BALTIMORE-With the amateur draft set for this weekend, Orioles manager Craig Albernaz said he’s eager to watch what unfolds.
“It’s an exciting time of the year,” Albernaz, who wasn’t drafted, said. “It’s going to be a life changing moment for a lot of players…The major league draft is such a crapshoot. You don’t know who’s going to pan out, so it’s fun and exciting.”
Albernaz, a graduate of Eckerd College, came into pro ball as an undrafted free agent, and he said the jump from college to the professional game is a major one.
“In college, you play on the weekends and practice the rest of the time,” Albernaz said. “It’s a big adjustment.
You get to play with players from different countries. It’s a bunch of different coaching.
You’re way out of your comfort zone as far as the places you’re used to being in every single day.
“The biggest thing is the workload component of it, playing every day, practicing every day. It’s getting your body acclimated to that.”
The Orioles also entered the day with Gunnar Henderson in a rough stretch at the plate. He was hitting .219, his lowest mark since June 11 th, and was just .111 (3-for-27) in July. He hadn’t homered since June 19 th.
“Gunnar is mentally tough,” Albernaz said. “You don’t make it to his level and have th success that he has without being mentally tough, and I would imagine it’s hard for him right now just because he’s getting good pitches to hit, putting good swings n it and it’s right at people.
“He’s done a great job of turning the page. I know there’s a lot of times where he really probably wants to let out some frustration, but he does a great job of controlling his emotions and being in the game and especially playing shortstop.
“His engagement ‘s always been there and it will be there, and hopefully these hard hit balls will find some space.”
Henderson’s expected batting average was .238, the widest gap with his actual batting average in his career.
The Orioles’ lineup for the game had Henderson at shortstop, followed by Adley Rutschman at catcher, Taylor Ward in left field, Pete Alonso at first base, Samuel Basallo at designated hitter, Dylan Beavers in right field, Colton Cowser in center field, Blaze Alexander at third base, Jackson Holliday at second base and Brandon Young on the mound.
The Royals countered with Carter Jensen at catcher, Bobby Witt Jr. at shortstop, Jac Cagliaone in right field, Lane Thomas in center field, Michael Massey at second base, Salvador Perez at first base, Josh Rojas at third base, Nick Loftin at designated hitter, Isaac Collins in left field and Luinder Avila starting at pitcher.
In Other News...
Dodgers Trade Proposal Puts Orioles In A Tough Spot With Lefty
The Orioles keep getting pulled into the pitching market chatter, and Trevor Rogers is the kind of arm that naturally draws it. He has been uneven enough over the full season to leave plenty of questions, but his recent stretch has also reminded teams why left-handed starters with upside still carry real appeal in July. For Baltimore, that creates the familiar tension of weighing short-term value against the kind of trade interest that can reshape a deadline conversation.
What makes the situation trickier is the timing. Rogers would come with no long-term control, so any deal has to be judged against the price of the return, not just the name value on the other side. The Dodgers are still shopping for pitching help and have bigger targets they could chase, which only adds to the sense that Baltimore could be asked to part with a useful arm without getting the kind of package that makes a move easy to justify. [Read more 🡒]
Orioles Fans May Never Forget This Missed Chance At An Ace
The Orioles were in position at the 2024 trade deadline to chase the kind of frontline starter every contender covets, and Tarik Skubal was sitting right there as the obvious prize. Detroit never completed a deal, Baltimore never got its ace, and the missed window has only grown more frustrating as the pitching market keeps reminding teams how rare those chances are.
MLB Network Insider Jon Morosi has framed it as the kind of opportunity Baltimore may not get back, especially with Skubals name already surfacing again as the 2025 deadline draws closer. For an Orioles club that has spent the last year trying to balance present urgency with future value, the lingering question is whether the front office will be willing to pay the price this time around. [Read more 🡒]
Ryan Mountcastle Just Became An Orioles Deadline Tension Point
Ryan Mountcastle is still working back from the 60-day injured list, and the Orioles at least have some clarity on the broad outline of his recovery. President of baseball operations Mike Elias said Mountcastle is progressing, with a return possible after the All-Star break, but he stopped short of putting a date on it. For a team in the middle of a rebuild, that leaves one of its more recognizable bats in a familiar holding pattern: close enough to matter, not quite close enough to know exactly where he fits.
The bigger question is what happens once he is ready. Baltimore has enough uncertainty around the roster that Mountcastles next step is not just about health, but about opportunity, and there is already a sense that the Orioles could listen if the right trade angle emerges before the Aug. 3 deadline. For now, the club is still waiting on the same thing everyone else is - a clearer picture of when he is back, and what role he would actually have when he gets there. [Read more 🡒]