​Good morning Birdland. Orioles pitchers have allowed just one total run over their last 18 innings, which is encouraging. Trevor Rogers has given up only one run in his last 18.1 innings, including five scoreless frames in the Orioles’ 3-0 win over the Reds on Friday night. His ERA has fallen from a season-worst 6.96 on May 24 to 4.70 now. That includes a six-start stretch in which he’s yielded seven earned runs over 35.2 innings, translating to a 1.77 ERA during that span. The key to returning to his 2025 form is keeping the ball in the yard. His strikeout and walk rates aren’t exceptional, but limiting loud contact matters more in this case. Rogers is an important piece for the Orioles this month. If they’re going to make a run, they’ll need a few more strong starts from him in July. If the bottom falls out, trading Rogers for a decent return at the deadline would be ideal, and it’s more feasible now than it was earlier in the year with this version of Rogers.
The team won’t go anywhere if the offense keeps sputtering, which has been a season-long issue. Gunnar Henderson appears rejuvenated in the leadoff spot, drawing two walks, stealing a base, and scoring a run on Friday. He’s 5-for-14 with four walks in the four games since Craig Albernaz put him atop the order. But as a group, the lineup has still been lethargic. They managed only four hits in last night’s win, and needed a standout performance from Rogers and the bullpen to stay afloat. That’s at the heart of the team’s struggles this year. You can point to injuries and inconsistent starting pitching, but the bigger problem is the offense—too few runs and not enough home runs to compensate for limited contact. The club was built with the expectation of an elite offense, and that hasn’t materialized. That puts extra pressure on today’s starter, Brandon Young, to be perfect. Credit to him—he has performed better this season than anyone expected. He isn’t “saving” the season on his own given the overall disappointment, but the difference between him and whoever else the Orioles might have called up from Triple-A Norfolk is likely worth a few wins. It would be great to see a bit more of that magic in Cincinnati this evening.
Links
Orioles Re-Sign Sam Huff To Minor League Deal | MLB Trade Rumors
The Orioles often do this with fringe players: designate-for-assignment them and quickly re-sign them to deals with a little more guaranteed money. Huff seems to be a solid defensive catcher who could be valuable, especially for SEO.