The mailbag is on a train to New York, demanding a seat on the Acela and refusing to ride the subway later to the Bronx. I’m with you, mailbag. I’d rather hop aboard a mange-diseased coyote.

I had some leftovers from the last mailbag dump, so let’s get to those questions first before the Orioles begin a three-game series against the first-place Yankees, who lost six in a row and didn’t score in three straight prior to defeating the Angels yesterday, 7-3.

These teams met at Camden Yards in late April and the Orioles won two of three games to leave their record at 12-18. Remember when that was reason to panic?

I kept saying, “It’s only April.” And I wasn’t wrong. But it only got worse.

Anyway, you asked, I answered, and you finally got confirmation that I didn’t skip you. The only editing happened when I called it a “mailbug.”

TAMPA – It was an ominous night of baseball at George M. Steinbrenner Field.

Under normal circumstances, the 4-1 Orioles win would’ve been the leading story. After last night’s loss, they turned things around to deliver an all-around win and secure a series split. 

Instead, minds were and continue to be elsewhere. 

In the seventh inning, a foul ball off the bat of Adley Rutschman took an unfortunate line to the Rays’ dugout. The hard-hit struck reliever Hunter Bigge, who, along with being hit on the side of the face, took a scary fall into the dugout. The game was stopped for a long stretch as medical personnel attended to Bigge. After some time, he was placed on a stretcher and gave a thumbs-up to the concerned crowd. He exited the field on a cart with medical staff attending to him. 

Throughout the night, some positive updates about Bigge have rolled in. According to Rays reporters, manager Kevin Cash said that Bigge was coherent and talking to the physician at a local hospital. The hope is that these are just the first of many positive updates. 

TAMPA – “That’s a really, really frustrating loss.”

That was the takeaway from Andrew Kittredge after last night’s game, one in which the Orioles led by eight in the second inning only to lose by four at the end of it.

“Not much to say on that one,” Cedric Mullins added. “That's a tough loss. Definitely one you want to flush as soon as possible. Get back at it tomorrow.”

That’s the mentality that the Orioles are bringing to the ballpark today, looking to rebound after last night’s deflating loss. But there’s no rallying cry from interim manager Tony Mansolino. The players know what they need to do. 

“I think if every day I’ve got to rally the troops and have a team meeting and give a message, I don’t know if it’s the right guys,” Mansolino said of his clubhouse today. “We definitely don’t need that with these guys. They know. I was just in the hitters’ meeting just now. It’s energetic, they’re laughing, they’re talking, they’re trying to figure out how to beat Rasmussen right now.” 

The Orioles try for the series split with the Rays tonight after squandering an eight-run lead last night in a 12-8 loss.

Ryan O’Hearn is the first baseman and Jordan Westburg is the designated hitter, which puts Coby Mayo on the bench again.

Colton Cowser is in left field, Cedric Mullins in center and Ramón Laureano inn right. Jackson Holliday stays atop the order.

Laureano hit line drives 13.5 percent of the time in his first 24 games, according to STATS. Over his last 23 games, his line drive percentage has increased to 32.8.

Charlie Morton has a 6.05 ERA and 1.656 WHIP in 16 games (10 starts). He tossed five scoreless innings with 10 strikeouts in his last start against the Angels after allowing four runs and six hits with four walks in 2 1/3 in Sacramento. He began the month with one unearned run allowed in 6 2/3 against the White Sox.

The Nationals' clubhouse was playing music this morning as it normally does before a game. Traditionally, it’s the pick of that day’s starting pitcher. For Trevor Williams, it was a country/pop-rock combination.

Despite an 11-game losing streak – one shy of the Nationals' club record (2005-present) – the vibes this morning felt no different than it normally does. There wasn’t extra tension. No one seemed to be walking on pins and needles. It was the same laid-back, yet focused, atmosphere this young team typically has.

The question was: Would there be music playing in the clubhouse after the game, signifying a celebration following a victory? It would be the first such occurrence for this team in almost two weeks.

The answer: Yes, thanks to a 4-3 walk-off win in 11 innings against the Rockies to snap the losing streak and get the Nats back in the win column.

“We kept saying the whole game, I said, 'Somehow, someway we'll win this game. We just gotta have the right moment,'” manager Davey Martinez said after the win. “And what a moment for the kid to come up there and lift us like that and really get us out of this funk.”

What more can be said at this point? After now having lost the season series to the lowly Rockies, the Nationals must win this afternoon to avoid a four-game sweep in their home ballpark at the hands of the major leagues’ worst team. A victory would also keep them from a winless homestand and finally end this 11-game losing streak before it ties a club record.

Trevor Williams will look to continue the solid effort the starting rotation has put forth. He is 3-8 with a 5.71 ERA and 1.428 WHIP through 14 starts. But the right-hander has been charged with two earned runs or less in three of his last four outings, posting a more respectable 4.05 ERA over that stretch.

The Nats' offense will, yet again, try to break out of this prolonged funk against an opposing starter with a high ERA. Chase Dollander is 2-7 with a 6.57 ERA and 1.539 WHIP over his first 11 major league starts. The rookie right-hander, who was the No. 9 overall pick out of the University of Tennessee in 2023, has seen some better results as of late, being charged with three earned runs or less in four of his last five starts. But he hasn’t pitched deep into games, completing just 22 ⅔ innings and getting past the fifth only twice over that stretch.

The Nationals got to Dollander to the tune of nine runs (six earned) on nine hits and four home runs back in April at Coors Field. Maybe this rookie is just who they need to see again to turn things around.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS vs. COLORADO ROCKIES
Where: Nationals Park
Gametime: 1:05 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN, MLB.tv
Radio: 106.7 The Fan, DC 87.7 (Spanish), MLB.com
Weather: Mostly sunny, 89 degrees, wind 13 mph out to center field

The Orioles’ attempts to climb out of the deep hole they dug earlier this season are aided by a relief unit that’s acted as a rope ladder.

Don't let last night's fraying in Tampa change your opinions and perceptions. 

The bullpen went into the matchup with a 1.76 ERA in the last 23 games since May 24, the second-lowest mark after the Cubs’ 0.68. Four of the 17 earned runs came from Dean Kremer after he was used behind opener Scott Blewett. They struck out 33.3 percent of batters in that span, the best reliever rate in baseball.

The improvement had lowered the bullpen’s season ERA to 4.42. It was 5.62 through May 23, fourth-highest in the majors.

Trevor Rogers made his second Orioles start of 2025 last night and was gone after 2 1/3 innings, forcing Blewett into the game and messing with the numbers, ideal order and momentum. Blewett was charged with one run in 1 2/3 and Yennier Cano, summoned by the fifth, coughed up four to tie the game. Andrew Kittredge surrendered four in the seventh to give the Rays a 12-8 lead. 

The Nationals’ 11th straight loss looked quite a bit like their previous 10. They did very little at the plate against the opposing starter. They got a solid outing from their own starter, who made one costly mistake. And they left themselves needing a last-ditch rally, which once again didn't come.

This 3-1 loss to the Rockies could’ve happened last weekend against the Marlins, or last week against the Mets, or the previous weekend against the Rangers. They’re all starting to run together at this point, the commonalities all too evident.

The only truly unique aspects about tonight’s loss? It included a 1-hour, 45-minute rain delay. And it included some legitimate bad luck for the Nats, who hit 11 balls with an exit velocity of at least 98 mph but saw only four of them land for hits because a terrible Colorado defensive unit played what had to be its best game of the year.

"We hit the ball hard. We just had nothing to show for it for a while," manager Davey Martinez said. "They were diving all over the field."

Bad luck or not, results are results. And this was the 11th consecutive bad result for the Nationals, who have fallen from a respectable 30-33 less than two weeks ago to a miserable 30-44 now. They’ll give it another shot Thursday afternoon in the series finale, hoping not to match the club’s all-time worst losing streak of 12 set in August 2008.

TAMPA – Eight runs on seven hits. 

That was the line for the Baltimore Orioles tonight in the second inning alone. 

Twelve runs on 18 hits. 

That was the line for the Tampa Bay Rays tonight in innings three through seven.  

It culminated in a 12-8 Orioles loss, a tale of two games that the Orioles found themselves on the wrong end of. A contest that had the makings of a blowout still resulted in a victory with a comfortable margin, but not for the team that had an 8-0 advantage after two. 

TAMPA – Nobody wants their window of opportunity in the big leagues to open due to injury. Unfortunately, that’s the nature of the game and the reality for some, especially for those grinding away at Triple-A.  

Ryan Mountcastle’s extended absence affords Coby Mayo the opportunity to get a look without fear of demotion. Mayo has been working hard at first base and improving at the plate, making the most of his chance. 

Now, that window is open for Trevor Rogers. His previous start came as the 27th man in a doubleheader. But with Cade Povich now serving stint on the injured list, Rogers figures to get at least a few turns in the rotation. 

“It’s an opportunity, and I’m very excited for that,” Rogers told reporters yesterday. “We’ll see what comes of it.” 

His first chance back in the bigs since May comes against a talented Rays lineup tonight. But that start against Boston a few weeks ago was a stellar one, in which the lefty tossed 6 ⅓ shoutout innings, allowing just two hits and no walks with five strikeouts. 

Mike Rizzo voiced his support for Davey Martinez today, saying the manager’s track record of success on the field and handling of the clubhouse has earned him the right to continue leading a Nationals team mired in its worst losing streak in 17 years.

Making his weekly radio appearance on 106.7 The Fan’s “The Sports Junkies,” Rizzo was asked if the Nats’ situation differed from three other major league clubs that fired their managers earlier this season: the Pirates, Rockies and Orioles.

“Here’s what I’ll say about that: Pittsburgh hasn’t won a World Series since ‘We are Family.’ Colorado has never won a World Series. And Baltimore, Davey Johnson (actually, Joe Altobelli) was the last guy who won the World Series with Baltimore. This guy has proven through trials and tribulations that he can handle a roster. He can handle a veteran-laden team. And he’s developing at the big league level. My track record is: I have fired managers in midseason. I fired managers after the season. I’ve fired coaches midseason. I’ve fired coaches after the season. We’re all being evaluated. We’ve all got to look ourselves in the mirror.

“But we are at a point right now where we’re moving forward with our development of these young kids. I think Davey still has the pulse of the clubhouse. He’s a great clubhouse presence, and he’s a calming presence. And I think that once we get through this thing and win a couple of games – which we will – that we can right the ship and continue progressing towards winning the championship, whenever that is. And I think that’s where my feelings are right now.”

Martinez, who led the Nationals from a 19-31 start to a World Series title in 2019 but has not enjoyed a winning season since, with the franchise embarking on a roster teardown and rebuilding effort in July 2021, has come under increased scrutiny over the last several days as his team extended its losing streak to its largest number since the 2008 club lost 12 in a row. He also faced criticism for his response to a question following Saturday’s loss to the Marlins about whether players or coaches were to blame for the team’s struggling offense.

Coby Mayo is getting his first start at George M. Steinbrenner Field tonight and Adley Rutschman is on the bench for the third game of the series against the Rays.

Jordan Westburg is playing third base and batting second. Ramón Laureano is the cleanup hitter.

Ryan O’Hearn is the designated hitter and Colton Cowser is in left field. Cedric Mullins is batting ninth.

Cowser has hit three home runs in 11 games since returning from the 60-day injured list.

The Orioles have won 12 of their last 17 games since May 30, and the .706 winning percentage is tied with the Astros for best in the majors.

The sun came up today. Well, not really because we continue to experience disgusting weather here in the D.C. region, with clouds, rain and humidity that makes it feel like South Florida instead of the Mid-Atlantic. But regardless, the Nationals are playing another game tonight, another opportunity to try to end their losing streak, which has now reached 10 games.

As always, it boils down to getting the game off to a positive start. They need to score some runs off Germán Márquez, who like Antonio Senzatela last night enters with a bloated ERA but unlike Senzatela did not face the Nats earlier this season. So we’ll see how they fare against the Rockies right-hander.

And it boils down to Mitchell Parker getting through a clean top of the first and then giving his team a chance. Parker did not do that last time out against the Marlins, giving up a run in the first, another in the second and then four in third. He simply can’t dig his teammates into a hole tonight, not the way things are going around here.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS vs. COLORADO ROCKIES
Where: Nationals Park
Gametime: 6:45 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN, MLB.tv
Radio: 106.7 FM, 87.7 FM (Spanish), MLB.com
Weather: Thunderstorms, 83 degrees, wind 8 mph out to center field

ROCKIES
DH Tyler Freeman
2B Kyle Farmer
LF Jordan Beck
1B Michael Toglia
CF Brenton Doyle
3B Orlando Arcia
RF Sam Hilliard
SS Ryan Ritter
C Braxton Fulford

The Orioles have made the following roster moves:

• Recalled LHP Trevor Rogers from Triple-A Norfolk. He will start tonight’s game.
• Optioned LHP Grant Wolfram to Triple-A Norfolk.

The Orioles recalled left-hander Trevor Rogers from the taxi squad to make tonight’s start against the Rays in Tampa, and reliever Grant Wolfram was optioned after spending one day with the team.

Rogers started Game 2 of a May 24 doubleheader in Boston and allowed two hits over 6 1/3 scoreless innings. He issued no walks and struck out five.

In four starts last season, Rogers threw first-pitch strikes at a 70.7 percent rate. The percentage was 81.8 against the Red Sox.

Rogers has made two career starts against the Rays and allowed four runs with 15 strikeouts in 12 innings. Yandy Díaz gets small-sample-size recognition for going 2-for-2 with a double and walk.

Rogers is working on five days' rest tonight. 

It all happened so fast from Cole Henry’s perspective. He entered a 3-1 game in the top of the seventh Tuesday night at Nationals Park. Four batters later, he departed a 7-1 game with many in the crowd of 17,232 booing.

The rookie reliever knew what was going on: “I’ve had a couple times this year where I just get too quick on my back side and start rushing,” he explained. But he couldn’t fix the problem in the moment, and so he was left to endure through a nightmare scenario that saw four straight Rockies batters reach base, the last two belting home runs to blow the game wide open.

A starter throughout his college and minor league career, Henry is learning on the fly how to deal with the unique responsibilities of life as a major league reliever. After a postgame conversation with Nationals pitching strategist Sean Doolittle, he realized he’s going to have to get better at making quicker adjustments in this role.

“As a starter, you have a couple innings to figure something out. As a reliever, you don’t have time,” he said. “You’ve got to figure it out within a batter. For me, it’s just trying to get back to the basics, try to stay within myself, not try to do too much. I just started pressing a little bit, trying to make stuff too perfect, trying to make my stuff nastier than what it needs to be.”

Henry’s rookie season has been an overwhelming success so far. He’s been scored upon in only four of his 24 outings. His fastball-curveball combo has been devastating for big league hitters when he commands both pitches. He entered Tuesday night with a 2.22 ERA and 10 strikeouts per nine innings.

The Orioles have more mound decisions on their plate.

They needed a starter for tonight and must remove a reliever to fit him onto the roster. Trevor Rogers will go from taxi squad to active roster after his 6 1/3 scoreless innings against the Red Sox at Fenway Park. And Grant Wolfram could be one-and-done after the Orioles recalled him yesterday to replace Colin Selby, who was one-and-done.

Interim manager Tony Mansolino didn’t confirm Rogers’ start during his pregame session with the assembled media in Tampa, but he said, “We’re excited to kind of get him in here tomorrow.”

The food room? The showers?

He’s going to be on the mound and trying not to stand in a puddle of sweat. The heat seems intense. Dean Kremer’s skin had the shine of a glazed donut last night. He looked like he collided with the Exxon Valdez.

The Orioles are heartbroken to share the news of the passing of minor league infielder LUIS GUEVARA.

“Luis was a beloved member of our organization, and we are devastated following his tragic passing. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends, and teammates and we ask for their continued privacy during this difficult time,” said Orioles Executive Vice President and General Manager MIKE ELIAS.

Guevara, 19, was signed by the Orioles as an international free agent out of Tinaco, Venezuela in January 2023. He appeared in 30 games this year, his first season in the United States, playing in 24 games with Single-A Delmarva, four with the FCL Orioles, and two with Double-A Chesapeake. He spent his first two professional seasons from 2023-24 with the DSL Orioles.

--- 

Con profundo dolor, los Orioles lamentan al compartir la noticia del fallecimiento del jugador de las ligas menores LUIS GUEVARA.

TAMPA – The Rays’ offense entered tonight’s game scorching hot. In four consecutive games, all wins, Tampa had posted at least seven runs. 

For the first time in what has felt like a long time, the Rays were stifled. Orioles pitching won the night in Baltimore's 5-1 victory. 

"It seems like 26 guys are playing well right now," interim manager Tony Mansolino said after the game.

The story was Dean Kremer and the bullpen, but the O's offense got things started. 

All Jordan Westburg has done since returning from the injured list is produce. His second-inning double, hit over 110 mph off the bat, set the Orioles up with their first scoring chance of the night. Ryan O’Hearn pushed him to third, and Ramón Laureano brought him home to make it 1-0 Baltimore. 

The boos came in waves during the top of the seventh from a crowd of 17,232 tonight at Nationals Park, each time a Rockies player circled the bases after hitting a home run. It happened four times during that jaw-dropping inning alone, plus again in the eighth, impossible for Davey Martinez, Mike Rizzo and their players not to notice.

It can always get worse, they say. It’s hard to imagine that right now around here.

The Nationals lost to the Rockies tonight 10-6, a final score that looks much closer than it was because of a four-run rally in the bottom of the ninth that showed some spunk but still fell well short. On its own, that would constitute a really bad night, given the quality of opponent (or lack thereof). Under the current circumstances, it felt like a knife through the heart of a team that has collapsed this month.

For only the second time in club history, the Nats have lost 10 consecutive games. The last five have come at the hands of two of the worst teams in baseball: the Marlins and Rockies. When the streak began, the Nationals were not in that conversation, owners of a respectable 30-33 record and hoping to feast on supposedly inferior competition and surpass the coveted .500 mark.

Instead, that record is now 30-43. The .500 mark is a distant dream at this point. The question now is what, if anything, is forthcoming from Martinez, from Rizzo or from ownership.