To make a serious push for a Wild Card berth, the Orioles first had to move within five games of .500, a daunting task considering that they sat 18 below at their lowest point. Then, as interim manager Tony Mansolino explained, they could try to level the season record and get within reach of the playoffs.  

This would be different type of progression, unlike the kind laid out for injured pitchers and hitters.

The Orioles didn’t hurt their chances tonight.

Dean Kremer tossed seven scoreless innings and the top of the order unloaded on Marlins starter Edward Cabrera in a 5-2 victory before an announced crowd of 22,213 at Camden Yards. A fourth shutout disappeared when Otto Lopez hit a two-run homer off Andrew Kittredge in the ninth.

Kremer struck out seven and lowered his ERA to 4.24, and the Orioles (43-50) crept within seven games of .500 for the first time since May 4. A sweep this weekend would meet one of Mansolino’s goals.

Orioles starters Zach Eflin and Cade Povich are going on injury rehab assignments Sunday while their teammates play their final game before the All-Star break.

Eflin, on the 15-day injured list with lower back discomfort, will join Triple-A Norfolk in Jacksonville. Interim manager Tony Mansolino said Povich, on the 15-day IL with left hip inflammation, will report to High-A Aberdeen or Double-A Chesapeake.

Catcher Chadwick Tromp, on the 10-day IL with a lower back strain, is doing full baseball activities. He could begin a rehab assignment after the break.

Catcher Maverick Handley, sidelined with a concussion, is cleared for some activities – he ran and played catch today - but probably won’t swing a bat for at least another week.

“I would expect Trompy to be ahead of Handley at this point,” Mansolino said.

A day that began with the Orioles making a seller move concluded with a doubleheader sweep that could get more people buying into the idea that the 2025 season is salvageable.

Jordan Westburg hit a two-run homer off Mets left-hander Brandon Waddell in the second inning, Colton Cowser broke a tie in the fifth with an RBI single and the Orioles didn’t let up in a 7-3 victory over the Mets before an announced Game 2 crowd of 17,961 at Camden Yards.

Tomoyuki Sugano was down 2-0 in the first inning and lost a lead in the fourth, but he earned his first win since June 27 and first quality start since June 3, also the last time he got through the sixth. Fans stood to cheer as he walked back to the dugout after 99 pitches.

A bullpen that lost Bryan Baker to this morning’s trade with the Rays tossed three scoreless innings in a combined effort from Andrew Kittredge, Gregory Soto and Seranthony Domínguez. Domínguez allowed the only two baserunners.

Duel victories improved the Orioles to 42-50, their first time being eight games below .500 since May 6. Their last doubleheader sweep was June 25, 2016 against the Rays. Kevin Gausman and Oliver Drake combined on a shutout in Game 1 and T.J. McFarland recorded the win in Game 2 after relieving Chris Tillman.

Bryan Baker didn’t have time to contact anyone yesterday morning after learning that he was traded to the Rays. He joked about tearing off the Band-Aid after media dispersed from his locker area. He had to embrace teammates first, consent to an interview and receive more hugs as news circulated through the clubhouse. He’d get around to the phone calls later.

Eventually, it became more real. Baker was packing his bags. He was the first to go.

The Orioles managed to shake Bake.

"It's been everything," he said of his time with the Orioles. "They gave me my opportunity to get established in the big leagues and obviously getting close to everybody in this room and developing on the field and off the field. It's been four of the best years of my life for sure."

“He’s been awesome,” said shortstop Gunnar Henderson. “I’ve really enjoyed having him. He’s been a great teammate and an amazing pitcher out there, as well. Hate to see him go but happy for his opportunity. And yeah, wish him nothing but the best.”

The Orioles have reached the point in their season where a quality start from a veteran on a one-year contract raises hopes and also the chances of another trade.

Charlie Morton remains on an upward trajectory after a disastrous beginning with his new club, holding the Mets to one run in six innings this afternoon in the Orioles’ 3-1 victory over the Mets before an announced Game 1 crowd of 25,262 at Camden Yards.

Gunnar Henderson’s first-career pinch-hit homer, a two-run shot off reliever Ryne Stanek in the eighth, made the difference and improved the Orioles to 41-50. A sweep would get them eight games below .500 for the first time since May 6.

"It’s good, especially with what happened the other night," said interim manager Tony Mansolino, referencing Tuesday's blown 6-2 lead in the eighth. "I think I probably had a pretty bad attitude there after the first four or five innings, just kind of watching how our offense was performing there for a little bit. And I think (Cody) Asche did too. We kind of all had bad attitudes, the coaches there for a few innings and probably so did the whole dugout as a whole, jokingly of course.

"But it’s nice to struggle for a little bit in the game, and Gunnar comes off the bench and pinch-hits a homer, and just to feel the energy and eruption in the dugout and change some of our unfortunate bad attitudes there for a few innings."

The upcoming amateur draft is doing more than allowing the Orioles to restock the farm system.

It’s also influencing trades.

The Orioles sent high-leverage reliever Bryan Baker to the Rays this morning for a Competitive Balance Round A pick, the 37^th overall in the draft. They parted ways with a pitcher under team control through the 2028 season, though out of minor league options, in exchange for a selection that won’t make an impact for at least a couple of years.

Doing so comes across as an indication that the Orioles are punting on 2025 while 10 games below .500 today and needing to pass seven teams to reach the last Wild Card. But it’s a little more complicated than surface observations.

“I think it’s a step in that direction,” said executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias. “I mean, there’s no way around that.”

The Orioles have traded reliever Bryan Baker to the Rays this morning for Tampa Bay's No. 37 pick, in the competitive balance round. FanSided's Robert Murray was first with the Baker trade.

Baker said he felt "shock" after receiving the news, perhaps in part because he's under team control through the 2028 season. He was preoccupied with the "logistics," getting to Boston and "doing my job there."

"I'm sure more thoughts will come to me as the day goes on," he said.

Baker leaves with a 3.52 ERA and 1.096 WHIP, emerging as one of the club's top relievers.

Unfortunately for Baker, his last outing with Orioles on Tuesday resulted in a pair of two-run homers in the eighth inning that erased a 6-2 lead against the Mets.

The Orioles haven’t announced their starters for the weekend series against the Marlins that closes out the first half, but interim manager Tony Mansolino confirmed that rookie Brandon Young gets the ball on Sunday, and left-hander Trevor Rogers is certain to face his former team the previous afternoon.

This will be a first for Rogers, taken by Miami with the 13^th-overall pick in the 2017 draft out of Carlsbad High School in New Mexico.

The Marlins dealt him to the Orioles at last year’s deadline for prospects Kyle Stowers and Connor Norby, who make their respective returns to Camden Yards this weekend. Stowers arrives as a first-time All-Star. Rogers was optioned after only four starts, against the Guardians, Blue Jays, Nationals and Mets. His five starts this year, spread out between May 24 and Sunday, came against the Red Sox, Rays, Rangers twice and Braves.

“It’s gonna be a little strange,” Rogers said earlier this week. “That’s the only team I was with for seven years and they gave me a shot, so I’ll always be thankful for them. A lot of memories, a lot of good teammates over there, a lot of good people over there. So I’m excited to see those people.”

Rogers was an All-Star and Rookie of the Year runner-up to the Reds’ Jonathan India in 2021, the height of a career that dropped him on his head – and down to Triple-A Norfolk after the trade.

The Orioles and Mets won’t play tonight due to inclement weather. The result is a split-admission doubleheader Thursday with Game 1 scheduled for 12:05 p.m. and Game 2 at 5:05 p.m.

This is the sixth postponement for the Orioles, who are 10 games below .500 and 7 ½ back for the last Wild Card.

Charlie Morton will start the first game and Tomoyuki Sugano will start the second. Both teams can call up a 27^th man.

Gates for Game 1 will open at 11 a.m., and gates for Game 2 will open at 4 p.m. Tickets for tonight will be valid for Game 2. Original ticket buyers for tonight who can’t attend on Thursday should visit Orioles.com/Weather for options.

The first 10,000 fans attending the first game will receive the Yacht Rock Cap.

The Orioles remain 7 ½ games behind in pursuit of the last Wild Card spot after last night’s 7-6, 10-inning loss to the Mets. Thirteen games separate them from the first-place Blue Jays.

There’s still a chance, but it’s barely a flicker.

Tomoyuki Sugano is trying to get back to the form that produced a 3.04 ERA through 12 starts. He’s registered an 8.87 ERA and 2.149 WHIP in his last five outings to leave his overall numbers at 4.44 and 1.307 in 93 1/3 innings.

Sugano has allowed seven home runs in his last four starts over 18 innings.

Jackson Holliday is the designated hitter tonight. Holliday has recorded an RBI in three straight games (five RBIs total) after collecting one in the previous nine games.

Last night’s game at Camden Yards moved the Orioles a little closer to the trade deadline and identifying as buyers or sellers. The players drawing interest from other clubs mostly are pending free agents and easy to figure out. They know how it works, their names appearing in various articles and outlets. Tune it out or let it become a distraction.

Tony Mansolino is experiencing another first as interim manager – handling a clubhouse that could undergo many changes before Aug. 1.

He executed a positive spin on the subject during yesterday’s media scrum, before a four-run lead disappeared in the eighth in a 7-6, 10-inning loss to the Mets.

“In a lot of ways, I think all those stories are kind of making my job easier because it’s motivating these guys,” he said. “A lot of these guys don’t want to go anywhere. They like it here, so as every story kind of comes across the desk a little bit or something gets tweeted or however it’s put out there - I don’t really pay attention to a whole lot of it myself – I know it kind of creates a lot of motivation for these guys.

“There’s a lot of chatter in there about trying to stay here, trying to get this thing going, so it’s kind of making my job a little bit easier in some ways.”

Bryan Baker turned to watch the flight of another baseball heading for the center field fence. He stood with his hand on his hip, certain of the outcome. Pete Alonso knew it, too, carrying his bat most of the way to first base before flipping it in celebration.

A pair of two-run homers off Baker in the eighth inning made a 6-2 lead disappear, and the Orioles would be tested to get back up again, knowing how every loss rips into their hopes for a playoff push and increases the likelihood that the front office sells at the trade deadline.

They couldn't get back on their feet. 

The Mets scored a run against Yennier Cano in the top of the 10th inning and defeated the Orioles 7-6 before an announced Hawaiian shirt crowd of 35,200 at Camden Yards.

Juan Soto had an RBI single off Cano. The Mets loaded the bases with one out and couldn't pad their lead, but it didn't matter. Huascar Brazobán kept the automatic runner, Jackson Holliday, at second base.

Cade Povich has received a second opinion on his left hip and he threw in the bullpen a few days ago. He’s scheduled for two ups in another session this afternoon.

The resumption of an injury rehab assignment is getting close. The Orioles happily will take positive news.

Povich was pulled from his first assignment at Triple-A Norfolk in late June due to recurring soreness in his hip. He hasn’t pitched for the Orioles since tossing 3 2/3 scoreless relief innings on June 15.

“Everything’s feeling good,” he said today. “I think we kind of had the idea that when I went to Norfolk everything was pretty good. In the first inning, just tried to make a play. It was kind of a freak thing. My foot kind of caught and twisted in a way that I think put a little pressure on the hip. So it could have been the same thing, it could be something a little different, but we’re just trying to work back and everything’s feeling good right now.”

Povich saw a hip specialist in Nashville to get his second opinion.

Orioles interim manager Tony Mansolino said initial projections have catcher Gary Sánchez missing eight to 10 weeks with a right knee sprain.

Sánchez, who’s on the 10-day injured list retroactive to Sunday, met with doctors earlier today.

“There’s always a scenario where it could go really good for Gary and it can be a little earlier,” Mansolino said, “but I think initial estimates are probably that.”

Sánchez missed more than six weeks with right wrist inflammation. He was 18-for-61 (.295) with five home runs since returning to the active roster.

“It is gonna be tough,” Mansolino said. “He’s been swinging the bat so good. He’s carried us. He hit a lot of big homers, carried us in a lot of ways."

The All-Star Game is a week from today, which is the unofficial halfway point of the season.

The Orioles are playing their 90^th game tonight, against the Mets at Camden Yards, to begin their last homestand before the break. They can move eight below .500 for the first time since May 6.

Four days off before another trip to Tampa present an opportunity to process everything that’s happened and wonder exactly how they got to this point. How so many surprises attached to one team like barnacles. 

* Rather than challenge for a division title, the Orioles are stuck in last place.

* Their two best starters are Trevor Rogers and Charlie Morton.

Age doesn’t matter to Keagan Gillies. It’s just a number and part of his baseball journey.

What’s important is where he’s headed – from Double-A to Triple-A and to next Saturday’s All-Star Futures Game in Atlanta.

Gillies learned about his selection shortly before the Orioles bumped him another level in their farm system. Chesapeake Baysox manager Roberto Mercado delivered the news after Gillies came out of the game, ample reward for a reliever with a 1.15 ERA, 0.574 WHIP and eight saves in 26 appearances.

“I’m very pumped up. It’s gonna be a fun time,” said Gillies, the first Tulane University alumnus chosen since the Tigers’ Jake Rogers in 2019.

“It was surprising. I know I had worked hard for this, I know that I had a good season up to this point, but to be recognized in this way, it’s an honor and I’m grateful for it.

Ryan O’Hearn will have to make new friends at the All-Star Game.

The reserves and pitchers were announced today and none of the other Orioles are joining O’Hearn at Truist Park in Atlanta.

Second baseman Jackson Holliday, who went 4-for-4 with a two-run homer today in a 2-1 win over the Braves, advanced to Phase 2 of voting but didn’t have his name called.

Holliday is batting .260 with 13 doubles, two triples, 11 home runs, 36 RBIs and a .724 OPS in 82 games and has emerged as the everyday leadoff hitter. He’s only the fourth Oriole with multiple four-hit games before turning 22, joining Manny Machado and Hall of Famers Brooks Robinson and Eddie Murray.

Closer Félix Bautista, outfielder Ramón Laureano and shortstop Gunnar Henderson also appeared to have a chance at an All-Star selection.

ATLANTA – The last time the Orioles swept an opponent, Trevor Rogers was still pitching for Triple-A Norfolk. 

At the time, Rogers had just one big league start in 2025. It came against the Red Sox in late May, with 6 ⅓ innings of shutout baseball. 

Who knew if the lefty could make that dominant start a habit? 

He’s done just that, and today, he led the Orioles to a sweep of the Atlanta Braves. Today, the O’s came out on top 2-1.  

Rogers was dominant throughout the contest, with the Braves’ first runner in scoring position coming in the bottom of the fifth inning. He struck out six and induced weak contact, of both the ground ball and fly out varieties. 

ATLANTA – The Orioles’ catching situation didn’t seem like it could go from bad to worse. 

Famous last words. 

On June 21, Adley Rutschman hit the injured list with a left oblique strain, with an expected return after the All-Star break. Just two days later, Maverick Handley collided with Jazz Chisholm and went on the concussion injured list. He has yet to resume baseball activities. Same with Chadwick Tromp, who hit the IL on July 1 with lower back tightness. 

Now, it’s Gary Sánchez who heads to the IL, with a moderate right PCL strain. There’s no timeline for his return just yet. 

Sánchez had previously missed a significant amount of time with a wrist injury before returning on June 14. Since then, though, his offensive production has been a huge boost in the absence of Rutschman. 

The Orioles go for their fourth sweep this morning in an 11:35 a.m. Roku game against the Braves.

Their record against the National League improved to 7-13, and they’re 1-6 in interleague series.

A win today would bring them to nine games below .500 for the first time since June 20 in New York.

Catcher Gary Sánchez left yesterday’s game with right knee discomfort and is out of today’s lineup. He underwent an MRI and the Orioles summoned David Bañuelos from Triple-A Norfolk for their medical taxi squad.

Running thin again at the position, the Orioles acquired catcher Alex Jackson from the Yankees today in exchange for international bonus pool space and a player to be named later or cash considerations.