ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Orioles reliever Félix Bautista might not be available to pitch until after the All-Star break after injuring his right hand yesterday in a freakish accident prior to batting practice.

Bautista said he was using a rubber exercise band to loosen his muscles, part of his usual pregame routine, and a hook detached from the fence and struck his hand.

“The band pretty much snapped,” Bautista said via interpreter Brandon Quinones.

Bautista didn’t know whether he’d be ready for today’s game that closes out the unofficial first half of the season.

“I’m going to go through some drills and some testing today and try to see how that feels,” he said. “But in the meantime, I’m going to do everything I can to get ready for after the All-Star break and be ready to go.”

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – So here we are, the final game before the All-Star break. The Orioles already have 46 wins, the same amount they reached last season in their 140^th game on Sept. 10. One fewer than their entire 2018 total.

They can do no worse than .500 in the unofficial first half.

Adley Rutschman is catching today. His pinch-hit home run yesterday was the sixth for the Orioles in the last 27 years that tied a game in the eighth inning or later.

It was the third on the road, joining Luis Sardinas on April 18, 2018 in Detroit and Rafael Palmeiro on Sept. 22, 2004 in Boston.

Trey Mancini was the last Orioles rookie to hit a pinch-hit home run, on June 7, 2017 in Pittsburgh.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – The Orioles are playing their final game of the first half this afternoon, entering the All-Star break two games above or at .500, depending on the result. A chance to win another series. A chance to remind everyone that these aren’t the same Orioles, though that much already should be clear.

Players will bolt from the clubhouse to catch their own flights. The charter back to Baltimore is going to echo.

At least four Orioles can drive from St. Petersburg to their Florida homes, including outfielder Austin Hays and reliever Joey Krehbiel. The team is expected to open the ballpark Thursday for workouts. Knock off any rust.

The relaxation period this week will be delayed for the front office and scouts. The MLB Draft begins tonight with the first and second rounds, and the Competitive Balance A and B rounds.

The Orioles hold the first overall pick, along with the 33^rd, 42^nd and 67^th.  It’s going to be a late night.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Dean Kremer headed to the visiting bullpen at Tropicana Field today, the exact spot where he suffered a strained oblique while warming in the season’s third game. He was supposed to pitch in relief and work in a piggyback role early in the year, but the injury destroyed plans formulated back in camp.

“That was a tough day,” said manager Brandon Hyde. “We changed course there with that injury.”

Kremer was healed, stretched out and put into the rotation. His first career appearance in St. Petersburg finally arrived this afternoon. Beginning with his warmup tosses in the ‘pen, his role adjusted since back in April.

Second baseman Rougned Odor brought the lineup card to home plate, the task removed from bullpen catcher Ben Carhart after a 10-game losing streak ended last night. The Orioles vowed to begin a new one. If they could just get some cooperation from an opponent that always torments them beneath the dome.

It finally happened today in the late innings. Just as the Orioles appeared to be tumbling below .500 again. Look for Odor at home plate before Sunday’s game, card in hand again. Look for Adley Rutschman in the lineup after a partial rest day that turned into much more.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – The Orioles clubhouse was livelier this afternoon, the televisions tuned to baseball and golf, and players joking and interacting with each other.

Last night’s 5-4 loss, which ended a 10-game winning streak, created silence and left the Orioles visibly frustrated.

“We’ve been playing so well,” said manager Brandon Hyde. “Just disappointing that we lose a close game like that. We feel like it’s a game we should have won.”

Stranding eight runners in the first six innings hinted at disaster.

“We had our opportunities early in the game to add on a lead.” Hyde said. “When you let teams like this hang on - we’ve seen it in the past with these guys - it’s very, very difficult.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – The Orioles will attempt to start a new winning streak this afternoon with Dean Kremer making his last start before the All-Star break.

Kremer has a 2.15 ERA and 1.248 WHIP in seven appearances since returning from the oblique injury he sustained in the visiting bullpen at Tropicana Field in the season’s third game. He’s surrendered only two home runs in 37 2/3 innings.

Kremer hasn’t allowed a run in four of his last five starts. He shut out the Rays over six innings on June 17 in Baltimore.

Today is Kremer’s first appearance in a game in St. Petersburg.

Ramón Urías is starting at second base today. He hit two home runs last night, giving him three in his last three games, and is batting .387/.441/.677 (12-for-31) with 11 RBIs since being reinstated from the injured list.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Orioles closer Jorge López surprised his son, Mikael, with a birthday party during a trip to Boston two months ago, with teammates filing out of the visiting clubhouse, reliever Joey Krehbiel holding a cake, and singing to the 9-year-old between games of a doubleheader. López registered a four-out save in the nightcap. An incredibly sweet moment even without the confections.

López has another surprise in store for Mikael. How his papá was chosen to the American League’s All-Star team.

Mikael was told about it, but he doesn’t really know.

“I’m just so grateful. Being selected for the first time, I can’t even describe it,” López said yesterday inside the visiting clubhouse at Tropicana Field.

“Mikael doesn’t understand yet until he gets there and sees everything. He’s never seen it before. I used to watch it at home or at the hospital when he used to be there. But from what I can remember, he couldn’t see it and understand what the All-Star Game means.”

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Orioles manager Brandon Hyde sent bullpen catcher Ben Carhart to home plate tonight for the exchange of lineup cards. As Carhart’s done during every game of the winning streak except one, on July 9, when Tyler Nevin was the sentimental choice with his father, Phil, managing the Angels.

Carhart still gets credited with the win.

Hyde keeps wearing his uniform jersey rather than the hoodie that he favors. He wasn’t changing his wardrobe until the Orioles lost.

Worse choices have been made inside a superstitious clubhouse and dugout. Hyde simply had to match his shirt and pants.

Clothes make the manager.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Jordan Lyles is starting Sunday afternoon’s game against the Rays that leads the Orioles into the All-Star break.

Manager Brandon Hyde had confirmed Tyler Wells for tonight and Dean Kremer on Saturday. He wanted to check on Lyles first before making a decision about Sunday.

Lyles will be working on normal rest after starting Tuesday in Chicago and allowing two runs in seven innings. He threw 101 pitches, putting him at or over the century mark in his last four outings.

“Obviously, he threw great, felt good after,” Hyde said. “So, more than likely, he’ll start on Sunday.”

Austin Voth is available in a rested bullpen.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – The Orioles begin the final series before the All-Star break with Tyler Wells working on extra rest for his 18^th start.

His first in the majors came against the Rays at Tropicana Field, where he returns tonight. Wells was on a strict pitch count and came out of the game after 54, allowing four runs and three hits in 1 2/3 innings. Brandon Lowe hit a home run.

Wells faced the Rays again on May 20 at Camden Yards and allowed three runs and two hits in 4 2/3 innings. Mike Zunino hit a three-run homer.

Anthony Santander is in left field and Austin Hays is in right. Adley Rutschman is catching and batting sixth.

Ramón Urías is the third baseman.

Can the Orioles make it 11 in a row while returning to division play?

Probably not a smart idea to start doubting them.

A three-game series against the Rays at Tropicana Field, where the Orioles were swept to begin the season, leads into the All-Star break, followed by four at home against the Yankees and three versus the Rays. Ten games that could provide a clearer read on the Orioles’ actual chances of staying in the wild card race.

The Orioles haven’t played an American League East team since hosting the Rays on June 19. They won that day and proceeded to go 15-6 against non-division opponents. They haven’t lost since Jorge López’s back-to-back blown saves in Minnesota.

I don’t think this is how he planned it.

CHICAGO – Outfielder Austin Hays received his surprise promotion to the majors on Sept. 5, 2017 and was in the Orioles’ lineup two nights later. He remembers the pennant race, how they were above .500 and trying to make the playoffs in back-to-back years.

There was excitement in the clubhouse, with a 71-68 record keeping them in contention. And then they lost six in a row, nine of 10 and 12 of 14.

The crash into last place was loud and violent. The final record of 75-87 causing players to book flights home rather than riding the charter to their next games.

A teardown was looming. Even uglier than the collapse that proceeded it.

Hays hasn’t known winning with the Orioles. Hasn’t been able to recognize it. They lost a team-record 115 games in 2018, leading to massive changes in the front office and manager’s office, and on the coaching staff and roster.

CHICAGO – The Orioles didn’t just move above .500 tonight. They burst through the ceiling. Plaster flying as if doing a home renovation on the road.

Seven batters came to the plate in the first inning and three scored. A ball slammed off the leg of Cubs pitcher Justin Steele. An 11-pitch at-bat concluded with a single. A double into the gap scored two runs. A single led to an error in left field that increased the lead.

Ryan Mountcastle slid across home plate as if on ice.

Doing it for one of the hottest teams in baseball.

Spenser Watkins allowed only one run in five-plus innings, the bullpen was flawless, Austin Hays collected four hits, and the Orioles recorded their third consecutive series sweep with a 7-1 victory over the Cubs before an announced crowd of 29,529 at Wrigley Field.

CHICAGO – Austin Hays is going to keep playing. He won’t ask out of the lineup and won’t make excuses.

His right wrist has been sore since he made a diving catch along the right field line at Guaranteed Rate Field and was hit by a pitch on July 4. Pain on top of pain.

Hays wasn’t in Sunday’s lineup – manager Brandon Hyde’s choice – but he’s playing right field again tonight at Wrigley Field as the Orioles conclude a two-game series.

“It feels good enough to go out there and play,” he said this afternoon. “It’s painful to do some of my drill work. I’ve had to switch up some of my routines in the cage, like my top-hand drill that I normally do, but I’m still able to swing with two hands, and it feels a lot better when I do a one-hand finish. Earlier in the year, I was doing a two-hand finish.

“I’ve had to change up a couple things, but I still feel like I’m able to go out there and compete, swing.”

CHICAGO – The Orioles are trying tonight to rise above the .500 mark for the first time since April 8, 2021.

They remain in last place in the American League East, but everyone is noticing them.

The teams above them can’t help it. The Orioles are two games behind the Blue Jays for fourth place, three behind the third-place Red Sox and 3 ½ behind the second-place Rays.

The Orioles are Rays meet in a three-game series that begins Friday night at Tropicana Field.

The Jays fired manager Charlie Montoyo earlier today.

CHICAGO – Since the 2022 Orioles are full of surprises, reaching .500 last night with just four games remaining before the break, they can’t be contained in a single article about unexpected developments. What they’ve done that pretty much blindsided me.

Yesterday, I addressed the obvious shocker of the team being only two games out of the wild card race in the American League. How I wasn’t sold on Félix Bautista’s inclusion on the opening day roster, how Jordan Lyles’ contract seemed a bit puzzling and how I assumed that Keegan Akin would be riding the Triple-A shuttle.

What else did I get wrong?

* Jorge López is an All-Star.

I thought López should stay in the bullpen, and said as much here and on the air. I thought his stuff would play at the back end, but he’d also bring value as a multi-inning reliever if manager Brandon Hyde needed him for coverage.

CHICAGO – The Orioles left Baltimore and didn’t come back down to earth.

Ivy climbs the walls here. Hot teams occasionally wilt. The Orioles lived it in the past. But they’re a stubborn bunch.

Ramón Urías hit a go-ahead, two-run homer tonight in the top of the fourth inning, Jorge Mateo also put a ball into the left field seats, Jordan Lyles recovered from another slow start, and the Orioles increased their winning streak to nine games and reached .500 with a 4-2 victory over the Cubs before an announced crowd of 31,079 at Wrigley Field.

The Orioles haven’t won nine in a row since stringing together 13 in September 1999. They haven’t posted as many victories as defeats since April 10, 2021.

They haven’t been .500 this late in a season since Sept. 9, 2017, when they were 71-71 during a six-game losing streak. They dropped nine of 10 to fall out of playoff contention.

CHICAGO – Orioles manager Brandon Hyde had two free nights in the city that he used to call home, including yesterday’s open date in the schedule that allowed him to visit with friends. Hyde left the Cubs organization after the 2018 season, packing his World Series ring from 2016 and jumping into another rebuild.

Hyde didn’t bring the bling Wrigley Field today. He won’t flash it at his players to provide more incentive and remind them what can be done on the other side of that rebuild.

“That is in a special place,” he said.

“I do think about that. I saw the (championship) flag when I walked in. I do think about that year, and really those three years – ’15, ’16 and ’17 were unbelievable. Even ’18 we were really good. Just, things happened at the end. We had an amazing run, and talked about it a little bit with Jed (Hoyer).

“That was a lot of fun. I’m really happy to be back.”  

CHICAGO – The Orioles designated left-hander Kirk McCarty for assignment today to make room for pitcher Louis Head on the 40-man roster.

Head was claimed off waivers this morning from the Marlins. The Orioles optioned him to Triple-A Norfolk.

Head has been on the injured list with a right shoulder impingement. He made a rehab appearance in the rookie-level Florida Complex League.

McCarty made one start with Norfolk and allowed three runs in four innings after the Orioles selected him off waivers from the Guardians on July 6.

Austin Hays returns to the lineup and is playing right field tonight after sitting out Sunday’s game with a sore right wrist. Anthony Santander is in left.

CHICAGO – The Orioles have claimed reliever Louis Head off waivers from the Marlins, which is going to require a corresponding move on a full 40-man roster.

Head was on an injury rehab assignment in the Florida Complex League and the Marlins appeared ready to send him to Triple-A Jacksonville. He’s been sidelined since late June with a right shoulder impingement.

Head, 32, was traded from the Rays to the Marlins in November for a player to be named later who became reliever Josh Roberson. The Indians drafted him in the 18^th round in 2012 out of Texas State University.

The major league debut didn’t arrive until last summer. Head appeared in 27 games with the Rays, including two starts, and posted a 2.31 ERA and 0.857 WHIP in 35 innings. He allowed only two home runs.

Head has appeared in 23 games with Miami and allowed 19 runs and 26 hits in 23 2/3 innings. He’s walked 11 batters and stuck out 23.