CLEVELAND - The Orioles must make it through the last three games of this road trip and the six that await them at home before their first playoff exposure since 2016. They don’t know whether they’re beginning at Camden Yards in the Division Series or as the top wild card.

Those are the two possibilities.

I’ve got three more questions as the club focuses on the present but also considers how to construct a postseason roster.

What’s the plan for Tyler Wells?

Or, is there a plan for Tyler Wells beyond monitoring his progress in the minors?

CLEVELAND – If the Guardians couldn’t get a run off Grayson Rodriguez tonight, maybe they’d just concentrate on getting him out of the game. Build up his pitch count with extended at-bats fueled by foul balls, dive into an Orioles bullpen that’s screaming for rest.

Rodriguez kept escaping jams to record four scoreless innings, but the Guardians broke through with two runs in the fifth. DL Hall began to warm, staying on an unplanned schedule of being used every other day.

Hall was summoned in the sixth after Rodriguez threw 99 pitches, the last striking out Kole Calhoun. The Guardians got their wish, and eventually a win.

The Orioles battled back to tie the game in the eighth, but Cionel Pérez loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom half of the inning, Ramón Laureano drew a full-count walk against Jacob Webb and the Guardians scored two more runs in a 5-2 victory at Progressive Field.

Coupled with the Rays’ walk-off win earlier today, the Orioles (95-58) saw their division lead shrink to 1 ½ games and their magic number for clinching stay at seven. They’re 50-28 on the road.

CLEVELAND – The trainers’ room on the visiting side at Progressive Field attracted a large crowd this afternoon.

The Orioles didn’t have injury issues. It wasn't about receiving treatment.

They had a strong curiosity about the finish of the Rays-Angels game, and that's the television they chose over the ones inside their clubhouse.

Tampa Bay rallied for a 5-4 win and reduced the Orioles’ division lead to two games. The magic number holds at seven to clinch it.

Players gathered to watch the ending and reacted to every missed opportunity by the Angels to help them. A botched double-play grounder in the ninth set up the Rays for the walk-off. The groans were audible.

CLEVELAND – The Orioles’ magic number is down to seven to clinch the American League East, and they begin their final road series of the regular season with Aaron Hicks playing right field.

Hicks was out of the lineup the past two days after leaving Monday’s game with hamstring cramps.

Jordan Westburg is the third baseman tonight and Gunnar Henderson is the shortstop.

Anthony Santander is serving as the designated hitter. Ryan O’Hearn is batting cleanup and playing first base.

Rookie Grayson Rodriguez is making his 22^nd start. He’s never faced the Guardians.

HOUSTON – Had the Orioles discovered a way to more accurately predict Ryan Mountcastle’s recovery from an injury to his left shoulder, they wouldn’t have waited until yesterday to remove him from the active roster. The data would have driven them.

Mountcastle kept making incremental gains in his recovery. Manager Brandon Hyde told the media on multiple occasions that the first baseman was “a little better” and might be available off the bench, at least in the field.

A few attempts to hit in the cage demolished the optimism that was building.

The description of left shoulder soreness was replaced by a more specific term - AC joint inflammation. Located at the tip of the shoulder where the scapula and clavicle come together.

Most injuries in this area start to improve within a week but can take much longer for a full recovery depending on the severity. The Orioles are hoping that Mountcastle is ready when eligible to come back.

HOUSTON – Kyle Bradish needed to be the stopper today on a team with a winning streak.

The right-hander and staff ace was tasked with halting the deluge of phone calls from the visiting dugout to the bullpen, to restore a sense of calm and resume his dominance of the Astros.

Bradish did what he could with six scoreless innings and nine strikeouts, lowering his ERA to 3.01 and raising his quality start total to 17, but what happens after he leaves?

Jacob Webb preserved a slim lead in the seventh, but Shintaro Fujinami issued a pair of walks in the eighth that set up Jeremy Peña for a game-tying double off Mike Baumann.

Manager Brandon Hyde turned to Danny Coulombe in the ninth and the game was over after three batters. A chance at a 10th series sweep was gone.

HOUSTON – The Orioles couldn’t wait any longer on Ryan Mountcastle.

The latest attempt to hit in the cage this morning didn’t show any improvement in his shoulder, and Mountcastle is going on the 10-day injured list with left AC joint inflammation.

Outfielder Ryan McKenna is flying to Houston as the corresponding roster move. He will be on the bench this afternoon.

Mountcastle was injured after fouling off a pitch in the first inning of last Wednesday’s game against the Cardinals at Camden Yards. He was removed in the third.

The move can be backdated three days, making Mountcastle eligible to return on Sept. 27 in Baltimore.

HOUSTON – Ryan Mountcastle remains out of the Orioles lineup for the seventh game in a row, as the first leg of the road trip concludes this afternoon.

Heston Kjerstad is receiving his third consecutive start, again serving as the designated hitter.

Gunnar Henderson is the shortstop, with Ramón Urías at third base. Adam Frazier is at second base, and Jordan Westburg is on the bench.

The club didn’t announce any roster moves this morning.

Kyle Bradish is 11-7 with a 3.12 ERA and 1.087 WHIP in 27 starts. He’s registered 16 quality starts.

HOUSTON – Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said he doesn’t have a player in the clubhouse who’s in completely good health. He can’t even find anyone who registers at 90 percent.

The usual wear and tear as the season inches toward fall. As the body begins to rebel.

“All of these guys are playing with stuff right now,” Hyde said.

Ryan O’Hearn isn’t slowing down. He's got the right stuff.

O'Hearn was 8-for-13 in his last three games before last night and 19-for-51 (.373) this month with five doubles, two home runs and 12 RBIs.

HOUSTON – The homer hose is curled up like a snake on the Orioles’ bench, retaining its name and purpose. Only water is poured into it unless the celebration is tied to a clinching. And it can strike at any moment.

Ryan O’Hearn chugged from it in the first inning tonight, and Austin Hays took his turn in the third. Hays guzzled again in the seventh, as did rookie Heston Kjerstad. Hydrating in Houston and hoisting the Orioles closer to a division title.

O’Hearn and Hays accounted for five early runs, twice providing leads, and the Orioles kept mashing in a 9-5 victory over the Astros before an announced crowd of 35,050 at Minute Maid Park.

The magic number is eight to claim the first American League East title since 2014. The Rays also won and remain 2 ½ games behind the Orioles.

The bullpen covered 4 1/3 innings, including two by Jack Flaherty, and the Orioles won their 95^th game and 31^st series. They’ll attempt to record their 10^th sweep before flying to Cleveland.

HOUSTON – Jack Flaherty is moving to the bullpen.

Orioles manager Brandon Hyde is starting Kyle Bradish in Wednesday afternoon’s series finale in Houston, and rookie Grayson Rodriguez gets the ball Thursday night in Cleveland.

In a six-man rotation, Flaherty would have taken his next turn Thursday in his eighth game with the Orioles since the deadline trade. He’s carrying a 7.11 ERA and 1.674 WHIP in 31 2/3 innings since leaving the Cardinals.

Flaherty hasn’t worked more than 4 2/3 innings in three starts this month, and he hasn’t reached the same level of effectiveness as in his debut in Toronto, when he allowed one run in six frames.

The switch to relief isn’t necessarily a permanent assignment.

HOUSTON - Aaron Hicks is out of tonight’s Orioles lineup after leaving last night’s game in the ninth inning with cramping in his hamstring. However, Hicks is walking without a limp today and said he should be available.

“I feel good today,” Hicks said.  “I can play today. I’m good to go. Just got to hydrate and get things going a little quicker than normal.”

Hicks slid into second base last night and felt the hamstring grab, but it became much worse after he was ready to run onto the field for the bottom of the ninth.

“Obviously, it was enough to where I couldn’t finish the inning,” he said.

“I feel amazing because the last thing you want to happen is for it to keep happening. Today, I feel really good. I’ve been hydrating a lot. So, I’ll be good to go if I have to come in later in the game.”

HOUSTON – Mike Baumann could have missed it.

The Orioles recalled Baumann from Triple-A Norfolk on Saturday, one day before they clinched a playoff berth and popped champagne corks. Baumann was soaked in beer and bubbly. He almost had a dry September.

The timing was ideal for Baumann, who swapped roster spots with reliever Bryan Baker.

“I was very happy to be a part of it,” he said. “I love these guys in the clubhouse and they’ve been working so hard this year. To be able to celebrate that moment was very special.”

Baumann broke camp with the team in a new role. The Orioles settled on him as a reliever who’d work in shorter bursts. Forget the rotation. Forget the responsibility to provide length out of the bullpen.

HOUSTON – Orioles manager Brandon Hyde ran out of pitching. He also was running out of ideas.

His club regained the lead over the Astros tonight on Cedric Mullins’ three-run homer in the top of the ninth inning, and he had to get creative to avoid losing control of the situation. But typical of the 2023 Orioles, they figured it out.

They seem to thrive on weird.

Aaron Hicks came out of the game in the bottom half of the inning with a cramp, creating a chain reaction and some confusion in the Orioles’ 8-7 win before a stunned crowd of 34,456 at Minute Maid Park.

Cionel Pérez inherited the ninth and recorded two outs after Hyde surrendered his designated hitter by putting Heston Kjerstad in left field and moving Austin Hays to right. Ramón Urías entered at third base and committed a throwing error on a routine chopper by Yordan Álvarez.

HOUSTON – The Orioles have moved on from the party.

They went wild yesterday after clinching a playoff berth, but arrived in Houston with their focus on the seven-game road trip and winning the American League East for the first time since 2014.

“I wanted our guys to enjoy the flight, but I think we’ve done a nice job turning the page,” said manager Brandon Hyde. “We just had our advance meeting and I thought that went really well. I thought guys were in tune to facing (Justin) Verlander today. John Means is ready on the mound. I think we pitched a lot of guys yesterday, had to, but I feel like our guys are ready to play today.”

Center fielder Cedric Mullins, whose sacrifice fly scored the winning run in the 11^th inning, said the mindset shifted on the charter.

“We were making sure we got our rest,” he said. “It’s hard to sleep on a plane sometimes, but get as much as you can, especially after an intense game like that. I think the energy level here is really high, continuing to push forward after the clinch. Now, we want to win the division.”

HOUSTON – John Means is making his second start tonight since returning from Tommy John surgery, as the Orioles begin their last road trip of the regular season in Houston.

Means faced the Cardinals on Tuesday and allowed three runs in five innings. The Astros and Orioles are the only teams that he’s never faced in the American League.

Means has a 1.99 ERA in 11 career starts against AL West opponents. His last road start in the West was the no-hitter in Seattle in 2021.

José Abreu is 3-for-7 with a double and home run against Means.

Ryan Mountcastle is out of the lineup for the fifth game in a row with left shoulder discomfort. Heston Kjerstad makes his second start, serving as designated hitter.

Ryan Mountcastle called it “the greatest day of my life.” Ryan O’Hearn laid down a sacrifice bunt in the 11^th inning, mentioned the number of times James McCann performed the same unselfish act and said, “I love this team.”

Félix Bautista walked around the clubhouse with a cigar and a smile, and nobody was more aggressive spraying champagne than the injured closer, who threw his first bullpen session yesterday since suffering a partial tear in his ulnar collateral ligament. The elbow didn’t slow his celebration.

Heston Kjerstad arrived Thursday, received only four at-bats, and was treated like family. If your family circles you with champagne and beer bottles and empties them over your head. And dumps you in a laundry cart and takes you for a spin, which explained the ice water forming large puddles on the sheets of plastic covering the clubhouse floor.

The Orioles know how to win and to celebrate. They honored their veterans who spent the most seasons exposed to the painful rebuild, and the athletic youngsters who sped the recovery process.

They made sure that everyone in the organization felt loved yesterday. There were no outsiders. Rankings in the organization didn’t matter. High ranking officials or public relations staff. You were joining the fray and getting doused. You were invited – no, urged – to partake in the homer hose.

Cedric Mullins stood between first and second base, fists clenched, eyes fixed on his dugout. Teammates raced out of it. A fly ball that otherwise would be routine suddenly meant everything.

The Orioles clinched their first playoff berth since 2016, and they knew it two innings before the final out, with the Rangers losing in Cleveland. But they wanted the win. Take care of their own business.

Rays center fielder Manual Margot drifted back, made the catch and got out of the way as Adley Rutschman sprinted to the plate in the bottom of the 11^th. He knew what was about to happen. He's been there.

Austin Hays ran onto the field with a water cooler hoisted above his head as Mullins was mobbed in a 5-4 win. Manager Brandon Hyde stayed back, soaking in the scene before he’d get drenched inside the clubhouse.

“As soon as I hit it, I knew it was deep enough to get the run in, and I just see everybody swarming me,” Mullins said. “It’s a great feeling. Being able to get the walk-off is one thing, but to hit the walk-off and we also clinched just added onto it. An amazing feeling. I think we’re all really just kind of feeling how our perseverance has continued to bring us success through it.”

The Orioles are on the threshold of their first playoff berth in seven years.

They need a win today or a Rangers or Mariners loss to clinch.

Gunnar Henderson, who’s leading off again, tied and surpassed Cal Ripken Jr.’s single-season team rookie record for most runs scored with his 91^st last night. His 27 home runs are tied with Eddie Murray for third-most.

Adley Rutschman is the designated hitter today. Ryan O’Hearn is playing first base and batting cleanup.

Ryan Mountcastle remains out of the lineup with left shoulder discomfort.

The Orioles today can clinch their first playoff berth since 2016. Can’t really think about the division crown until finishing the first order of business.

The rebuild is behind them. I mean, really behind them. Like, pushed out of a car that speeds away.

Let’s dump out some of the contents of the mailbag, the latest sequel to the beloved 2008 original. And I'll keep stressing over missing my granddaughter's third birthday party because the Orioles could clinch.

Maybe I can attend both. But why bore you with my life?

You should know how the mailbag works. How I don’t edit for style, length, brevity or clarity. But you should cut back on the Claritin if it causes headaches, drowsiness, fatigue, dry mouth, dizziness or stomach side effects such as nausea or diarrhea. Contact your healthcare provider if these side effects become too bothersome.