Félix Bautista turned up in the box score with something Orioles fans will happily take after a long rehab road: a win. In Norfolk’s 7-4 victory over Durham, Bautista worked the sixth inning, allowed a single, struck out one, and didn’t issue a walk as he continues rehabbing his throwing arm following rotator cuff and labrum surgery in fall 2025.
Norfolk’s bullpen handled the rest of the job with a pretty clean effort. Dietrich Enns set the tone with three scoreless innings, while Yosver Zulueta and Yaramil Hiraldo each kept Durham off the board in their one-inning stints.
Cameron Weston ran into trouble, giving up four runs on three hits and two homers across two innings, and José Espada allowed a run and a homer in his inning. Still, the Tides had enough firepower to keep control.
The power surge came early and often. Payton Eeles launched a two-run homer in the fourth and scored Jeremiah Jackson on the play.
Brandon Butterworth then went deep in the fifth, his first Triple-A home run coming in just his 12th game at the level. Norfolk added three more in the seventh, with Jeremiah Jackson crushing a two-run shot and Creed Willems driving in another on a ground-ball single.
At Double-A, Chesapeake dropped a 5-4 heartbreaker to Harrisburg when Christian Heberholz gave up the winning homer in the bottom of the ninth. That spoiled a solid outing from Sebastian Gongora, who covered six innings and allowed two runs on five hits.
The Baysox had their own pop in the lineup, though, with Colin Tuft hitting a three-run blast and Aron Estrada also going yard. Frederick Bencosme, Wehiwa Aloy and Ethan Anderson each singled, Victor Figueroa went 2-for-4, and Vance Honeycutt finished hitless.
High-A delivered a split in the makeup doubleheader between Asheville and Frederick. Game 1 went badly for the Keys, who fell 6-0 as Christian Rodriguez was tagged for six runs in 2 2/3 innings.
Jack Crowder and Ben Vespi combined for 4 1/3 scoreless after that. Braylon Whitaker’s double was Frederick’s only extra-base hit in the loss, while Jordan Sanchez singled and Jaiden Lo Re picked up two hits.
Enddy Azocar did not play.
Frederick answered in the second game and took it 7-2. Leandro Arias got the scoring started with a sacrifice bunt, Colin Yeaman added a fifth-inning homer, and the Keys broke things open with a five-run sixth.
Braylin Tavera, Braylon Whitaker and Colin Yeaman all drew walks to load the bases before DJ Layton unloaded a three-run homer. Carson Dorsey was excellent on the mound, striking out eight over 5 2/3 innings and allowing just one run, and Brendan Parks finished it off for the save.
At Low-A, Delmarva was blanked 11-0 by Fredericksburg. The Shorebirds managed seven hits but never put a run across against a Nationals bullpen day.
Holden deJong allowed three runs over four innings, KK Clark gave up six runs in 2.2 innings, and Dalton Neuschwander surrendered two more in 2.1 innings. Eric Booth Jr., Jhomnardo Reyes, Jimmy Anderson and Miguel Rodríguez each had a hit, with Booth Jr.’s double the only extra-base hit for Delmarva.
Ty Head also walked twice.
In Other News...
Orioles Just Set Up Another Tough Roster Decision
Roster expansion has given the Orioles a little more room to work, and they used it to bring up Heston Kjerstad and left-handed reliever Luis De Len from Triple-A Norfolk. Baltimore also sent lefty Cade Povich back to Norfolk, another reminder that the club is still fine-tuning the edges of a roster that has to balance immediate needs with a longer view.
Luis Robert Jr. could be activated for an upcoming game, which would force yet another move and make this stretch feel even more crowded. For an Orioles team trying to sort out who stays, who goes and who gets the next opportunity, the next decision may be the toughest one yet. [Read more 🡒]
Orioles May Have Unlocked A Bullpen Weapon The Mariners Never Found
When the Orioles picked up Alex Hoppe from the Mariners earlier this month, it looked like a modest bullpen transaction with a chance to pay off later. Instead, Baltimore may already be getting something more immediate out of the move. Hoppe has settled in quickly, making nine appearances without allowing an earned run since the trade.
What stands out most is not just the clean results, but the way he has gotten there. The right-hander has leaned more on his sinker and shown better command in the strike zone, small adjustments that have helped his stuff play up in a new environment. The sample is still tiny, so it is too early to call it anything more than a promising stretch, but the Orioles have at least given themselves another intriguing late-inning option to watch. [Read more 🡒]
Orioles Rotation Shuffle Just Raised A Bigger Stretch Run Question
The Orioles have already started tinkering with their rotation as the calendar turns toward September, and the latest move says plenty about where the club stands physically. Cade Povich got the ball last night, Kyle Bradish was pushed to tonight and Trevor Rogers is lined up for Wednesday afternoon, a small reshuffle on paper that points to bigger planning ahead as Baltimore tries to navigate the stretch run with its staff intact.
Manager Craig Albernaz said a six-man rotation is under consideration, and the expanded roster will give the Orioles room to add another arm while Luis Robert Jr. is expected to join as a new position player. Bradishs recent struggles have only sharpened the conversation around how often the Orioles want to use him, and the next few days should offer a clearer read on whether this is a one-off adjustment or the start of something more permanent. [Read more 🡒]