Pete Alonso gave the Baltimore Orioles a scare late in their win over the Tampa Bay Rays, but he wasn’t sounding worried afterward.
Alonso appeared to limp and labor in the 10th inning while heading to first base, a moment that briefly raised alarms after he had already played a major role in Baltimore’s two straight victories over the AL East leaders. The concern centered on a cramp in his right calf, but Alonso brushed it off.
“I’ve hobbled around before in my career, played through worse. It is what it is.
Just got to stay on top of some work, and it is what it is. Feel fine, feel good.
Got a game in maybe like 18 hours or so, so I’ve got to do whatever I can to get ready for that. I’m in good hands, I feel good.
I’m going to be in there tomorrow.”
There is at least some chance Alonso could get a break from first base in the third game of the series on August 16 and serve as the designated hitter instead. That would still keep him in the lineup, which matters for a player Baltimore has leaned on heavily.
Alonso has been something of an iron man, reaching the 500 consecutive game mark in late June. Since June 18, 2023, he has played in 537 straight games, the second-longest active streak in baseball. Matt Olson leads all active players with 903.
For the Orioles, keeping Alonso available is about more than just the bat. His presence matters on the field and in the clubhouse as they try to push into the postseason picture. Baltimore is currently part of a five-way tie for the final AL wild card spot.
In Other News...
Rays Find A Fan-Friendly Fix After Flappy Boi Giveaway Delay
A weather-related shipping delay forced the Rays to postpone their Flappy Boi bobblehead giveaway for a Saturday game, but the club moved quickly to keep the promotion from becoming a disappointment for fans. Instead of scrapping the idea, Tampa Bay switched up the plan and announced that the first 10,000 fans would still get something to take home in the form of a Flappy Boi T-shirt.
The bigger consolation is a voucher that will let those fans redeem the bobblehead at a September game, giving the promotion a second life later in the season. It is the kind of practical, fan-friendly fix teams hope to find when logistics get in the way, and the Rays at least managed to turn a delay into a workaround that should keep the giveaway buzz intact. [Read more 🡒]
Rays Shake Up Pitching Plan Again For Orioles Series
The Rays are reworking their pitching mix again as they turn their attention to the Orioles series, bringing back right-hander Joe Boyle from Triple-A Durham and sending right-hander Chris Roycroft back down. Tampa Bay has not been shy about shuffling arms when it needs a different look, and this latest move gives the club another power option to draw from as it navigates a busy stretch.
Boyle has already made three starts for the Rays this year, but his return is expected to come in a bullpen role, which adds another wrinkle to how Tampa Bay can piece together innings. The roster move comes with another bit of turnover as well, since right-hander Trevor Martin was claimed off waivers by the Angels, leaving the Rays to keep adjusting their staff while the series with Baltimore approaches. [Read more 🡒]
Rays Are Already Trying To Fix Freddy Peralta Fast
Freddy Peralta arrived in Tampa Bay with the kind of deadline pedigree that usually comes with some instant optimism, but the early returns have forced the Rays into problem-solving mode. The right-hander has struggled to find traction in 2026, first with the Mets and then in his initial starts after the trade, leaving the club with a pitcher whose results have lagged behind the rsum it was hoping to buy.
So the Rays are already digging into the details, looking for any edge they can create as they try to get Peralta back on track. The early adjustments have centered on his overall approach and mechanics, a familiar Tampa Bay response when a pitcher is underperforming, and the urgency is obvious: if they can coax more from him quickly, the deadline deal starts to look a lot different. [Read more 🡒]