Another loss, Tromp is out, and Jackson is up.
Good Morning Birdland,
Losing is bad enough, but losing to the Rockies is brutal. The way in which it went down on Friday night is pretty typical for the 2025 Orioles.
The offense hit home runs early, and then were unable to manufacture anything beyond that. It’s a lineup that is/has been overly reliant on the long ball. Granted, they scored five runs last night. That should be enough to win most games, but it would be cool to see them score more than once in the final seven innings too.
Dean Kremer crashed back to earth, allowing five runs in his six innings of work. He has been so good recently that I can’t get too worked up about one bad outing.
In general, the results of these games do not matter anyway. The Orioles are selling. The focus is on 2026. In that light, there were positives from last night. Jackson Holliday had three hits, including a double. Tyler O’Neill looked better. Coby Mayo had a hit and did not strike out. Those three, plus several others, are crucial to success next year.
The bullpen will also be an area worth examining in the season’s final two months. There should be plenty of opportunity to go around. Gregory Soto is gone. Seranthony Domínguez is likely to follow him out the door. It’s possible that Andrew Kittredge could go too. And Félix Bautista is on the IL for the foreseeable future.
Mike Elias likely wants to get more flexible in the relief department in 2026, feature more arms with minor league options. That is a prime opportunity for guys like Grant Wolfram, Kade Strowd, and others to prove they are worth a spot going into next year.
Trevor Rogers is another player that could be important in 2026. He’s on the mound tonight, a game in which the Orioles have every advantage on paper.
Links
Settling on seller status won’t spin Mansolino’s desire to win | Roch Kubatko
Tony Mansolino has acquitted himself well as the Orioles interim manager this summer. It’s been a tough job, but he has done it well. That doesn’t mean he should be handed the job, but it does improve his resumé should managing be something he does want to do full-time at some point.
Orioles Outright Chadwick Tromp | MLB Trade Rumors
This makes sense. Adley Rutschman is nearly ready to return. It seems like Samuel Basallo’s oblique is alright. And you can’t say that Tromp was any better than the current duo of Jacob Stallings and Alex Jackson. Jackson has a 1.000 OPS in 22 plate appearances with the Birds.
2025 Trade Value: Nos. 1-10 | FanGraphs
Despite his “down” season, Gunnar Henderson remains one of the most valuable players in all of Major League Baseball. He has dropped from the very top of FG’s rankings down to seventh, but that is still commendable for a player that is considered to be “struggling” by his own high standards.
Orioles To Select Jeremiah Jackson | MLB Trade Rumors
ICYMI, Jackson was the addition that took Soto’s spot following the trade. It is not a 1-for-1 since Jackson is an infielder. But the 25-year-old has had a nice minor league season. Could this indicate that the Orioles are considering a trade of Ramón Urías, or maybe an outfielder? Jackson has played second base, third base, shortstop, left field, and right field this season.
Orioles birthdays
Is it your birthday? Happy birthday!
- Ryan O’Hearn turns 32 today. The late-bloomer is in the midst of his best professional season. He came to Baltimore as a waiver claim from the Royals ahead of the 2023 season. Since then, he has been a pleasant surprise, compiling a 125 OPS+ in three seasons. His time with the O’s could be running short, however. He is viewed as one of their most tradable players in the days ahead.
- Paul Fry is 33 years old. The lefty was a sometimes useful reliever with the Orioles from 2018 through 2022 at which point he was dealt to the Diamondbacks for a minor leaguer.
- Vidal Nuño III is 38 years old. In six seasons he played for five different big league clubs. He played 12 games for the Orioles in 2017.
- Alex Burnett turns 38 today. His stint with the O’s lasted just two games in 2013.
- José Bautista (not that one) is 61 years old. His MLB career began with the Orioles and ran from 1988 through ‘91, compiling a 4.79 ERA over 281.2 total innings.
- The late Pete Ward (b. 1937, d. 2022) was born on this day. He played in eight games for the 1962 Orioles, but made his career with the White Sox, where he was worth 20 bWAR over seven seasons.
- The late Lou Jackson (b. 1935, d. 1969) was born on this day. He was an Oriole for four games in 1964.
- The late Norm Siebern (b. 1933, d. 2015) was born on this day. He spent two seasons with the O’s from 1964-65, which included an all-star season in ‘64. That season he led the league in walks
- The late Bill Miller (b. 1927, d. 2003) was born on this day. The southpaw appeared in five games for the 1955 Orioles.
This day in history
1970 – The Orioles beat the Twins 11-1 thanks to six RBI from Boog Powell. Powell now leads the AL with 86 RBI. The only run that Dave McNally gives up is a homer to fellow pitcher Jim Perry.
1980 – Steve Stone earns his 14th straight win as the O’s beat the Brewers 4-1.
2024 – The Orioles make a pair of trades. First, they acquire reliever Seranthony Domínguez and outfielder Cristian Pache from the Phillies in exchange for outfielder Austin Hays. Later, they add Zach Eflin from the Rays in exchange for a trio of prospects.