The MLB All-Star Game takes over tonight, and for Orioles fans, the main attraction is pretty clear: Adley Rutschman. The game is set for 8:00 on Fox at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, and Rutschman will be there as an American League reserve, which means he should get into the action partway through.
That’s a nice nod for Rutschman, who absolutely earned the selection. It’s also hard not to notice how thin the Orioles’ presence is otherwise.
Baltimore only sending one player to the Midsummer Classic feels light, especially when other sub-.500 clubs like the Red Sox, Blue Jays, Twins, and Tigers are bringing multiple All-Stars. Even the Royals and Athletics have two apiece.
There was also some surprise around Pete Alonso missing out, particularly after Athletics first baseman Nick Kurtz had to bow out because of injury. Alonso is already a five-time All-Star and is having another strong season in his Orioles debut.
The AL first-base group is crowded anyway, with Boston’s Willson Contreras, the Yankees’ Ben Rice, and White Sox rookie Munetaka Murakami already on the roster, along with fan-voted starter Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who also won’t be playing. Still, it would have been nice to see Alonso in the Home Run Derby, too, since he’s won it twice - including against the Orioles’ Trey Mancini in 2021.
For Baltimore, though, the bigger picture is still the second half. The Orioles have 65 games left when the season resumes on Friday, and they’ll need to ride the momentum of a four-game winning streak into the stretch run. Adley gets the spotlight tonight, but the real work starts again this weekend, when the rest of the club comes back from the break and tries to keep the hot streak going.
One thing the All-Star Game does not usually produce is a lot of stolen-base drama, and that should only work in Rutschman’s favor. The National League probably won’t be eager to test him behind the plate anyway.
The Orioles also made a move by acquiring Cam Sanders, though he is not a third baseman and he is not joining the major league roster. The wait continues on Blaze Alexander’s replacement, which should be known in another couple of days.
There’s also some draft talk around first pick Eric Booth Jr., with the question of whether his swing will need adjustments once he turns pro. The answer seems to be yes; the bigger question is whether the Orioles’ development staff can make that happen.
On the mailbag front, there’s a question about why the Orioles didn’t take left-handed pitcher Gio Rojas in the draft. The answer given is simple: teams don’t draft for need, and even if they did, a high school pitcher wouldn’t help Baltimore anytime soon.
And Blaze Alexander had a response to the Royals after the quick-pitch play that broke his hand. He called out Lucas Erceg for the pitch and took a shot at Vinnie Pasquantino as well.
July 14 is a busy birthday on the Orioles calendar. Nine players in team history were born on this date, which might be the most of any day on the calendar, though that wasn’t checked.
The list includes current players Joey Ortiz, Andrew Velazquez, and Isaac Mattson, plus former Cy Young winner Steve Stone. Also on the July 14 birthday list are Bernie Castro, Victor Rodríguez, Billy Smith, Derrick May, and Earl Williams.
This date also brings a pair of notable Orioles memories. On July 14, 2012, Baltimore survived a wild 8-6 walkoff over the Tigers at Camden Yards.
Jim Johnson blew a 4-1 lead in the ninth, Adam Jones tied it with a two-out RBI single in the 11th, J.J. Hardy tied it again with a solo homer in the 13th, and Taylor Teagarden - in his team debut - ended it with a two-run walkoff shot.
That was the Orioles’ 10th straight extra-inning win, and the streak eventually reached 16.
Then in 2019, the Orioles came within reach of being part of the first combined perfect game in MLB history. Rays pitchers Ryne Stanek and Ryan Yarbrough retired the first 24 batters before Hanser Alberto broke it up with a leadoff single in the ninth. Baltimore still lost, 4-1.
The random Orioles game of the day goes back to July 14, 1973, when the Birds beat the White Sox, 5-4, in Chicago. Tommy Davis had three hits, Paul Blair homered, and Earl Williams drove in two runs on his 25th birthday. Jim Palmer handled eight innings for the win, though he allowed three runs in the ninth before Bob Reynolds escaped a bases-loaded jam with a game-ending double play.
In Other News...
Orioles Make Troubling Pitching Move As Keegan Akin Situation Deepens
The Orioles added another arm to the organization on Sunday, acquiring right-hander Cam Sanders from the Pirates for cash considerations and optioning him to Triple-A Norfolk. Sanders had been designated for assignment in Pittsburgh, and Baltimore is giving him a spot in the system as it tries to patch together its pitching depth with the season moving along.
The move came with a more troubling update on Keegan Akin, who was transferred to the 60-day injured list because of an elbow injury. Akin is scheduled for a medical evaluation that could determine the next step in his recovery, and for an Orioles staff already leaning on depth, the uncertainty around one of its left-handed options only sharpens the concern. [Read more 🡒]
Orioles Finally Got The Ryan Helsley Update Fans Were Dreading
Ryan Helsleys latest update gave the Orioles something they badly needed after a tense stretch around their bullpen. The closer said the elbow pain that has sidelined him is tied to inflammation, not a structural issue, and Baltimore now gets to plan around rest and a possible return later this season instead of bracing for a much longer recovery.
Even with that bit of relief, the Orioles still have to manage the innings and the ninth inning without him for now. Tyler Wells and Andrew Kittredge have handled closing duties in his absence, and the club also added Cam Sanders for extra depth, a reminder that even a favorable medical update does not solve the immediate bullpen math. [Read more 🡒]
Orioles Writer Just Put A Stunning Timeline On Samuel Basallo
Samuel Basallo keeps giving the Orioles reasons to believe the bat is real. The 21-year-old catcher has already shown the kind of power that can change a lineup, with 16 home runs in 301 plate appearances, and the advanced metrics only add to the intrigue. Even with some obvious rough edges in his pitch selection and defense, there is a growing sense around the club that his talent is starting to show up in the moments that matter.
The bigger question now is how quickly that promise turns into everyday production. Basallo has talked about wanting to become an All-Star someday, and his confidence is part of what makes the ceiling so appealing, but the path there still runs through more at-bats, more trust from the coaching staff and more proof that he can keep handling the league's adjustments. For the Orioles, the upside is easy to see. The timing of when it all comes together is the part that still hangs in the air. [Read more 🡒]