Another difficult week is in the books for the Baltimore Orioles, which includes back-to-back four-game series against the Houston Astros and the Boston Red Sox.
The sheen has worn off on the shiny new prospects, Dylan Beavers and Samuel Basallo, as the team continues to struggle scoring runs, holding leads and losing in areas of fundamental mistakes.
Fortunately, they salvaged one win in the two series, but it was unfortunate to see that the O’s were lacking depth from the bullpen, and without their team at full strength, the offense is stagnant.
The Orioles will leave after today and head west for a quick six games on the West Coast. Before the plane lands, let’s see who makes The Great, The Good and The Ugly for this past week.
The Great: Kyle Bradish
This was a no-brainer, as Kyle Bradish returned to the Orioles’ pitching staff after 438 days since his last appearance on a big league mound.
Bradish looked like he never left the mound, throwing his two-seamer and slider even better than before. His adrenaline got the better of him at times, and he sailed a couple of four-seam fastballs, but his sinker maxed at 97.5 mph and his two-seamer at 96.8 mph.
By the end of his return, Bradish threw 81 pitches, with 63% of them going for strikes. He covered six innings, allowed two runs and struck out 10 while walking none.
Though he took the loss, it was a huge step towards cementing his place as the ace of the O’s rotation for 2026 and beyond.
The Good: Jeremiah Jackson
We have another surprise prospect who is showing his value in the big leagues. Lost in all the hoopla surrounding Beavers’ and Basallo’s debuts, Jeremiah Jackson has made his presence felt on the diamond as a breath of fresh air.
As one of the three Jacksons on the big league roster, most people remember JJ for a dropped fly ball during his debut series in right field, a position he had played only three times before in the minors. He has grown more comfortable in the position, but his ability at the plate has been even more eye-opening.
Riding a current eight-game hitting streak, Jackson went 11-for-34 (.323) between the two series. He added 17 total bases, two doubles, a home run, two RBIs and two runs scored.
Since joining the Orioles, the former second-round pick is slashing .329/.346/.468/.814 with 26 hits in 23 games, including four doubles, two triples and a home run.
The Ugly: Coby Mayo
The launching pad has yet to really take off, and Coby Mayo is sinking in the big leagues. Currently in a severe slump, Mayo went 2-for-24 (.083) during the last two series, adding 10 strikeouts to only three walks.
To make matters worse, Mayo is 11-for-79 (.139) for the month of August, collecting just four extra-base hits (two doubles and two home runs). Mayo has struck out 33 times for the month versus seven walks, making him an almost guaranteed out when in the lineup.
If there is a bright spot to Mayo, his defense has been strong at first base, as he continues to grow into the position. If he can turn his bat around, he has a chance to be a solid player at first.
Since joining the big league club, Mayo is slashing .188/.269/.320/.589 with five home runs and 19 RBIs.
The month of August is winding down, and September is knocking on the door. Rosters will expand by one pitcher and one position player at the turn of the month.
The Orioles head out west to take on the San Francisco Giants and the San Diego Padres for a three-game series against each NL West club.
Will Kyle Bradish be able to continue to prove he is fully recovered? Will Jeremiah Jackson be able to continue his hot hitting? Can Coby Mayo smash his way out of his rut and turn things around?
Tune in next week for the next edition of The Great, The Good and The Ugly.
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