The Orioles have reached this point seven times already this season and come up short every time: three straight wins, then a chance to make it four, then no. That’s the hurdle in front of them again today, and it carries a little extra weight because this is the final game before the All-Star break. After this, there are no games until Friday.
So yes, the Orioles have another shot at knocking off the one thing that keeps slipping away. A fourth straight win would send them into the break with some real momentum and, for anyone willing to feel good about this team, a much better mood heading into the second half.
They’ll try to do it at home against a Royals club that has its own problems. The assignment is straightforward enough: put together one more clean game across the board, with enough hitting, pitching, and defense to finish the job.
Baltimore’s lineup sends Gunnar Henderson to shortstop, Taylor Ward at DH, Dylan Beavers in left, Pete Alonso at first, Samuel Basallo behind the plate, Blaze Alexander at third, Colton Cowser in center, Leody Taveras in right, and Jackson Holliday at second.
That alignment is there to back Shane Baz, who has been fine overall as an Oriole. Fine, though, is probably not the level people had in mind after the prospect cost and the contract extension that came before he even threw a pitch for the team. If he could trim even half a run off his ERA, it would make the whole thing look a lot better.
Kansas City counters with Carter Jensen at catcher, Bobby Witt Jr. at shortstop, Jac Caglianone in right, Lane Thomas in center, Vinny Pasquantino at DH, Salvador Perez at first, Michael Massey at second, Josh Rojas at third, and Isaac Collins in left.
The Royals will start Seth Lugo, who owns a 4.56 ERA and is not left-handed. The Orioles just need to handle their business and finally get that fourth straight win.
In Other News...
Orioles Suffer Brutal Blaze Alexander Setback Just As Momentum Builds
Blaze Alexanders season has been one of the Orioles more useful surprises, the kind of all-around contribution that helps a club weather the long grind of summer. He has given Baltimore production at the plate and flexibility all over the field, starting at third base, second base, shortstop, center field, left field and right field while carving out a regular role on a team trying to keep momentum going.
The setback came in the seventh inning against Kansas City, when Alexander was hit by a pitch and the tone of the game changed in a hurry. Baltimore now has to sort through the ripple effects of losing a player who has been so important on both sides of the ball, with the timing of his evaluation adding another layer of uncertainty as the club heads into the All-Star break and starts thinking about how to cover his innings and at-bats in the meantime. [Read more 🡒]
Orioles Middle Round Draft Picks Say A Lot About Their Plan
The middle rounds of the MLB draft gave the Orioles another look at the kind of players they have been targeting, starting with shortstop Jimmy Anderson out of Heartland Community College. Baltimore had already shown interest in Anderson before, taking him in the 19th round last year, and this time the club came back for him in the fifth round as the draft continued to unfold Sunday.
The Orioles also added left-hander Zane Adams from Alabama in the sixth round, giving the organization another arm to develop as the draft heads toward its finish. Between a familiar infield name and a college pitcher from a major program, the picks fit the broader shape of Baltimores draft approach, even if the final chapter of the class will not be written until the event wraps up Sunday evening. [Read more 🡒]
Orioles Draft Sends A Clear Message About Mike Elias
The Orioles draft board offered a pretty clear read on how the front office sees this moment. After two straight seasons of frustration and a coaching staff overhaul in 2025, Baltimore still leaned hard into upside, taking high schooler Eric Booth Jr. at No. 7 and then continuing to stockpile players who are going to need time. Even when a more major-league-ready college bat like Drew Burress was there, the Orioles stayed with the longer view, a sign this group is thinking beyond the next summer.
The rest of the class reinforced that approach. USC pitcher Mason Edwards was still available at No. 46 as a potential quick bullpen help, but Baltimore went another direction with Ty Head, then used an underslot college arm in Dominic Voelgele to create room for later swings. By the time Kevin Roberts Jr. came off the board, it was obvious the Orioles were chasing ceiling over speed, a strategy that says as much about their confidence in Mike Elias and the organizations timeline as it does about the players themselves. [Read more 🡒]