Gunnar Henderson.

Jordan Westburg is playing second base and batting ninth.

Ryan Mountcastle, the designated hitter tonight, is slashing .418/.488/.672 with four home runs and 13 RBIs during his 20-game on-base streak.

SAN DIEGO – The Orioles made the anticipated outfield switch today, reinstating Aaron Hicks from the 10-day injured list and optioning rookie Colton Cowser to Triple-A Norfolk.

Hicks strained his left hamstring July 24 while diving for a fly ball in Philadelphia – incorrectly ruled a catch – and returns after two rehab games with Norfolk.

Cowser is 7-for-61 with two doubles, four RBIs, 13 walks, 22 strikeouts and 15 runs scored in 26 games.

Cedric Mullins returned over the weekend in Seattle and won yesterday’s game by robbing Ty France of a home run in the bottom of the ninth inning and delivering a two-run shot in the top of the 10^th. His return cost Ryan McKenna a spot on the roster.

Mullins became the first player to rob a home run and hit one in the ninth inning or later of the same game over the last 10 seasons, per ESPN Stats & Info.