PHILADELPHIA-What happened? With four key bullpen pieces traded, and closer Félix Bautista’s 2025 in doubt, the Orioles have been searching for stoppers in the bullpen.
Corbin Martin might not be one of them.
Martin, who recorded his first major league save last Tuesday, came into a game that was tied at 3 after Cade Povich left in his first major league start since June 15th with two outs in the sixth and a runner on first.
Martin faced six batters. All reached and scored as the Orioles allowed eight runs in the sixth in a 13-3 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies before 41,099 at Citizens Bank Park on Monday night.
Povich (2-6) had given up three runs on three hits through five. Bryce Harper hit his 17th home run in the first, and Kyle Schwarber his 39th, a two-run homer, in the third.
After Schwarber’s home run, Povich, who was on the injured list for a left hip inflammation, didn’t give up a hit until J.T. Realmuto reached on an infield single with two outs in the sixth, barely beating a throw by shortstop Gunnar Henderson after a nice backhanded play in the hole.
Nick Castellanos singled against Martin, and Harrison Bader hit a three-run home run. After Otto Kemp and Edmundo Sosa singled, Weston Wilson’s single scored pinch-runner Bryson Stott before Trea Turner walked to load the bases.
Schwarber hit his 30th, a grand slam off Yaramil Hiraldo, and the Orioles were down by 11-3.
Martin, who missed the strike zone badly at times, saw his ERA skyrocket from 1.08 to 7.56.
“Big leagues are hard,” interim manager Tony Mansolino said. “This is a really hard level to pitch at. Pitching here against this lineup’s really hard. Guys are going to have their ups and downs, and today definitely wasn’t his best.”
Elvin Rodriguez gave up back-to-back home runs in the eighth to Sosa and Wilson.
The Orioles have allowed 10 or more runs 13 times this season.
Philadelphia starter Jesús Luzardo (10-5) allowed three runs on five hits in six innings. Tyler O’Neill, who missed two games because of illness, hit a two-run home run in the second, his eighth, and Jordan Westburg cracked his 13th in the third.
Henderson singled after Westburg’s home run, the final hit for the Orioles (51-62). Luzardo, Tanner Banks and former Orioles minor leaguer Seth Johnson retired 18 straight before Adley Rutschman walked with one out in the ninth.
How was Povich’s first start since his injury? Mansolino didn’t second-guess taking him out after Realmuto’s infield out, even though Povich was pitching well. The call went to an extended replay before it stood.
“The max he threw in his rehab was 85 [pitches],” Mansolino said. “Eighty-five in the Triple-A environment in a rehab is very different than 90 here in Citizens Bank Park against a World Series-caliber team.
“We extended him. We weren’t super comfortable throwing him back out there in the sixth inning, to be honest with you, but he wanted the ball. He wanted to go back out in the sixth. We gave him those two lefties, we gave him the righty. You get through Realmuto, who hasn’t handled lefties very well this year at all, and then you get to a guy like Castellanos, who’s killing lefties.
“So you’re sitting here thinking, obviously, just pitch-count wise and where he’s at. You get to the scenario right there with Castellanos, who’s hammering lefties, and [Povich] is already kind of maxed out, that’s actually the right spot right there without a doubt for whoever we bring in. Martin is going to have to be one of those guys we bring in that spot — two outs, runner on first. We expect to get through that thing right there.”
Povich wanted to keep pitching.
“Yeah, of course, always wanting to stay out there as long as I can,” Povich said. “The mentality I’ve always had, I want to throw until the manager takes the ball out of my hands. That was the case. Obviously, knowing the situation, first game [off] the IL, obviously I want to stay out there, but Manso makes the decision. We were able to have a conversation about it before the inning. He let me go back out there. Obviously, a close play on that last out where it could have been the last out. That’s just the way it went.”
What does it mean? The Orioles will keep searching for relief arms who can be candidates for the 2026 bullpen, and get them through 2025.
What’s the stat of the day? With the appearance of Rodríguez in the eighth, the Orioles have used 56 players this season. The franchise record is 62 in 2021, and the team seems likely to surpass that.
“It’s been an unfortunate year in terms of our injuries,” Mansolino said. “Now, the trade deadline. That’s another reason there are so many new players in the building. It’s not what anybody wants in our organization.”
What’s the word? “When the games get like that, the game changes in the big leagues. So those are really bad at-bats when major league hitters are chasing 10 runs in a game. Those aren’t going to be good at-bats.”
What’s next? Dean Kremer (8-7, 4.27) will face Taijuan Walker when the Orioles play the Phillies at 6:45 p.m. on Tuesday.
Call for questions: Most weekdays, I’ll be answering at least one Orioles question. Please send yours to: Rich@BaltimoreBaseball.com