The Orioles have put themselves in position to do something they badly need, but the standings still haven’t budged enough to make the chase feel comfortable. After a 13-run outburst in the series opener and a wild comeback win last night, they can complete a sweep of the Cardinals this afternoon in St.
Louis. Even with all that offense, they’re still 2 ½ games behind the Guardians for the final Wild Card spot.
Last night had plenty of swing to it. Baltimore jumped out to a 7-0 lead in the second inning, then watched the Cardinals claw back until Christian Encarnacion-Strand delivered the game-winning RBI double in the ninth, his fourth hit of the night. The Orioles also needed Jackson Holliday’s diving stop in the bottom of the ninth to protect the lead, and they left two runners in scoring position before the final out.
The early damage came fast. Baltimore led 5-0 in the first inning after the first two batters were retired, then Leody Taveras cleared the bases with a three-run homer after RBI singles from Encarnacion-Strand and Dylan Beavers. Pete Alonso added a two-run shot in the second, his 32nd homer of the season, and he went the other way again.
There really hasn’t been a good answer for Alonso lately. He now has nine homers and 20 RBIs over his last 16 games, and the way he’s hitting right now is turning heads.
He’s slashing .391/.448/.736 with three doubles, nine home runs and 22 RBIs in 23 games, and his second-half numbers against breaking balls tell the story even more clearly: .357 with a .690 slugging percentage. In the first half, he hit .205 and slugged .308.
The Orioles also lost ground yesterday when the Guardians rallied for two runs in the top of the ninth to beat the Angels 4-3 in Anaheim. Cleveland gets another chance this afternoon, and Baltimore is trying to answer with a win of its own.
Trevor Rogers gets the ball for the Orioles. He’s been steadier of late, with three quality starts in four games this month, and his 4.14 ERA is his lowest since April 19.
He has also handled the Cardinals well in his career, allowing five earned runs in 15 innings across three starts, including three earned runs in 11 innings at Busch Stadium. His sweeper has been especially effective lately; opponents are batting .184 against it over his last 12 starts after hitting .269 in his first 12.
Baltimore’s lineup has a different look again today. Alonso is at designated hitter, Coby Mayo is at first base, and Samuel Basallo is catching. Leody Taveras is back in right field.
St. Louis will go with right-hander Gordon Graceffo, a fifth-round pick in 2021 out of Villanova.
The Cardinals had been listed as TBA before the starter was finally revealed. Graceffo has made 80 career appearances in three seasons, and today will be only his second start.
He’s 7-1 with a 3.13 ERA this season in 52 games, with 30 walks, 38 strikeouts and five home runs allowed in 63 1/3 innings, and he hasn’t gone beyond 2 1/3 innings in any outing this year. He also threw a scoreless inning against the Orioles on May 26, 2025 at Camden Yards.
Carlos Narváez has already had some success against him, going 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI.
The Orioles’ lineup for the finale has Jackson Holliday leading off at second base, followed by Alonso, Gunnar Henderson, Basallo, Encarnacion-Strand, Beavers, Mayo, Colton Cowser and Taveras.
For the Cardinals, it’s José Fermín at shortstop, Iván Herrera at DH, Jordan Walker in right, Alec Burleson at first, Joshua Báez in left, Blaze Jordan at third, Ramón Urías at second, Nathan Church in center and Pedro Pagés behind the plate.
Looking beyond today, Brandon Young, Shane Baz and Chris Bassitt are scheduled to start against the Athletics in Sacramento, while the A’s still haven’t listed their starters. The pattern there is hard to miss.
In Other News...
Orioles Lineup Debate Now Feels Tied To Everything Going Wrong
The Orioles uneven season has turned the lineup card into more than a nightly formality, because the gap between who is producing and who is being asked to keep running out there has become hard to ignore. Former MLB executive Jim Duquette has been among those pointing to the disconnect, arguing that the club has not done enough to reward players who are swinging it well while continuing to give prominent chances to others who have struggled.
For Baltimore, the issue is bigger than one hot stretch or one cold bat. It has touched the way the offense is being managed, with names like Gunner Henderson and Jeremiah Jackson part of the broader conversation about where the teams production is coming from and where it is being left on the table. When a season starts to tilt this way, lineup choices stop looking routine and start feeling like a reflection of everything else going wrong. [Read more 🡒]
Orioles Keep Bringing Back Albert Suarez For A Reason This Time
Albert Suarez is back in the Orioles organization again, and this time the move comes with a little more incentive attached. Baltimore signed the right-hander to a minor-league contract after he elected free agency following his fourth designation for assignment this season, continuing a year-long pattern of shuttling between Camden Yards and Triple-A Norfolk.
Suarez has become one of those familiar depth arms the Orioles keep circling back to when they need coverage on the mound, and his latest deal reflects that value in a more tangible way. He has pitched in 25 major league games for Baltimore this year with a 3.93 ERA, and the new contract also gives him improved financial terms along with an upward mobility clause, a sign the club still sees a path for him beyond the usual roster churn. [Read more 🡒]
Orioles Face Two Tough September Calls With Real Stretch Run Stakes
September roster expansion always creates a little more room for tinkering, but for the Orioles it also sharpens a couple of real decisions. Baltimore will go to 28 players, adding one pitcher and one position player, and the short list already tells you how much the club is trying to balance present needs with longer-term evaluation. Jeremiah Jackson has stayed in the mix as a versatile option, Heston Kjerstad and Enrique Bradfield Jr. offer different looks on the position-player side, and the pitching candidates include Flix Bautista, Luis De Len, Cade Povich and Trey Gibson.
What makes the call tricky is that none of these choices exists in a vacuum. Injury status, recent performance and the kind of role each player could fill all matter here, especially with the stretch run still carrying weight for Baltimore. The Orioles do not just need bodies for September, they need the right fit, and the final mix is going to say a lot about how they want to manage both the roster and the season's last push. [Read more 🡒]