Reliever Andrew Kittredge is on the verge of finally making his Orioles debut.

The Orioles reinstated Kittredge from the 15-day injured list this morning and optioned Chayce McDermott to Triple-A Norfolk.

Kittredge made only one appearance in spring training before undergoing surgery to repair cartilage in his left knee. He signed for $10 million over the winter.

McDermott allowed three runs and walked five batters in 4 2/3 innings in his third career major league appearance and was optioned after the game.

The bullpen has an extra reliever today as the Orioles try to snap an eight-game losing streak and avoid a third consecutive sweep. They’ve fallen 17 games below .500.

Jackson Holliday is batting leadoff again today, as the Orioles try to avoid another sweep against the Twins.

Holliday hit first in both games of yesterday’s doubleheader and went 1-for-10.

Ryan Mountcastle stays in the second spot in the order. Adley Rutschman is batting cleanup.

Emmanuel Rivera gets the start at third base after collecting two more hits yesterday in Game 2. Heston Kjerstad, who homered is in left field and batting ninth.

Ramón Laureano is on the bench. He’s struggled against secondary pitches this season, posting a .190 average against breaking balls and a .095 average against off-speed, but he’s hitting .265 with a .559 slugging percentage against fastballs.

While other players string together hits or prevent runs from scoring in consecutive games, Orioles infielder Emmanuel Rivera might become known more for his stubborn streak.

Rivera is a waiver claim in August, dumped by the lowly Marlins, and bats .313 with a .948 OPS in 27 games with the Orioles. Eight of his 20 hits went for extra bases, including four home runs.

The Orioles avoid a possible arbitration hearing by signing Rivera to a $1 million contract on Nov. 22 and designate him for assignment on Jan. 31. He clears waivers, accepts an outright assignment on Feb. 10 and injures his left shoulder in camp.

Any chance to make the team, however slim, is ruined. But Rivera can’t be deterred and the Orioles are rewarded again for having him in the organization. His contract is selected on April 28 with Jordan Westburg going on the injured list, and he just keeps on hitting.

Rivera went 2-for-4 with an RBI single in Friday night’s series opener in Anaheim to make him 8-for-19 in six games, and he started again last night, going 1-for-4. The Orioles also like his play at third base. “The Octopus” brings a lot to the table.

ANAHEIM, Calif. – Entering tonight’s game against the Angels, the Orioles had gone 16 consecutive games without scoring a first-inning run. 

That changed on a 1-0 count to Gunnar Henderson. 

Kyle Hendricks, better known for his days with the Cubs, threw a changeup that caught too much of the plate, and Henderson drove it 400 feet to right field. An early lead became a 4-1 victory, and behind a stellar start from Tomoyuki Sugano, the Orioles got back in the win column.

“He’s got the art of pitching down,” manager Brandon Hyde said. “The way he changes speeds and moves the ball around, super unpredictable, keeps hitters off balance. And we played really good defense behind him tonight. When we needed it, Tomo stepped up for us.”

Thanks to Henderson, Sugano entered the bottom of the first frame with a lead, a luxury they haven’t had often in 2025. The MLB newcomer went 1-2-3, and the O’s were off and running. 

Outfielder Tyler O’Neill has returned to the Orioles after two games with Triple-A Norfolk on his injury rehab assignment.

O’Neill was reinstated from the IL this afternoon, but the corresponding move didn’t involve another outfielder. The Orioles optioned corner infielder Coby Mayo to Norfolk after yesterday’s game in Minnesota.

The transactions was made official today after O’Neill went 2-for-6 with the Tides. He hasn’t played for the Orioles since April 23 in D.C. because of neck inflammation and is batting .215/.284/.385 with three doubles, a triple, two home runs and 10 RBIs in 18 games.

Mayo was recalled on May 3 with infielder Ramón Urías going on the IL due to a right hamstring strain. He singled yesterday but went 1-for-12 with six strikeouts during his most recent stretch with the Orioles, and he’s 5-for-53 with five walks and 28 strikeouts in the majors.

Mayo did some early infield drills yesterday at third base, fielding ground balls and working on the accuracy of his throws to first. He will keep getting starts at the corners with Norfolk, where he slashed .255/.353/.539 with seven doubles, two triples, six home runs and 21 RBIs in 28 games.

The Orioles’ best starter warmed in the bullpen, retired the side in order in the first inning on only nine pitches and sat, waited and wondered if he’d get back on the mound.

Long rain delays are the enemy of every manager who detests an unplanned bullpen game.

Tomoyuki Sugano wasn’t done, warming again and returning after a 57-minute stoppage. Large puddles had formed in front of the home dugout area. Sugano looked for a while like he’d make the night’s biggest splash.

Sugano’s scoreless streak reached 14 innings before the Royals pushed across a run in the fourth. Cavan Biggio hit his first home run in the fifth, and the Orioles still couldn’t solve Royals left-hander Kris Bubic in a 4-0 loss before an announced crowd of 19,348 at soggy Camden Yards.

The Orioles were trying to win three in a row for the first time since the three-game series in Minnesota that ended the 2024 regular season. Instead, they were shut out for the fifth time.

The Orioles have moved past a hard April, when they went 9-16 after a 3-2 March. Taking two of three games from the first-place Yankees had to feel good. Some of the heat lifted. However, there’s a long way to go. The temperature can fluctuate.

The homestand continues tonight with a series against the Royals, who beat them twice last month in Kansas City. The Orioles have won back-to-back games once.

“It hasn’t been smooth in any way,” manager Brandon Hyde told the media Wednesday night. “To win a series at home, to get an off-day, hopefully this is how we’re going to play going forward.”

You know what would help?

* Score more runs.

Through the Orioles’ first 30 games of the season, there have been plenty of “moments.”

14 games into the year, it felt as if an Adley Rutschman bat flip after a huge home run and a Cedric Mullins RBI triple could be a turning point. The energy had returned to Camden Yards, and the Birds were seemingly back on track. 

The next day, the O’s allowed three runs in the eighth inning against the Blue Jays and fell in extras. 

One week later, a Ramón Laureano two-home run game helped propel Baltimore to a 9-run outburst, with five runs coming against one of the best young arms in the game, Hunter Greene. 

The next day, the Orioles fell 24-2.

All of the same questions came at the Orioles earlier today as local media detached from the team during the road trip got to take turns. Any player approaching his locker was fair game.

What’s wrong and can it be fixed? What’s the mood in the clubhouse? What’s the level of frustration? Is anyone panicked? Should everyone be panicked?

The Orioles insist that they can get on a roll. Seasons aren’t lost in April. Players aren’t melting down over the defeats. Does no good to lose composure and faith.

As if trying to quiet the noise, the Orioles took the field tonight against the first-place Yankees and didn’t lose a game.

Tomoyuki Sugano tossed five scoreless innings with a career-high eight strikeouts, Ryan O’Hearn hit a three-run homer and the Orioles hung on for a 4-3 win before an announced crowd of 22,775 at Camden Yards. The victory is their second in the last eight tries and third in 10. They didn’t forget how to form the congratulatory handshake line.

Adley Rutschman and Cedric Mullins return to the Orioles’ lineup tonight in the series opener against the Yankees at Camden Yards.

Jordan Westburg remains out with a sore hamstring.

Heston Kjerstad is in right field and Ramón Laureano is in left. Ryan O’Hearn is the designated hitter.

Ramón Urías gets another start at third base, with Jackson Holliday playing second.

Rutschman owns a .416 on-base percentage against the Yankees, third-highest among catchers with a minimum 150 plate appearances, per STATS. Johnny Bassler is first at .433 from 1914-27. Rutschman’s mark is second-highest among active players behind Mike Trout’s .419.

WASHINGTON – The Orioles' offense had plenty of opportunities to cash in for a breakout inning in tonight’s 4-3 loss to the Nationals. Instead, they made smaller deposits. 

For the most part, pitching held up its end of the bargain. Sometimes, you can still win baseball games like that, even when you go 1-for-12 with runners in scoring position. In this case, the offense came up just short. 

“I’m really happy with how we played,” said Brandon Hyde after the game. “We play baseball like that, we’re going to win a lot of games.”

The Orioles' offense started the contest with three straight batted balls hit over 100 mph off the bats of Cedric Mullins, Gunnar Henderson and Adley Rutschman. Only one, a single from Rutschman, resulted in a hit. Despite the loud contact, Baltimore left the top of the first without a run. That would be a theme. 

“We hit a lot of balls hard that we weren’t rewarded for,” Hyde noted. “I thought we took really good at-bats for the most part.”

Left-hander Trevor Rogers made his first injury rehab start today at Double-A Chesapeake and gave up a two-run homer to Altoona’s Kervin Pichardo two batters into the game. Rogers worked three innings and allowed two runs and four hits with one walk and three strikeouts. He threw 44 pitches, 29 for strikes.

Rogers is on the injured list after dislocating his right knee in January.

Braxton Bragg made his Double-A debut and tossed 4 1/3 scoreless innings with three hits, two walks and eight strikeouts.

Silas Ardoin hit his second home run.

Heston Kjerstad stays in left field tonight for the Orioles, who continue their series against the Nationals in D.C., and Jackson Holliday remains at second base.

The music wasn't louder than usual and the strobe lights didn't shine brighter. The Orioles treated tonight’s game like the 18^th out of 162, with the mood leaning much more toward reserved than raucous.

They can go through their victory routine and maintain their perspective, but they’ve certainly earned the right to celebrate.

After all, they finally won back-to-back games and a series. Never sneeze at the small gains. And never forget that Tomoyuki Sugano was given $13 million to come to the U.S. for a reason.

Gunnar Henderson, Ryan O’Hearn and Heston Kjerstad homered, and Sugano became the first Orioles starter to work into the seventh inning in a 6-2 victory over the Guardians before an announced crowd of 16,201 at Camden Yards.

Sugano allowed two runs and five hits with no walks over seven innings, and the Orioles improved to 8-10. He threw 87 pitches, 55 for strikes, and received a nice ovation as he walked off the mound for the last time.

The Orioles will try to win their first series tonight and post their first back-to-back victories with Heston Kjerstad and Jackson Holliday staying in the lineup and Cedric Mullins batting leadoff.

Gunnar Henderson moves down to second in the order.

Tyler O’Neill is out of the lineup due to neck stiffness that forced him to be scratched yesterday. Ryan O’Hearn is playing right field.

Jordan Westburg is playing tonight, serving as designated hitter. He’s hitless in his last 20 at-bats.

Adley Rutschman slides down to third in the order.

An immediate take from yesterday’s 7-6, 10-inning loss to the Blue Jays is how reliever Jeff Hoffman should remember that the Orioles make another trip to Toronto and his team makes another trip to Baltimore. Be careful with that pucker or risk getting punched in the mouth. But there’s more.

Manager Brandon Hyde downplayed the latest short outing from a starter, pointing out how he handled them differently the past few games after an off-day and rainout, and with another break in the schedule today. But the bullpen is passing the baton too much, finally losing its grip yesterday in Toronto’s three-run eighth. The rotation needs to consume more innings, plain and simple.

Zach Eflin is on the injured list after going six innings in each of his three starts and posting a 3.00 ERA. He’s a huge loss for however long that it lasts.

Charlie Morton starts Tuesday night’s series opener against the Guardians at Camden Yards. He’s due like one of those bills from the record company that used to promise free albums if you returned their card by the deadline. Anyone with me here?

Morton has allowed four runs in 3 1/3 innings, five runs in five innings and four runs in five innings for a total of only 13 1/3.

The Orioles brought back their hydration station today, hoping to finally need it.

They weren’t hitting home runs. They weren’t doing much scoring. The first 13 batters were retired this afternoon. The dugout hoses were more decorative than functional.

And then, in a flash, they had a purpose again.

Heston Kjerstad cleared the center field fence in the fifth against Blue Jays starter Bowden Francis after Cedric Mullins walked. Adley Rutschman barreled a sinker with two outs in the sixth, took a couple steps and flipped his bat. The game was tied and Camden Yards was loud.

Mullins gave the Orioles a lead with a two-run double in the inning and the Orioles tied the club record with five double plays turned in a 5-4 victory before an announced crowd of 22,130.

Tomoyuki Sugano will be decked out in the all-orange uniform, last worn by the Orioles on Aug. 13, 2010, for today’s home debut against the Blue Jays.

Sugano faced the Blue Jays in his first major league game and allowed two runs in four innings before exiting with cramping in both hands. He held the Royals to one run in 5 1/3 innings in his next start.

Heston Kjerstad is in left field and Ryan Mountcastle is batting eighth. Ryan O’Hearn is the designated hitter.

Jordan Westburg is batting cleanup again and playing third base. Jackson Holliday is at second.

Mountcastle is 5-for-7 with two doubles and two home runs against Blue Jays right-hander Bowden Francis. Gunnar Henderson is 2-for-5 with a double.

A reset is nice, but the Orioles are ready to start playing again after an off-day and rainout.

The forecast was miserable last night and left the club with no choice except to reschedule. The extended break should end today.

The Orioles keep attracting more questions only 13 games into the season. Here are three random selections:

What’s happening with the rotation?

Only two starters were confirmed for the Blue Jays series and they won’t need a third. Tomoyuki Sugano is pushed back to today, decked out in an all-orange uniform, and Cade Povich is moved to Sunday, a spot that was listed as TBA.

Orioles fans must wait to finally watch Tomoyuki Sugano pitch on his home mound.

Tonight’s game against the Blue Jays has been postponed due to rain and will be made up as part of a split-admission doubleheader on Tuesday, July 29 at 12:35 p.m. The second game will begin as scheduled at 6:35 p.m.

Gates for game one will open at 11:35 a.m. and gates for the nightcap will open at 5:35 p.m. MASN will broadcast both games.

Fans with tickets for tonight will receive their same seat for game one of the doubleheader. Tickets for the originally scheduled July 29 game at 6:35 p.m. are still valid for that night. 

The first 10,000 fans attending the 12:35 p.m. game on July 29 will receive the clear stadium bag giveaway.

KANSAS CITY – The Orioles are 10 games into their 2025 season, losing six of them. They just dropped their first regular season series to the Royals since Aug. 30-Sept. 1, 2019. Their starters have remained on turn, which enabled the rotation to cycle through twice.

Young left-hander Cade Povich allowed a career-high 13 hits yesterday, three more than in his Aug. 29 start at Dodger Stadium. But in that disaster, Povich lasted only 3 1/3 innings and was charged with five runs.

It was his second-worst outing after going one-plus innings in Oakland on July 6 and surrendering eight runs and five hits with three walks and a pair of homers.  

What happened yesterday at Kauffman Stadium demonstrated how much Povich has grown as a pitcher. He made it through six innings to save the bullpen and kept the Orioles within striking distance if their bats had cooperated. Povich allowed four runs, but three in the first inning were preventable if a fly ball in right-center field was caught.

If you believe that everything else would have stayed the same, the next batter flying out gives Povich a 1-2-3 inning instead of a sacrifice fly on his line. Two singles and Michael Massey’s two-run double put the Orioles in a 3-0 hole.