Another loss, drafting two catchers, and a less painful deadline ahead.
Good morning Birdland,
The Orioles lost again on Tuesday night. We have reached the point in the season where team results do not matter much. The direction of the club has been decided. They will be selling over the next week, and then shift their focus towards 2026.
It’s something of a relief to have a resolution. For the last two months we have all be doing mental gymnastics to figure how these Orioles could get back into the playoff picture. It was always going to be a tough maneuver, and unfortunately these guys just could not pull it off.
But just because wins and losses don’t matter much does not mean that the games are pointless. In fact, the Orioles still have plenty to learn about their roster when it comes to positioning them for success next year.
Coby Mayo is a perfect example of this. He has struggled as a big leaguer so far, but there are signs of progress. He walked three times in last night’s loss, and also singled. It was arguably the best he has looked at the plate in his entire career. If he can be the team’s everyday first baseman going into 2026, that solves a big problem and makes someone like Ryan Mountcastle easy to move in the offseason.
Pitching is also crucial. Brandon Young has had a rough go, but it’s worth letting him start another handful of games this year. Give him some experience, let him go through the growing pains of being a big league pitcher. Even if you don’t think he will be in your main five of the rotation next year, he is probably going to give you some spot starts.
But really, health is the main concern. Get all of the big guns in a good spot for 2026. That means bringing Kyle Bradish in to work out the kinks in August and September. It means letting Gunnar Henderson take a day off here and there to make sure he has a full offseason. And it means not rushing a prospect like Samuel Basallo, who is dealing with an oblique but could still get his first MLB action before the season is out.
There is plenty to care about the season’s final two months. The nightly scoreline just isn’t one of those things.
Links
Why Orioles opted for two catchers with first Draft picks | MLB.com
Given the low hit rate of baseball draft prospects, position should really be irrelevant. Just go get the best player available and let it all shake out. But also, it does not sound like Ike Irish is expected to stay at catcher long term. Why not try the position out for a while and then pivot when necessary.
This, that and the other | Roch Kubatko
If you know who Christian Frias is, congratulations, you are officially an Orioles sicko. Roch spoke with the manager of the O’s FCL team about his role and outlook on the youngest players in the organization.
Why this Orioles season isn’t as painful as the rebuild years | The Baltimore Banner
The Orioles are no longer searching for the core of a good team. It’s here. But other mistakes were made when assembling the 2025 squad. Mike Elias has hopefully learned from those mistakes and will be sure to avoid them for 2026.
Orioles birthdays
Is it your birthday? Happy birthday!
No current or former Orioles were born on this day, according to Baseball Reference, but it is the birthday of actor Woody Harrelson (b. 1961), guitarist Slash (b. 1965), and actor Daniel Radcliffe (b. 1989), among others.
This day in O’s history
1971 – Orioles pitcher Pat Dobson wins his 10th straight game, beating the Angels 4-3.
1998 – The Orioles beat the Athletics 9-7 on the power of catcher Lenny Webster. The backstop has four hits, including a double and a home run.
2013 – Francisco Rodríguez is traded to the Orioles in exchange for prospect Nick Delmonico