BALTIMORE - The Orioles are juggling a long list of injuries, but several familiar names are moving through different stages of the comeback process as the club works through its series against Cleveland.
Left-hander reliever Keegan Akin and first baseman/designated hitter Ryan Mountcastle are with the team for the series. Akin had Tommy John surgery in July, while Mountcastle has been on a winding rehab path after breaking his right foot in April and then tearing an oblique muscle as he was getting ready for his first rehab game. Mountcastle has started swinging a bat, but he will not play again this season.
Manager Craig Albernaz said outfielders Luis Robert Jr. and Christian Franklin are rehabbing in Sarasota. Robert is on the 10-day injured list, retroactive to Saturday, with a left hamstring injury. Franklin is dealing with left hand inflammation and is eligible to return for Friday’s game in Toronto.
Right-hander Ryan Helsley, who has not pitched since June 27 with a right elbow injury, is scheduled to throw live batting practice during this homestand. Closer Félix Bautista is still at Triple-A Norfolk on a rehab assignment as he works back from rotator cuff and labrum surgery.
“We’re just listening to him and seeing where he’s at, but there’s no pressure for us,” Albernaz said. “We want to make sure that we’re doing right by him.”
Tyler O’Neill’s return looks unlikely before season’s end. Albernaz called O’Neill’s right shoulder injury “a pretty significant injury,” adding, “It’s not responding the way he hoped.”
There was also a workload note on Kyle Bradish, who has now thrown 152 innings, his highest total since 168 2/3 in 2023. Bradish underwent Tommy John surgery in June 2024 and logged a combined 71 1/3 innings across 2024 and 2025.
Albernaz said the innings total itself isn’t the concern. Sunday’s outing was different because of how quickly the pitch count climbed. Bradish threw 75 pitches in the first three innings, then finished four innings at 85 pitches.
“That was a high workload for those four innings,” Albernaz said. “Moving on from him was the best thing in my eyes, not to push him there.
It’s in the back of my mind, but also KB has been feeling great, Velo’s there. He’s bouncing back after each start.
Just like with any starter, those high pitch counts in those early innings always have our antenna up.”
The Orioles’ lineup against the Guardians featured Blaze Alexander in right field, Pete Alonso at first base, Jackson Holliday at second, Coby Mayo at third, Gunnar Henderson at shortstop, Christian Encarnacion-Strand at designated hitter, Samuel Basallo behind the plate, Rece Hinds in center, Dylan Beavers in left and Trevor Rogers on the mound.
Cleveland countered with Steven Kwan in left, Jo Adell at DH, José Ramírez at third, Angel Martínez in right, David Fry at first, Angel Genao at second, Austin Hedges catching, Petey Halpin in center, Brayan Rocchio at short and Joey Cantillo starting.
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Orioles Need An Answer On Blaze Alexander Before This Season Ends
Blaze Alexander has quietly worked his way into the kind of conversation the Orioles have to keep having as the season winds down. After a slow start and a return from injury, he has put together a strong stretch at the plate, hitting .302 over 286 plate appearances and showing the kind of on-base ability that can force a manager to look twice at the lineup card. For a club trying to sort out how its roster fits together, that kind of production from a flexible option matters.
The bigger question now is where Alexander fits if Baltimore wants to give him a more prominent look before the year is over. His ability to handle different spots gives the Orioles some room to experiment, especially as they weigh how the lineup should come together around players like Gunnar Henderson and Coby Mayo. Christian Encarnacion-Strand adds another layer to that same conversation, but Alexander has done enough to make it clear the Orioles need a real answer soon. [Read more 🡒]