The Orioles are back at .500, and they got there in dramatic fashion.
Colton Cowser’s wild, leaping home run robbery last night flipped what looked like a walkoff loss into one of the most eye-popping wins Baltimore has had all season. If you missed it after midnight on the East Coast, the highlight has already made the rounds - and it’s the kind of play that could linger in Orioles lore for a long time, especially if this push ends with a postseason berth. Even if it doesn’t, it already feels like a moment people will keep coming back to.
Now comes the next test: can they actually build on it?
Baltimore enters tonight a half-game behind Cleveland for the third wild card spot. If the Orioles win and the Guardians lose to the Blue Jays, the Birds would wake up alone in a postseason position.
That’s the clean path. The harder part is doing it again.
On paper, this matchup hands Baltimore every reason to expect a win. The Rockies are coming off a franchise-worst 10 straight home losses, and Gabriel Hughes takes the mound with an 0-6 record and a 6.61 ERA.
That kind of setup usually screams “take care of business.” But that’s also exactly the sort of game that has a way of turning sideways on the Orioles when the expectations get too tidy.
Still, there are signs this group may be settling in. Baltimore has now won the opener in Sacramento, all three games there, and last night’s finish only added to the momentum.
The roster also got a September boost. Luis Robert Jr., claimed on waivers yesterday, has been activated after Christian Franklin went on the IL.
Heston Kjerstad is finally getting his first call-up of the season after months of strong work at Triple-A Norfolk, and lefty prospect Luis De León is up too after a recent move to relief, giving the bullpen another southpaw arm.
The lineup, though, has a few notable absences. Robert and Kjerstad are both sitting, and Coby Mayo is out of the starting nine as well.
Pete Alonso is back at DH after handling first base last night, with Samuel Basallo taking over there. Carlos Narváez is behind the plate despite going just 4-for-51 as an Oriole.
Maybe tonight is the night that changes, though nobody is exactly expecting a breakout against Hughes.
Here’s how Baltimore lines up:
2B Jackson Holliday
DH Pete Alonso
SS Gunnar Henderson
3B Christian Encarnacion-Strand
LF Dylan Beavers
1B Samuel Basallo
RF Leodys Taveras
CF Colton Cowser
C Carlos Narváez
RHP Kyle Bradish
And for Colorado:
CF Jake McCarthy
RF Mickey Moniak
DH Hunter Goodman
1B TJ Rumfield
SS Cole Carrigg
3B Connor Norby
C Brett Sullivan
2B Adael Amador
LF Zac Veen
The Orioles have already checked one box by getting back to .500. The real question now is whether they can push past it.
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 🡒]