If the Orioles are going to get Blaze Alexander and Samuel Basallo back and actually make the most of it, the infield picture has to shift fast.
That’s the basic idea here: keep the kids on the field, keep Gunnar Henderson from grinding himself down, and stop treating every spot like it has to belong to the same guy every day. The final two months should be about getting as much of Alexander, Basallo, Jackson Holliday and Coby Mayo as possible, while building a schedule that gives Henderson at least one day a week completely off and another at DH.
When Alexander returns, CES should be the one to clear out. Alexander is the better long-term play, even if he’s mostly organizational depth in the bigger picture.
He needs regular work on the dirt, five days a week if possible, and he can bounce around. He can also handle a game in the corner outfield if that’s where the lineup needs him.
The problem is that giving him too little run at third would cut into Mayo, and that’s the exact kind of short-sighted move this season should avoid.
Mayo still deserves a look at third, even if it’s only in small doses. The sample is tiny, but the body control has looked better there lately.
This roster needs every possible way to keep his glove active while he gets a real chance to hit. The season is what it is, and the bigger question now is development.
Henderson’s workload needs a reset, too. He should not be living at shortstop every night.
Between Alexander and Holliday, there are at least two days a week when he shouldn’t be in the hole, and that should become part of the plan. The idea is to start leaning into the future, especially with the sense that landing an everyday center fielder and shortstop will be a major part of the 2027 offseason, with the free-agent market offering little help and trades likely becoming the answer.
Holliday should be in the lineup plenty, including against lefties and even the really tough ones. The Orioles need to find out whether the changes in his approach are real and sustainable. When Holliday is at short, JJ goes to second.
First base should be less rigid, too. Alonso may be playing at a Gold Glove level, but he’s here for the bat, not for 155 games at one spot.
The way Mayo and Basallo were developed in the minors makes that kind of setup look backward. Alonso’s contract is also not the kind that should be expected to age cleanly, and he’s going to do a lot of DHing anyway.
That playing time needs to be shared.
Mayo should still get chances at first, just as Basallo should. Mayo looked strong there late last year, and with Carlos Narvaez capable behind the plate, Basallo ought to get at least one game a week at first.
The Orioles have already said they don’t think Sammy should be doing it more than four days a week right now, and that works here. Between first base and DH, there’s room to keep his bat in the lineup without overloading him.
That DH mix should be built around Alonso, Basallo and Mayo, with two right-handed options and one left-handed option. O’Neill fits as a bench bat and pinch-hitting threat.
Jackson belongs on the infield bench. And once September arrives, the preference is clear: Enrique Bradfield Jr. or Heston Kjerstad over CES.
In Other News...
Orioles Suddenly Have Another Catching Problem To Solve
A thin catching group in Baltimore got even thinner at Target Field, where Yohel Pozo had to leave the game after taking a swing to the left hand from Josh Bell. Pozo was down with left index finger pain, adding another layer of concern for an Orioles team already navigating a shortage behind the plate.
Samuel Basallo is still out with right shoulder inflammation, and the Orioles do not have Adley Rutschman available after trading him to Boston following his time on the injured list. Silas Ardoin is on the taxi squad in Minneapolis and looms as the most immediate roster option if Baltimore needs another catcher in a hurry. [Read more 🡒]
Orioles Deadline Return Is Already Fueling A New Roster Debate
The Orioles post-deadline overhaul has already started to show up in box scores and roster chatter, with Baltimore sending out Adley Rutschman, Dean Kremer, Tyler Wells and Taylor Ward and bringing back nine players in a deal that reshaped the organization in one move. Some of the newcomers are already in action for the big club or at affiliate stops, and early returns have given the front office a fresh set of questions about how quickly this group can help.
Carlos Narvez, Anthony Eyanson, Kyson Witherspoon and Enddy Azocar are among the arrivals drawing the most attention, though their first steps in the system have not all landed the same way. For a club trying to balance immediate lineup needs with longer-term upside, the early snapshots from these players are already feeding a new debate about what the Orioles should prioritize next as the deadline dust settles. [Read more 🡒]
Orioles Need Samuel Basallo Back For More Than Just Depth
Samuel Basallo has started back up with throwing and hitting drills as he works through right shoulder inflammation, a welcome sign for an Orioles club that has had to adjust to life without Adley Rutschman. The return timeline is still unsettled, but the fact that Basallo is back doing baseball activities at least puts him on the road toward rejoining the mix.
For Baltimore, the intrigue goes beyond simply filling a spot behind the plate. Basallo is viewed as the catcher of the future, and the Orioles need to see him healthy enough to handle the kind of development that comes with being more than a depth piece. His progress matters because the organization is counting on him to become a real part of the next chapter, not just an emergency option when the roster gets thin. [Read more 🡒]