Taking a look at some Orioles topics before tonight’s series opener against Houston
Break’s over.
The Orioles return to work tonight to begin a three-game series against the last-place Astros, who’ve the worst document within the American League at 11-18 and are 3-10 on the street
Es their supervisor protected?
General supervisor Dana Brown provided a vote of confidence to Joe Espada on Sunday morning, per a report in The Athletic. Brown blamed the 15 gamers on the injured record, most within the majors, and pitching that “hasn’t been up to par.”
“We’re walking a ton of guys,” Brown stated. “I can’t start pointing the finger at Joe because we’re walking a ton of guys and we’re banged up.”
Espada’s brother-in-law, Brandon Hyde, and Red Sox supervisor Alex Cora have been fired the final two years whereas their groups have been in Baltimore. Espada ought to make it out alive. But the Orioles will attempt to pile on whereas additionally rebounding from shedding two of three to Boston.
The off-day would possibly function a reset.
It additionally offered time to ponder the next:
*Taylor Ward was anticipated to rank among the many workforce leaders in house runs, whether or not a spot forward or behind the Polar Bear. He hit 25 with the Angels in 2024 and a career-high 36 final season whereas slashing .228/.317/.475 in 157 video games.
“There’s a lot to like with Taylor Ward,” president of baseball operations Mike Elias stated in November. “He’s truly somebody that we have been chasing for at least a couple of years, simply due to the profile, the large right-handed energy.
“He really fit us, and there weren’t a lot of big power right-handed guys on the market this year.”
Power was the purpose of the presentation with Ward, however he is hit one house run in 28 video games and it did not come till April 19 in Cleveland. However, Ward leads the membership’s certified batters with 34 hits, 13 doubles, a .312 common, .424 on-base share, .883 OPS and 21 walks.
“It’s a professional at-bat every single time,” stated supervisor Craig Albernaz. “He would not take any at-bats off, would not take any pitches off. I really feel like each at-bat he has, it is both a 2-2 rely or a 3-2 rely. And he works the pitcher. It would not matter the rating, it would not matter the state of affairs. He has a nice plan at the plate. He would not chase. He forces pitchers within the strike zone and he has the flexibility to hit line drives everywhere in the discipline, and that is a credit score to him.
“Personally, it’s so much fun watching him hit.”
Ward by no means had a four-hit recreation in 2,833 plate appearances with the Angels. He’s executed it thrice with the Orioles.
“I take a lot of pride in it,” Ward stated final week when requested about getting on base. “I imply, I simply suppose that swinging at good pitches, engaged on the stuff within the cage, takes care of itself. It’s good to see every part I’m doing paying off.
“I think I’m more selective, for sure. I just think I’m really hunting the location I’m looking for. Being willing to be behind in accounts and, I mean, just trusting it. I think it has changed a little bit. A little more patient and I’m just able to trust myself more right now.”
*No one is shedding belief in Pete Alonso or questioning whether or not he’ll bear down and begin hitting.
Alonso is working arduous however getting little reward for it. He’s hitting .196/.301/.336 with six doubles, three homers, 10 RBIs, 15 walks and 32 strikeouts in 28 video games. Expected to mash lefties, he is gone 4-for-30 with no homers against them.
The frustration exhibits on his face as he walks via the clubhouse, a lot completely different than spring coaching.
Alonso is a profession .261/.354/.516 hitter in March/April. In his ultimate season with the Mets, he slashed .343/.474/.657 with 11 doubles, seven homers and 28 RBIs, 23 walks and 20 strikeouts within the first 31 video games. I’ve anticipated a a lot quicker begin.
“This is not my standard,” he stated. “Results-wise, yeah, it is unacceptable for me, and I might be higher.
“I know, for me, if I’m not producing in big spots with guys on base, it’s not good for the team. I will be better. I feel bad. A lot of people believe in me, and I believe in myself, but I’m not delivering results. I will. I just haven’t. But I will.”
Alonso made this vow on April 10. He’s gone 12-for-56 (.214), together with 1-for-13 within the Red Sox series.
“It looks like he’s trying to handle too much as far as the prep in his approach, which is not always a bad thing,” Albernaz stated final month. “But also, it’s like he’s kind of searching a little bit on that end. It’s not his swing. It’s just more of the pitches to hit and what he’s taking and then what he’s swinging at.”
The greatest is but to come back. A workforce that hasn’t been above .500 since April 14 or greater than two video games above all of it season wants it to occur shortly.
*Coby Mayo wasn’t in Sunday’s lineup against Red Sox left-hander Connelly Early. Blaze Alexander performed third base till Colton Cowser pinch-hit for him within the eighth inning, singled and scored.
In Mayo’s final 4 begins, he is gone 5-for-15 with three house runs and 7 RBIs. A pair of three-run pictures in Kansas City traveled 439 and 452 toes. His double on Saturday was 112.8 mph off the bat. I lined out to heart discipline at 104.2 mph.
There’s a lot of floor to make as much as attain respectable numbers. Mayo is batting .188/.273/.362 in 23 video games. Alexander is hitting .172/.238/.190 with one RBI in 22 video games. Westburg is not shut to creating its 2026 debut. This is Mayo’s likelihood to get extra common enjoying time.
Can I take full benefit of it?
Albernaz thinks a higher method, which the membership led him to, goes to be vital.
What works for one hitter might be detrimental to a different. Tailoring makes for a higher match than off the rack.
“Me as a younger participant arising, coaches used to say, ‘You wish to let the ball journey, let the ball get deep.’ And when Coby was looking early within the 12 months, he was attempting to try this, however from our perspective that is counterproductive to what Coby does properly,” Albernaz stated.
“When Coby’s going proper, he is catching the ball out entrance. He’s capable of get that changeup that was down and get out entrance, that is the place his swing is, and that is how he maximizes his bat velocity. And we’re seeing that proper now with him catching the ball out entrance with the 2 homers in KC and the house run (Friday) evening. To me, it is Coby.
“Like we talk about with everyone, we just want Coby to be Coby. Then, when Coby’s going right, he’s catching that ball out front. So we just want to keep pushing him in that direction.”
Also price mentioning is that Mayo retains doing early work at third base, simply as he did at first final summer season.
*Samuel Basallo’s numbers are on the rise. His common is as much as .233, his OBP to .325 and his slugging to .452.
Basallo’s 5 house runs are tied with Jeremiah Jackson for second on the workforce behind Gunnar Henderson’s 9. In his final 4 video games with an at-bat, the rookie catcher is 9-for-16 with a double and two house runs. His 111 mph line drive with a 20 diploma launch angle Friday evening traveled 395 toes and cleared the fence in right-center discipline. The swing on Sunday’s homer appeared easy, however the ball traveled 392 toes to proper at 101.5 mph.
“He has the stupidest juice I’ve seen,” Henderson stated.
*Jackson was batting .340/.345/.604 on April 15 and was 12-for-25 in his final six video games. He has a hit in six others since that date, together with a three-run homer in Cleveland, however he is now slashing .270/.290/.461.
Jackson is 5-for-29 for the reason that house run at Progressive Field. He’s enjoying daily at second base.
Maybe the off-day energizes him. Otherwise, perhaps we see Blaze Alexander getting some begins at second to ease up a little on Jackson. Just one thing to regulate because the Orioles end their homestand and journey to New York and Miami.
*The Orioles are dealing with Astros right-handers Kai-Wei Teng, Peter Lambert and Lance McCullers Jr. within the three-game series.
That’s extra prefer it.
They did not see a left-hander till Arizona’s Eduardo Rodríguez of their 18th recreation. They’re 0-6 against them, although the group consists of Cleveland’s Parker Messick, who no-hit them for eight innings, and Boston’s Garrett Crochet and Early.
As lengthy as we’re obsessing over small samples, the Orioles are hitting .222 with a .687 OPS against southpaws.
“The lefties that we’ve faced, they’ve been some of the best in the game,” stated Henderson, who homered off Early. “We know we can hit them. It’s just a matter of going out and doing it.”
*Mustard hasn’t gained a scorching canine race this season at Camden Yards.
How is that this not a greater story?
Ketchup completed first on Sunday for his eighth victory, adopted by Relish with seven. Nothing for Mustard, which normally is a aggressive condiment.
Notes: Double-A Chesapeake’s Trace Bright was named the Eastern League’s Pitcher of the Week. In two begins, Bright allowed one run and one hit with 15 strikeouts in eight innings.
Bright exited the primary begin with some again discomfort.
High-A Frederick’s Yeiber Cartaya was named the South Atlantic League’s Pitcher of the Week.
Cartaya made two reduction appearances and tossed eight scoreless innings with two hits and 14 strikeouts.
