Good morning Birdland,
That win felt pretty good! The 6-5 victory over the division-leading Rays, paired with losses by the Tigers, Twins, and Rangers moved the O’s to within just one game of the final wild card spot in the American League.
Craig Albernaz deployed a new-look lineup that included Pete Alonso in the lead-off spot, followed by Jackson Holliday and Coby Mayo, while Gunnar Henderson was pushed down to the five hole. It was unconventional, but it’s hard to argue with the results. Alonso had two hits, Tyler O’Neill reached based three times as the clean-up hitter, and Henderson led the offense with a 4-for-4 game that included a double, a home run, and two runs scored. His OPS is now .705, the highest it has been since July 4th.
The other headline from this game was the return of Chris Bassitt from the IL. The veteran looked pretty good, batting line through 5.1 innings while giving up two runs on five hits, three walks, and three strikeouts. That’s the sort of performance the O’s need out of the fifth spot in the rotation, and it’s what they weren’t getting from Dean Kremer prior to his trade to the Twins.
The only real negative from the game was the ninth inning. That’s when Yennier Cano got knocked around and was unable to even finish the frame. He entered with a four-run lead and left after allowing three runs and putting the tying run on second base. Cam Sanders came on the save the day, and he did so with one pitch that Ryan Vilade hit to left field for the final out of the game.
Against all odds, the Orioles find themselves within reach of a wild card spot heading into the final 40 games of the season. Given how poor this team has played at times, that is a minor miracle. It’s also a reflection of just how poor the AL is this season.
A win today, along with some helpful results elsewhere, would mean the O’s are tied for that final wild card spot by day’s end. Kyle Bradish will be on the mound, and we should probably expect a repeat (or similar) of the lineup that Albernaz used on Friday to face the left-handed Ian Seymour. First pitch is 6:10.
Links
Welcome to the Tampa Bay Orioles: ‘We just got Orioles 2.0 over here’ | The Baltimore Banner
Many of the Rays absolute best players are home grown, but they have certainly done a nice job of filling in some of their key roles on their roster with a few faces that are familiar to the Camden Yards faithful. That feels like something the front office in Baltimore should think about for a while.
The new ‘right-handed Schwarber’? Alonso hits leadoff for 1st time | Orioles.com
The Orioles lineup has been stagnant for far too long. They were well past due on a shake up. Is batting Pete Alonso at lead off weird? Absolutely. It’s also worth trying to see if it’s any better than what they have been running out there for most of the season.
This, that and the other | Roch Kubatko
Plenty of notes about tonight’s Rays starter, Seymour, as well as some quote from Albernaz about the lineup construction.
Orioles birthdays
Is it your birthday? Happy birthday!
- Jacob Webb turns 33 today. He was a solid reliever for the Orioles between the 2023 and ‘24 seasons, compiling a 3.09 ERA over 85 total games in those two seasons. The righty has continued to pitch well since departing, first for the Rangers in 2025 and for the Cubs this season.
- Chris Singleton is 54 years old. The outfielder spent the 2002 season in Baltimore, when he was worth 1.8 bWAR with a 90 OPS+.
- Jeff Huson turns 62. He was a utility option for the Birds during the 1995 and ‘96 seasons as part of a 12-season MLB career that saw him suit up for seven different clubs.
- Tom Dodd is 68 years old. He played in eight MLB games, all of which came with the 1986 Orioles.
This day in O’s history
1979 – Eddie Murray, normally known for his power rather than speed, steals home in the 12th inning to give the O’s and pitcher Mike Flanagan a 2-1 win over the White Sox.
1993 – The Orioles acquired third baseman Mike Pagliarulo from the Twins in exchange for pitcher Erik Schullstrom.
1996 – On their way to an 18-5 win over the Athletics, the Orioles smack five home runs and score 15 times in the final three innings of a game. Chris Hoiles leads the way with two homers while Bobby Bonilla drives in five runs.
2007 – The Orioles cough up a game-tying three-run homer to Shelley Duncan in the bottom of the ninth inning, but rebound in the 10th to score three times against Mariano Rivera for a 6-3 win.