Baltimore’s game against the New York Mets took an ugly turn in the bottom of the fifth on September 15, 2026, when Orioles pitcher Shane Baz was forced out after a Bo Bichette line drive struck his elbow.
Baz, who has been one of the steadier arms on the Orioles roster this season, immediately grabbed at the area after the ball bounced off him. He then tried to stay in long enough to throw a practice pitch, but the result made it clear he was done for the night. The pitch came out high and out of control.
Orioles starter Shane Baz is exiting the game after getting hit by this 105.1 mph liner off the bat of the Mets' Bo Bichette in the bottom of the 5th inning: pic.twitter.com/2keAoQg0cB
- Jake Rill (@JakeDRill) September 16, 2026
Baz is going to try to throw a pitch here…and it doesn’t go well pic.twitter.com/kdcbmZEA5I
- Max Weiss (@maxthegirl) September 16, 2026
The injury interruption fit the shape of Baz’s season in a way that’s hard to ignore. He has logged 30 starts in 2026, but his numbers haven’t reflected how dependable he’s been.
He’s 6-15 with a 4.05 ERA, and the source material notes that his stat line hasn’t told the full story because he has gotten little to no run support. Even with the Orioles’ rotation shifting around him and plenty of replacements cycling through, Baz remained a mainstay.
His status was set to be updated after the game.
The night also cut into what had been a strong homecoming for Pete Alonso. The Orioles, now 73-78, had already taken the opener of the series on Monday. Alonso, a former Met, was honored with a video, loud applause from the crowd, and fan signs showing how much he is still appreciated in New York.
Baltimore still isn’t mathematically out of the wild card race, sitting four games back. The Orioles are set for a three-game series against the Toronto Blue Jays, who currently hold the final wild card spot, from September 21-23 before the regular season ends on September 27.
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