That was the sort of win this team was built to pull off. Shane Baz provided his best start as an Oriole, earning his first win in the process. Gunnar Henderson set the table, stole a base, and scored twice. Adley Rutschman, Pete Alonso, and Samuel Basallo combined for five hits and five RBI in the middle of the order. And Ryan Helsley locked down the ninth inning. Isn’t it great when a plan comes together?
Basallo has really started to hit lately. His season OPS is up to .801. And everything he hits looks like it was shot out of a cannon. His double in the first inning came off the bat at 111.4 miles per hour.
Baz looked good on the bump. His whiff rate was actually down, only 17% in the game, but he was getting a lot of weak contact and issued just one walk on the day. The only run he allowed came on a solo homer. If he makes the opposing team put the ball in play, he’s going to have success.
Of course, the team still has plenty to work out. The back half of the batting order leaves a lot to be desired. Manager Craig Albernaz is cycling players in and out to see if someone will get hot. It hasn’t happened yet.
Something Albernaz does seem comfortable with is his bullpen. Roles are being defined. Rico Garcia is the fireman, coming into the most dangerous situations. Yennier Cano does the same, particularly when a ground ball is needed. Andrew Kittredge and Anthony Nunez are taking on the set-up role together. And, of course, Helsley is the closer. It’s hard to argue with the unit’s results. It has been the most dependable part of the team to this point.
Another win today will get the O’s back to .500 on the season. That feels fine given where the team stands right now. There is enough talent to be better than that, but the results haven’t shown up yet. Hopefully this series can begin that pivot.
Jon Meoli: 5 factors that explain the Orioles’ uneven offense | The Baltimore BannerHome runs, or the lack thereof, from some of the lineup’s biggest names feel like the answer here. It was cool that Jeremiah Jackson was showing some power a couple of weeks ago, but the lineup is built for Alonso and Taylor Ward to drive in runs. They haven‘t done enough of that yet.
More on Orioles’ bullpen and tough decisions on deck | Roch KubatkoHaving more quality relievers than available spots is a unique problem to have. Most teams are carrying one or two place holders at any one point in their ‘pen. The Orioles are getting really good production from even the seventh and eighth guys in the unit.
‘It’s going to be dangerous’: Alonso upbeat as bat, O’s heat up | Orioles.comBasallo getting going is an important piece of the puzzle. Now, they need more from Alonso. His homer on Tuesday was a good sign. At the same time, let’s hope someone in the Tyler O’Neill/Dylan Beavers/Coby Mayo group starts hitting a little bit too.
Omir Santos turns 45 today. The catcher made his big league debut with the Orioles in 2008, playing in 11 games for them that year.
Ron Washington is 74 years old. He was an infielder for several big league teams, including a 26-game stint on the 1987 Orioles. Post-playing career he has become a respected coach and manager for a number of clubs.
Rick Burleson turns 75. The middle infielder wrapped up his 13-season MLB career in 1987, playing in 62 games in his only year spent with the Orioles.
Luis Aparicio celebrates his 92nd birthday. A Hall of Famer, he was regarded as one of the best fielders in his era. He won nine Gold Gloves during his career, two of which came in his time with the Orioles (1963-67). During the Orioles World Series run in 1966, Aparicio tied for second in the league in hits and finished ninth in MVP voting. The team inducted him into their Hall of Fame in 1982, two years before he would get the call from Cooperstown.
1988 – For the first time this year, the Orioles win a baseball, ending their 21-game losing streak to begin the season. They beat the White Sox 9-0
2015 – The Orioles beat the White Sox 8-2 in front of a nearly empty Camden Yards. No fans were admitted due to civil unrest in the city following the death of a man named Freddie Gray while in police custody.
2025 – The Kyle Gibson project does not go well for the Orioles. The veteran gets ambushed in his return to the club as the first three Yankees hitters hit home runs en route to a 15-3 drubbing