Hello, friends.
The Orioles added another disappointing game on an “honor a part of the team’s history” day with yesterday’s 1-0 loss to the Brewers. You would easily think that Trevor Rogers pitching eight innings while striking out batters would have meant a win on the day that the team hosted the honorary “retire as an Oriole” festivities for Trey Mancini. Alas, no! The Orioles mustered four hits, still more than the Brewers did, and still they lost. Check out Andrea’s recap of the game for more of the not-so-lovely
totals.
Any slim postseason hopes have crashed with the losses in the last two games, each of which was stupid in their own way. Even if the Orioles run the table at this point, 82-80 isn’t likely to get them there. They probably won’t be mathematically eliminated before Tuesday. If they play better, they’ll push that back a day or three. They don’t look like they’re going to play better.
The real news from yesterday is that Mike Elias spoke to Orioles media ahead of yesterday’s game and indicated he’s expecting to return, and that manager Craig Albernaz will also return. That probably means there won’t be a David Rubenstein-induced surprise in another eight days.
This is likely not a welcome series of news for people who’ve watched the season play out; I’ve gone in on Albernaz a few times as the season has gone along and did so again after watching Friday’s loss. I don’t think he’ll be better next year. I don’t think he’s going to go home this offseason and think about it and come back as a different guy. We’re stuck with him until Elias is gone. Not much to do but hope for the best even when it’s unlikely we’ll get it.
Elias is, at least, sort of signaling that maybe things will go a little differently in the front office. Recent days have seen the director of player development Matt Blood depart, and analytics guru Sig Mejdal had his title adjusted to reflect more working with technology than overseeing analytics. The idea of hiring a subordinate general manager to Elias has come up again; The Baltimore Banner’s Andy Kostka reported that a source says the O’s are looking for a potential GM with a player development background to complement Elias’s scouting background, with the idea of finding someone from outside the organization who might have different ideas of doing things.
There is some potential here for things to change. Kostka’s source indicated that the Orioles ownership would be involved in the search for front office additions. If this is the way we’re seeing the top level think that things need to go differently – not firing Elias outright but making sure he knows he’s got to try to change how he’s doing things – then that’s a plus. One could certainly view it all cynically and think Elias will just hire somebody who is going to tell him that everything is going great and that he’s doing everything right already.
This is not a ship that can turn quickly. The offseason may afford even fewer chances to turn the ship, since player movement is going to be shut down as soon as the owners collective greed leads to an immediate lockout as soon as the CBA expires in December. If things play out on a similar timetable as the last round of negotiations, there’ll be nothing happening in December and January and early February, no trades or signings. 2027, who knows?
The 2026 Orioles already had their “Iceberg, right ahead!” moment where they could not avert the disaster. The ship is rapidly sinking. The captain is not going down with this ship. They play another game at 7:20 tonight, which will air only on Peacock.
Orioles stuff you might have missed
Félix Bautista activated; Helsley and O’Neill officially done for 2026 (Orioles.com)
Not to be lost from yesterday’s news, the Mountain is back with the Orioles. Maybe we’ll see him pitch today. Maybe it won’t be depressing.
Trey Mancini signs one-day contract to retire an Oriole: ‘One of the great honors of my life’ (The Baltimore Banner)
Kostka’s write-up of the honorary contract and retirement from yesterday. Mancini might have been able to walk out into an Orioles uniform for a day and improve that lineup.
Joseph Dzierwa sees his outstanding year on Orioles farm as “a combination of everything” (Steve on Baseball)
If you have been paying attention to Orioles prospects this year, you probably caught Dzierwa fever as the season went along.
Prospect review: Stiven Martinez might have found something (Orioles On The Verge)
Martinez was on my preliminary list for getting a Camden Chat prospect review post, but didn’t end up making the final cut. The folks at On The Verge are a bit more interested.
Birthdays and Orioles anniversaries
Today in 1958, knuckleballer Hoyt Wilhelm threw a no-hitter in a 1-0 victory over the Yankees. This was the first no-hitter in Orioles history, and the last time in the 20th century that the Yankees were no-hit.
In 1998, Cal Ripken Jr. did not play in a game, ending his consecutive games played streak at 2,632. Atlanta’s Matt Olson is the active leader with 932 consecutive games – 8th place on the all-time list.
There are a few former Orioles who were born on this day. They are: 2014 infielder Steve Lombardozzi, 1990 outfielder Dave Gallagher, and 1972 pitcher Roric Harrison.
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday to you! Your birthday buddies for today include: novelist Upton Sinclair (1878), actress Sophia Loren (1934), and author George R. R. Martin (1948).
On this day in history…
In 1519, Ferdinand Magellan’s expedition to circumnavigate the globe set sail from Sanlúcar de Barrameda in southern Spain. Nearly three full years later, one of the five ships and 40 of the 270 men returned successfully. Magellan did not survive.
In 1946, the first Cannes Film Festival was held. The original plan was for the first festival to take place in 1939. That plan was interrupted by World War II.
In 1973, Billie Jean King was victorious in the “Battle of the Sexes” tennis match against Bobby Riggs.
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And that’s the way it is in Birdland on September 20. Have a safe Sunday. Go O’s!
