Winning matters to Orioles interim manager Tony Mansolino and the players who remain in the clubhouse. Time cards aren’t punched. Flight reservations aren’t made in advance. They intend to compete every night.

The games still count.

It’s just a whole lot harder to claim them.

This is the life of a seller, a role which the Orioles haven’t portrayed in the past few years. They didn’t expect to do it in 2025, but they were torn apart again by injuries, underperformed, fired their manager and eventually began to make trades that wouldn’t impact the club this year or probably next.

Bryan Baker going to the Rays brought back the 37^th-overall pick in the draft, who became Oregon prep outfielder and aspiring musician Slater de Brun. “Lil Slayyy” will have his dayyy, but it won’t be anytime soon.

Being sellers doesn’t always equate to being losers. A team can hit four home runs in the first two innings and pretend that stripping the roster of key players isn’t a detriment.

And it can blow a lead and fall to the worst team in baseball, a reminder of why the front office is punting on 2025.

The Rockies overcame a four-run deficit, were tied in the seventh and got a solo homer from Ezequiel Tovar off Andrew Kittredge in the eighth to defeat the Orioles 6-5 before an announced floppy hat crowd of 25,090 at Camden Yards.

Alex Jackson doubled against reliever Jake Bird with one out in the seventh and scored the tying run on Jackson Holliday’s single. Kittredge entered in the eighth, struck out his first batter and surrendered his fourth homer in 28 appearances. Two more Rockies struck out.

"That's a bitter one right there," said interim manager Tony Mansolino. "It feels like here lately we've thrown up some good numbers early in games on that last road trip, and we just haven't been able to hang on. Part of that is pitching and part of that is not adding more runs as the game goes on. We have to add more runs. We had a couple spots we could have. We didn't get it done, unfortunately, tonight. Got to add more runs and got to hold leads."

Another reliever walked out the door today when the Orioles traded Gregory Soto to the Mets for minor league pitchers Wellington Aracena and Cameron Foster. Seranthony Domínguez knows that he could be the next one.

The bullpen is a hot spot in trade discussions.

Domínguez and Soto came to the Orioles is separate trades with the Phillies last summer, the latter on deadline day. Domínguez texted Soto earlier today after receiving the news.

“It’s part of the business,” Domínguez said. “We do what we have to do. I wish him the best and good luck to him.

“It’s hard when you get traded. You’ve got to move from somewhere to another (place) and get new teammates. But I wish the best for him and wait for what happens.”

The Orioles are selecting infielder Jeremiah Jackson’s contract from Triple-A Norfolk and will be short one reliever after trading left-hander Gregory Soto to the Mets.

Jackson, 25, is batting a combined .311/.340/.538 with 30 doubles, 15 home runs and 41 RBIs in 83 games between Norfolk and Double-A Chesapeake. He’s never played in the majors.

Interim manager Tony Mansolino said he won't have an update on closer Félix Bautista (shoulder) until next week.

The Orioles return to Camden Yards for a six-game homestand that begins with three against the Rockies.

Gunnar Henderson is on the bench. He’s leading the Orioles in hits, doubles and triples for the second straight season. Brooks Robinson was the last player in franchise history to do it in consecutive seasons from 1960-62, per STATS.

The Orioles acquired reliever Gregory Soto at last year’s trade deadline. Today, they’ve moved him to another team.

Soto is going to the Mets for a pair of pitching prospects, according to a source.

The left-hander is the second player moved after reliever Bryan Baker, traded to the Rays on July 10 for the 37^th-overall pick in the draft. The Orioles will receive 20-year-old right-hander Wellington Aracena and 26-year-old right-hander Cameron Foster in exchange for Soto.

Aracena is the Mets’ No. 19 prospect, according to MLB Pipeline. The Dominican native had a 2.38 ERA and 1.135 WHIP in 17 games (eight starts) with Single-A St. Lucie in the Florida State League. He didn’t surrender a home run in 64 1/3 innings and averaged 4.9 walks and 11.8 strikeouts.

Over four minor league seasons, Aracena has a 4.53 ERA and 1.497 WHIP in 57 games (34 starts) and has walked 123 batters and struck out 214 in 173 innings. He’s surrendered only six home runs.

Make it 26.

That’s how many different Orioles have gone on the injured list this season, two more than the total in 2021, seven more than in 2012 and 2008, and nine more than in 2024, 2018 and 2015. And we’re not taking into account the repeat visitors like Tyler O’Neill, Zach Eflin and Gary Sánchez.

Félix Bautista became the 26^th yesterday, retroactive to Monday, with right shoulder discomfort. The only good news is that his surgically-repaired elbow is fine.

Trying to put a positive spin on 2025 can create shoulder and elbow pain. What else can possibly go wrong?

Don’t answer.

CLEVELAND – On Monday, the Orioles got out to a 3-0 lead before the Guardians even came to the plate. Ramón Laureano, a catalyst for the O’s all season, kickstarted the offense and drove in two of those runs. 

Cleveland responded, though, pushing three runs of their own across in the bottom of the first. The Guardians went on to win that game 10-5, thanks in large part to a four-run seventh. 

This afternoon, the Orioles got out to a 3-0 lead before the Guardians even came to the plate. Ramón Laureano, a catalyst for the O’s all season, kickstarted the offense and drove in two of those runs.

This time, the Orioles came out on top 4-3.

They did so behind an excellent start from Charlie Morton and a sharp bullpen, one that didn't feature the recently injured Félix Bautista. 

The Orioles have signed all of their 2025 draft picks within the first 10 rounds.

The overall total grew to 14 out of 24 today with center fielder Slater de Brun, the 37^th selection out of Summit High School in Oregon.

de Brun, 18, was the fourth of seven first-day picks for the Orioles, and his selection was lauded by the draft media experts. He batted .370/.586/.603 with nine doubles, one triple, two home runs, 26 RBIs and 22 stolen bases in 29 games during his senior season.

The Oregon native is a left-handed hitter, 65-grade runner and 60-grade fielder, and the Corbin Carroll comps were prevalent leading up to the draft.

Only one of them can claim to be an aspiring musician who goes by Lil Slayyy” and has put out country singles like "Break My Heart" and "Find me a Bar.” de Brun can afford to buy a round for the house, but he isn’t old enough to partake.

CLEVELAND – It hasn’t been the best season for Orioles relievers. 

Entering the final game of their four-game set in Cleveland, the O’s bullpen had the third-worst ERA in the American League at 4.80. This series hadn’t improved those numbers, with the ‘pen allowing 10 earned runs in the last three games. 

Last night, though, the relief corps just allowed one. It was an RBI single off the bat of Steven Kwan in the eighth inning of a tie game. That’s not a spot where you’d normally expect to see Colin Selby, but he’s the Baltimore arm who surrendered the run that ultimately decided the game. It wasn’t the plan to pitch him in that spot. 

Instead, interim manager Tony Mansolino had slated Seranthony Domínguez for that frame and Félix Bautista for the ninth. 

But in the seventh inning, the bullpen relayed a message back to Mansolino that Bautista would not be available. The closer was in the process of getting ready to loosen up for potential game action, and something flared up. That changed the interim manager’s plans and, perhaps, the outcome of the game. 

The Orioles couldn’t go more than a day with only 14 players on the injured list.

Félix Bautista joined it this morning for the first time this season. He’s on the 15-day IL with right shoulder discomfort.

Reliever Kade Strowd was recalled from Triple-A Norfolk.

Bautista alerted the dugout in the seventh inning last night that he was unavailable. Interim manager Tony Mansolino told the assembled media later that “something didn’t feel right” and the club would have more information today.

Bautista threw a season-high 34 pitches Sunday in Tampa after going 10 days without appearing in a game. He earned the save but it was a struggle, with Bautista allowing a run and walking three batters.

Shortstop Wehiwa Aloy doesn’t possess a broad knowledge of the team that drafted him 31^st overall earlier this month. He grew up in Hawaii and attended college at Sacramento State and Arkansas. He won’t nail a quiz on the Orioles, though he’s probably done some homework since hearing his name called.

Here’s what he does know, which he shared yesterday in a video call with the local media:

“Just the development of players that have come through here. Seen it for a long time now and it’s just getting better every day.”

That’s what the Orioles expect Aloy to do.

They were linked to him at No. 19 in some mocks, but he fell to their third pick of the evening. The first round wasn’t in doubt. The only mystery was where he’d land, and the answer came while he sat on a couch with his parents, grandmother and sister.

CLEVELAND – For the first seven innings of tonight’s ballgame, the Orioles had the momentum. 

The Guards had mustered just two hits and two runs, a pair that scored on a weak single from Kyle Manzardo.

The O's had enough chances to win this game. Ultimately, the Birds' bats didn't come through in a 3-2 loss. Not having their best reliever available late in the contest certainly didn't help matters.  

On Monday night, the Orioles and Guardians combined to score six runs in the first inning of play. Last night, there was only one, but it came on a José Ramírez solo shot. 

Tonight, the first extra-base hit of the game didn’t come until the top of the third inning, courtesy of Cedric Mullins. 

CLEVELAND – Zach Eflin, Grayson Rodriguez, Kyle Bradish, Albert Suárez, Cade Povich and Tyler Wells would form a pretty solid six-man rotation. Suárez could come out of the bullpen or be an option for a swing start here or there. 

Unfortunately, all six were on the injured list until this afternoon. 

The injured staff lost one of its front-line starters today, as Eflin was reinstated from the IL after missing some time with lower back discomfort, an injury that forced him to exit his June 28 outing against the Tampa Bay Rays. 

Now, just shy of a month later, he returns to face a Guardians lineup composed entirely of either left-handed or switch-hitters. With the right-hander Eflin on the mound and just two left-handers in the O’s bullpen, it’s not a bad strategy to implement. 

Lefties are hitting .347 with a .714 slugging percentage and an OPS over 1.000 this year against Eflin, so finding a rhythm in his return to the big league mound will certainly be a challenge. 

Zach Eflin was reinstated from the injured list earlier today and is making tonight’s start in Cleveland, as the Orioles try to rebound from back-to-back losses to the Guardians. They’ve dropped six of their last seven games.

Brandon Young was optioned to make room for Eflin. Young has posted a 7.34 ERA and 1.761 WHIP in seven starts, and he failed to complete the fifth inning in six of them.

Catcher Maverick Handley was moved from the seven-day concussion injured list to the 10-day IL with a sprained right wrist. And left-hander Keegan Akin had his injury rehab assignment transferred from the Florida Complex League to Triple-A Norfolk.

Eflin hasn’t pitched for the Orioles since facing the Rays on June 28 and allowing four runs and five hits in one inning. He was tagged for six runs and 10 hits in three innings at Yankee Stadium in his previous start and for seven runs and 12 hits in five innings in Tampa on June 16.

Eflin has a career 7.71 ERA and 1.714 WHIP in two starts against the Guardians, with eight runs and 14 hits in 9 1/3 innings. But his lone start at Progressive Field resulted in two runs allowed in 6 1/3.

There are times when it must feel like manager Christian Frias and his players are operating under a cloak of anonymity.

The higher-level affiliates usually get the most attention as players inch closer to the major league roster. The Orioles have three teams in the state of Maryland with Double-A Chesapeake, High-A Aberdeen and Class A Delmarva, and Triple-A Norfolk is a relatively easy drive. But down in Sarasota, the Florida Complex League entry plays in intense heat and out of sight except for some locals.

The regular season is winding down, with only two games left and plenty of drama. The FCL Orioles split a doubleheader yesterday with the Twins, the team that they trail by two games for first place in the South Division and face two more times this week. They lead the FCL Blue Jays by one game for the Wild Card.

Developing players is the No. 1 priority, but victories also count in the minors, even on one of the lowest rungs of the organizational ladder.

“It’s development first, and if you happen to win while doing it, I mean, we’ll take it,” Frias said.

CLEVELAND – Every time the Orioles knocked on the door in Cleveland tonight, the Guardians answered. It resulted in the Guards taking Game 2 of this four-game series by a final score of 6-3.

"First half of the game didn’t go so well for us tonight and I thought we hung in there and the at-bats were good and we put up a couple runs as the game went on," interim manager Tony Mansolino said after the game. "Just, we have not gotten our bullpen kind of going to the same extent we probably had it going when we were playing our best ball a few weeks ago."

The O’s put up runs in innings five, six and seven. The Guardians did the same, plus some runs early with Baltimore starter Brandon Young on the mound. 

There’s not a big enough major league sample size to be confident in what kind of Young outing you’ll get. 

Thus far, his big league outings could be classified as solid, ones that aren't spectacular but keep you in most ballgames. In all but one start, his last, Young allowed four runs or fewer. A typical line could feature four innings of work and three earned runs.

CLEVELAND – There are plenty of dates circled on the calendar for the Orioles. 

The most notable one, and the biggest topic of conversation, comes in nine days: Major League Baseball’s trade deadline. Baltimore’s roster will look different, and interim manager Tony Mansolino is looking forward to Aug. 2, when the dust settles. 

But the most important date?

“Tonight!” Mansolino exclaimed with a laugh.

There’s some others, too.

Catcher Adley Rutschman began his injury rehab assignment this afternoon with Triple-A Norfolk and went 1-for-3 with a double and walk at Lehigh Valley.

Rutschman, who served as the designated hitter, hasn’t played for the Orioles since June 19 because of a strained left oblique. Interim manager Tony Mansolino told the assembled media in Cleveland that Rutschman will catch for the Tides on Wednesday and could be reinstated this weekend.

Samuel Basallo, the top prospect in the organization, remains out of the lineup with a sore oblique. He didn’t play over the weekend, but is beginning a hitting progression and could return this weekend.

Basallo, who turns 21 next month, is batting .264/.383/.591 with 11 doubles, 19 home runs and 48 RBIs in 62 games.  

Catcher Chadwick Tromp, on the injured list with a lower back strain, had his rehab assignment transferred to High-A Aberdeen.

The roster makeover that’s anticipated at the trade deadline could create a stiffer challenge in selecting a Most Valuable Oriole.

Players must be in the organization to remain eligible in voting by media that covers the team, or at least talks about it, with maybe the occasional stops at the ballpark.

(I want transparency in the voting because each season brings at least one ridiculous ballot. But I digress …)

Ryan O’Hearn, the lone All-Star on the team, profiles as the favorite. However, he could be gone by July 31. He’s generating the expected interest and he’s a pending free agent, which makes him a strong candidate.

Ramón Laureano deserves to be on the three-man ballot. He gave the Orioles a 5-3 lead last night with his 12^th homer, a two-run shot in the third inning. He certainly qualifies as one of the season’s biggest surprises, ranking second with a 2.2 bWAR, but will he get moved later this month?

CLEVELAND – The Guardians were knocking on the door all night. 

The home team in red had every opportunity to break the door down in their eventual 10-5 victory over the Orioles. Inning after inning, Cleveland just couldn't deliver with runners in scoring position. That was, at least, until a breakout seventh inning. 

Things did start out well for the visitors, though. 

Jackson Holliday, Jordan Westburg and Gunnar Henderson thought that their 1-2-3 placement in the lineup referred to how many singles they should count to start the game. Holliday made one, Westburg made two, and Henderson made three. 

Henderson made both three and one, actually. Three singles, one run, 1-0 Baltimore.