The Baltimore Orioles wrapped up another homestand with a 3-3 performance against the Boston Red Sox and Houston Astros, keeping them at an even .500 at home this season.
The offense appears to be finding its rhythm at the right time, led by the return of Adley Rutschman. But just as the lineup is heating up, the pitching staff has taken another hit, with both Trevor Rogers and Ryan Helsley landing on the injured list.
That leaves Baltimore’s pitching depth facing an immediate challenge during a demanding stretch of 16 straight games, with 13 remaining before the club’s next off day. And with a four-game trip to the Bronx looming against the first-place New York Yankees, the timing is far from ideal.
Let’s take a look at who made our cut this week in The Great, The Good & The Ugly.
THE GREAT: ADLEY RUTSCHMAN
The Orioles’ offensive resurgence has coincided almost perfectly with Rutschman’s return to the lineup. Since he came back, Baltimore has scored five or more runs in six of eight games.
Over the last two series, Rutschman went 9-for-21 (.429) with three home runs, 12 RBIs, five runs scored and just one strikeout.
For the season, he is slashing .356/.406/.661 with four home runs, six doubles, 17 RBIs and nine runs scored across 16 games, while striking out only eight times and drawing five walks. Baltimore’s offense looks noticeably different when its catcher is in the middle of it.
THE GOOD: ANDREW KITTREDGE
Kittredge’s return gives the Orioles another boost in an already solid bullpen. The veteran right-hander has quickly reestablished himself as a reliable late-inning option.
Across his last three appearances, Kittredge has thrown three scoreless innings, allowing just two hits while striking out four and walking one. He has thrown 36 of his 54 pitches for strikes (67%), posted a 1.00 WHIP and held opponents to a .182 batting average.
His versatility and veteran presence deepen Baltimore’s bullpen and give the coaching staff another trusted arm for high-leverage situations.
THE UGLY: BLAZE ALEXANDER
What once looked like a valuable offseason addition has become a growing concern offensively.
Alexander has reached base just four times over his last 15 games, making it increasingly difficult to justify everyday at-bats despite his defensive versatility. Over the last two series, he recorded just one hit and one walk with no RBIs.
His April struggles were severe: seven hits, no RBIs, 15 strikeouts, five walks and a .137/.228/.176 slash line across 21 games.
Now, the Orioles head to New York dealing with mounting pitching injuries at a critical point in the season. Can Baltimore’s depth keep the club afloat in the standings, or will the growing list of absences begin to take its toll?
Tune in next week to see who makes our list in the next edition of The Great, The Good & The Ugly.
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