Hello, friends.
What a stinker yesterday, huh? These Orioles are just not yet prepared to let us feel good about them for too long. Every time they get what feels like a big win or maybe even two, they turn back around and do something like they did on Saturday, getting completely blasted by a last place Red Sox team, 17-1. Check out my recap of the embarrassing loss for more of the not-so-lovely totals.
For me, the takeaway from that loss is the way that it represents the continuation of two things
that have been trends early in the 2026 season. One is starting pitcher Trevor Rogers having multiple poor outings in a row. I’ve written before on here that I never believed he could or would drop another 1.81 ERA this year, but you could maybe hope – and I think the Orioles did hope – that he’d settle in as a low-mid-3s ERA kind of pitcher. After yesterday, he’s sitting at a 4.75 ERA for the year. It’s only been six starts, but still. Something’s going to have to change there for this Orioles team to do what we want to see them do.
After the game, Rogers said this to Orioles reporters:
Maybe it really was that stupid. Maybe Rogers got away from his typical routine, against the advice of the pitching coach, and that cost him. It might turn out to be true. It also might… not. There is nearly always some plausible-sounding explanation for why a guy sucks that is attached to, “Well, as soon as that’s fixed, he’ll be better.” We believed it going into last season for Adley Rutschman. We believed it going into this season for Gunnar Henderson and Colton Cowser. Sometimes it all bears out that way. Other times it’s cope.
The specific problem for Rogers yesterday was an inability to put guys away after getting to two strikes on them. You can count me skeptical that this was linked in any substantial way to what he did or didn’t do in his most recent side session between starts. If the Orioles keep everyone on the same turn instead of use Monday’s off day to skip someone, then we’ll get our next look at Rogers on Friday against the Yankees. That will tell the tale of whether this was an easily-fixable short-term issue or not.
The other early trend was demonstrated by the Orioles offense having nothing going on against lefty starter Garrett Crochet. They have yet to win a game started by a left-handed pitcher this season. That’s now an 0-5 record. It is early to worry about this as well. Although Crochet entered the game with an elevated ERA, he did have a Cy Young runner-up caliber season last year and much of his inflated ERA was one bad game. It’s a concern. There’s no point in my panicking about it mostly since nothing I feel about the Orioles impacts them in any way.
Guess what awaits the Orioles today? Another lefty starting pitcher! I would like to see them do a lot better. They’ll be facing rookie starter Connelly Early today. He’s done well for himself over nine starts between last year and this year, with a 2.64 ERA through 44.1 innings. Early is issuing an excessive number of walks to begin this season, which hopefully is something the Orioles lineup can make work in their favor. If they don’t, well, we’ll be one game deeper into the narrative.
In news connected to the current Orioles opponent, the Red Sox fired their manager Alex Cora and three coaches following yesterday’s game. And that’s the team that won the 17-1 game! I am here for any and all Red Sox dysfunction. I know better than to think this will make them any more likely to lose today’s series finale to the Orioles.
Orioles stuff you might have missed
Too early to panic about Trevor Rogers? (The Baltimore Sun)
There IS reason for a little optimism regarding Rogers in the advanced metrics. Some guys never quite line up with those metrics. It’s more fun when ones on the Orioles outperform the metrics rather than the other way around.
Concern may be mounting about Trevor Rogers (Steve on Baseball)
Included in here is a comment from manager Craig Albernaz, who noted Rogers’s fastball shape is not where it should be, and he thinks Rogers will be able to make that adjustment.
Keegan Akin reinstated from injured list (School of Roch)
Yesterday brought yet another roster move as Akin came off the injured list to make his 2026 debut. He gave up six runs in one inning plus some batters. Pretty bad! Another roster move is expected today as closer Ryan Helsley returns from the family leave/bereavement list.
Ben McDonald unwittingly mirrored a home run call from 34 years ago (The Baltimore Banner)
Someone on social media remembered a home run that Ben McDonald gave up in 1992 and the reaction to that home run by John Lowenstein on the Orioles broadcast of the time. That is not the kind of thing that stores in my memory.
Scouting Joseph Dzierwa: Projectable lefty impresses in High-A (Baseball America)
Subscription required to access the full article. Dzierwa – pronounced Jerva – is making an early impression on the pro scouting community with his performance this month.
Birthdays and Orioles anniversaries
In their 27th game one year ago, the Orioles were shut out by the Tigers to seal a three-game sweep and fall to 10-17 on the season. Batters struck out 11 times in six innings facing eventual Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal. Dean Kremer was no good, allowing five runs in a 5.2 inning start. For the time being, the Orioles are three wins ahead of last year’s squad.
One lone former Oriole was born on this day. That’s 1962 five-game catcher Nate Smith, who passed away in 2019 at age 84.
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday to you! Your birthday buddies for today include: ornithologist John James Audubon (1785), early blues figure Ma Rainey (1886), Maryland-born developer James Rouse (1914), architect I. M. Pei (1917), martial artist/actor Jet Li (1963), and actor Channing Tatum (1980).
On this day in history…
In 1564, William Shakespeare was baptized; his exact date of birth is unknown, with April 23 getting the informal recognition because that’s the day he died in 1616.
In 1865, John Wilkes Booth was killed by cavalry soldiers after a 12-day manhunt following his assassination of President Lincoln.
In 1937, the Spanish town of Guernica was bombed by German and Italian forces intervening in the Spanish Civil War on behalf of the future dictator Franco. Pablo Picasso shortly afterwards painted his famous work Guernica as a response to this event.
In 1986, the number 4 reactor in the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in modern-day Ukraine (then the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic within the Soviet Union) exploded. This remains the worst nuclear plant-related disaster in history.
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And that’s the way it is in Birdland on April 26. Have a safe Sunday. Go O’s!
