Orioles fans didn’t need much time to settle on the injury return that could matter most: Samuel Basallo.
In this week’s SB Nation Reacts poll, Basallo drew the clear top spot among the four Orioles players working their way back, and the reasoning is easy to follow. The catching situation has been rough since the Adley Rutschman trade, with Basallo still on the injured list during that stretch.
Carlos Narváez has managed just three hits in 38 at-bats as an Oriole, and none of them have gone for extra bases. That kind of production is hard to hide, and it leaves Baltimore needing a real lift behind the plate.
Basallo is already back, though the short-term picture still has a few wrinkles. He played first base on Thursday, which could be a sign of caution with Pete Alonso’s calf or a nod to Basallo’s own shoulder. Either way, the Orioles are clearly managing his return carefully.
Blaze Alexander finished second in the voting, which lines up with the timing. He’s the next likely name to rejoin the mix, and if he can pick up where he left off before getting hit on the hand, that would give Baltimore’s lineup a much-needed boost. The Orioles, as the source of this poll noted, don’t have a high batting average guy without him.
Félix Bautista is also expected back soon, and Ryan Helsley remains out there somewhere. But in the eyes of Orioles fans, Basallo is the one whose return could swing the biggest.
In Other News...
Gunnar Henderson Has Become A Worrying Sign For The Orioles
Gunnar Henderson has been one of the faces of the Orioles young core, so any hint of regression lands with extra weight in Baltimore. MLB Network analyst Dan ODowd recently raised alarms about Hendersons direction, pointing to a decline in both his hitting and defense since the 2025 All-Star break and framing it as more than a temporary slump. For a team built around internal development, concerns like that naturally spill beyond one player and into the broader question of how the Orioles are shaping their talent.
ODowd went a step further by suggesting the organization, under Mike Elias, may not be getting the most out of Hendersons ability. He even floated the idea that the shortstop could be traded by 2027, while also recommending changes to the developmental setup, including bringing in Bill Ripken as an infield coordinator and perhaps involving Buck Showalter in some role. Whether Baltimore takes any of that seriously is another matter, but the conversation underscores how important Henderson remains to the franchises future and how quickly expectations can shift when a cornerstone player starts to look off track. [Read more 🡒]
Gunnar Henderson Might Finally Have The Fix Orioles Fans Needed
Gunnar Hendersons recent slide had become one of the quieter concerns around Camden Yards, especially for a lineup that leans on him to help set the tone. So the sight of Pete Alonso spending time with Henderson in practice, working through batting mechanics and zeroing in on lower-half posture and hip stability, offered a different kind of development for Orioles fans to track. It is the sort of behind-the-scenes tweak that can matter as much as any box score, particularly when a young hitter is trying to regain the timing that made him one of the clubs most important bats.
What makes the collaboration notable is the source of the advice, with Alonso drawing on his own experience to help Henderson sort out the issues that have made fastballs such a stubborn problem this season. Henderson has shown signs of improvement lately after the prolonged slump, but the work points to a more specific fix than a simple hot streak. For Baltimore, the appeal is obvious: if the changes hold, the Orioles might finally be getting closer to the version of Henderson they have been waiting for. [Read more 🡒]
Orioles Prospect Suddenly Has A Real Shot To Fill Key Bullpen Need
Luis De Len has become one of the more interesting arms in the Orioles system this summer, and not just because of his prospect status. Baltimore is moving him into a relief role at Triple-A Norfolk, a shift that gives the organization a chance to see whether his stuff can translate quickly to a bullpen setting and possibly help fill a need later in the season.
De Len already made his first relief appearance recently, and he has impressed in both Double-A and Triple-A this year, which is why the transition is worth watching closely. Manager Craig Albernaz has been upbeat about De Lens talent and what he could bring to the club, and if the adjustment keeps going well, the Orioles may have found a candidate for the bullpen without having to look far outside the system. [Read more 🡒]