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ARLINGTON, TX - AUGUST 07: Pete Alonso #25 of the the Baltimore Orioles looks on during the game between the Baltimore Orioles and the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field on Friday, August 7, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tenley Wright/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Good morning Birdland,
Well, it was yet another putrid night for the Orioles offense. They have scored one run or fewer in four of their last six games. Their record in those four games? 0-4. Tough to chase down a wild card spot with a lineup that disappears far too often,
The problem wasn’t even getting runners on base. They had seven hits, three walks, and five at-bats with runners in scoring position. But they wasted almost all of those chances. Pete Alonso struck out with the bases loaded in the fifth, and Leody Taveras was punched out in the sixth with two runners on base.
Christian Franklin came up clutch with a ninth-inning double into the right field corner that nearly scored Taveras from first base. But the Rangers executed a perfect relay to apparently nab him at the plate. It was close, and O’s manager Craig Albernaz challenged, but (despite some evidence to the contrary) the called was upheld anyway.
It’s a shame because the Orioles got a really good Shane Baz start in the loss. He was the only pitcher that Albernaz used. He tossed all eight innings, allowed the two runs on three hits, a walk, and nine strikeouts. Both runs he gave up came on a Joc Pederson homer in the sixth.
Baz’s season ERA is down to 3.76. He has gotten better as the season has worn on. Back on May 15, he had a 5.26 ERA and 4.37 FIP. Since then, he has made 14 starts and thrown 85 innings. In that time he has a 2.86 ERA and 2.75 FIP. Maybe the Orioles did land a frontline arm this offseason after all.
The silver lining to all of this is also a bit scary. The Orioles have ground to make up in the standings, and they will exclusively play teams ahead of them in the AL over the next two weeks. If you want to play with the big boys you need to beat ‘em first.
Kyle Bradish (7-10, 3.79 ERA) will face off with Jacob deGrom (7-7, 3.96 ERA) later today, hopefully reversing the Orioles latest fortunes. Be advised that the game is being broadcast on FOX.
Links
The narrative of the Orioles’ rebuild changed with the trade deadline. It didn’t have to. | The Baltimore Banner
Eh, it wasn’t the trade deadline that changed the narrative. It was the last two-and-a-half seasons that did that. There are still a lot of positive structural changes that have occurred within the organization, but there are also obvious failings too. Changes are needed. Getting rid of Adley Rutschman isn’t the last shakeup that is likely to come.
Alexander pain free as he plays catch for 1st time since fracturing hand | Orioles.com
This is good news! Blaze Alexander is still a ways off from playing, but maybe he gets back for a few weeks to wrap up the regular season. Allowing him to have a full, healthy offseason would be nice to see.
Kjerstad: “Right now I know there’s going to be an opportunity down the road” | Roch Kubatko
At this moment, Heston Kjerstad probably isn’t what the Orioles need on their roster, and it’s not as if Kjerstad is some mystery anyway. Maybe he gets back to Baltimore in September. If not, he probably deserves a chance to figure it out in another organization.
Orioles’ No. 3 prospect continues to climb the K charts in the Minors | MLB.com
Joseph Dzierwa may be the single biggest success story of the Orioles minor league system this year. The 2025 second-round pick has dominated at both High-A Frederick and Double-A Chesapeake this season. It’s possible that he could get to Baltimore sometime next season if he continues to ascend.
Orioles birthdays
Is it your birthday? Happy birthday!
- Eddy Rodríguez turns 45 today. He pitched in 38 games for the Orioles between the 2004 and ‘06 seasons.
- The late Johnny Temple (b. 1927, d. 1994) was born on this day. Known best for his years in Cincinnati, Temple spent half of the 1962 season on the Orioles infield.
- A posthumous celebration for Marlin Stuart (b. 1918, d. 1994), who was a pitcher that came wth the organization on its move from St. Louis to Baltimore in 1954.
This day in O’s history
This has been a rather slow day in Orioles history, according to Baseball Reference. So, instead here are a few happenings from beyond Birdland:
1969 – Photographer Iain Macmillan takes an iconic photo of the Beatles at a zebra crossing in London. The image would become the cover of the band’s album Abbey Road.
1988 – The first night baseball game in the history of Chicago’s Wrigley field takes place, but is rained out in the fourth inning.
1991 – The Warsaw radio mast, then the tallest structure ever built, collapses.
2004 – The Dave Matthews Band’s tour bus dumps approximately 800 pounds of human waste onto a boat full of passengers in the Chicago River.
2007 – The most powerful tornado in New York to date and first in Brooklyn at all since 1889 touches down in Kings County and Richmond County, NY.
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