Before we get to the holiday leftovers and play the game of “does this smell OK,” we should dig a little deeper into the mailbag.

Grab a shovel.

My editing consisted of thinking “maybe I should” and changing it to “absolutely not.”

The bullpen sorely lacked strikeouts in 2024. Was that due more to lousy luck or the arms not having strong "out" pitches? How do they improve on that in 2025?
The Orioles ranked 22^nd in relief strikeouts with 571. They were 14^th in 2023 with 614, and the total would have been higher with a healthy September from Félix Bautista. His return figures to ramp up the Ks. A full season from Seranthony Domínguez, who averages 10.4 per nine innings in his career, also is going to make a difference. You could say the same about Gregory Soto, who averaged 11.2 with the Phillies and 10.7 with the Orioles. Yennier Cano struck out 65 batters to match last year’s total, but he did it in 60 innings compared to 72 2/3 in 2023. Keegan Akin has averaged 10.3 and 11.1 the past two seasons in 23 2/3 and 78 2/3 innings, respectively. Danny Coulombe averaged 9.7, but only in 29 2/3 innings due to his elbow surgery. How was this team 22^nd?

I see that Cedric Mullins is now a member of the Executive Committee for the MLBPA. I'd be interested in knowing what is currently being discussed and how Cedric feels about being part of the inner workings of the Players Association.
That isn’t a question. Me, too, and he’ll be asked about it if he’s at the Birdland Caravan or in spring training.

A new Baseball America O’s top 10 prospects list dropped this week. Before or even after you get to your Turkey today, take a look at the list and a few thoughts on each player.

1 – Catcher Samuel Basallo: The big man with the big bat ascends to the top spot. Now it’s a matter of time before he makes his MLB debut. A shining star for the O’s international program, he now has plenty of company among the O’s top 30 with numerous other international talents.

He played in the Futures Game in July and Minor League Baseball named him as the Top MLB Prospect in the Double-A-Eastern League. He moved to Triple-A late in the year, where, after a 7-for-44 start, he batted .297 with an .810 OPS his last 11 Triple-A Norfolk games.

2 – Infielder Coby Mayo: Another big man with a big bat. The minor league numbers were pretty special, but he was swinging and missing a ton in his brief time with the Orioles. Patience needed here. Once Mayo hits that first 450-foot shot in the majors, plenty of more are likely to follow. Biggest question for his future – what position will he play?

3 – Outfielder Heston Kjerstad: He has been on the O’s playoff rosters the last two Octobers. Now he could be the replacement in right field if Anthony Santander's signs with another club. The No. 2 pick in the 2020 MLB Draft, the O’s soon need to figure out what they have here. He’s had 814 plate appearances in Double-A and Triple-A over the 2023 and 2024 seasons.

TORONTO – Orioles infielder Jordan Westburg has not played since he was hit by a pitch July 31 against Toronto and suffered a fractured right hand.

With the O’s set to play the Blue Jays again, this time north of the border, Westburg was quite upbeat today about making it back to the Orioles before the regular season winds down.

“It’s hard to tell. It just comes down how quickly the bone heals and how quickly I can progress,” Westburg said this afternoon in the visitor’s clubhouse with his arm wrapped and using a splint. “I am just taking it one day at a time and personally, I’m optimistic I can be back before the end of the season. I am going to do everything I can to get back out there.”

Do the doctors share that optimism?

“Well, I don’t have any concrete timetable right now. Just trying to be optimistic and set my attitude and worry about taking it one day at a time,” said Westburg, batting .269 with an .815 OPS in 101 games.

These things have a way of working themselves out. It’s more than just a catchy phrase suitable for stitching on a pillow.

Connor Norby was blocked at second base until he wasn’t. Injuries open doors and Norby is walking through one of them.

Jorge Mateo’s elbow injury is going to keep him off the active roster for an extended period. It’s called a “subluxation,” which is a partial dislocation. It corrected itself somewhere between Gunnar Henderson’s leg and the ground last night as they pursued a ball headed toward center field.

The Orioles haven’t determined whether Mateo needs surgery, but at least it isn’t a full dislocation. I’m not a doctor, but partial doesn’t seem quite as serious. However, it's a lot more than a mere 10-day absence.

In the meantime, here’s Norby, the No. 5 prospect in the organization who hit .297 with 21 doubles, a triple, 16 home runs, 57 RBIs and a .908 OPS in 80 games with Triple-A Norfolk but couldn’t get an extended stay in Baltimore. In pre-Mike Elias years, he would have been playing every day after probably receiving the organization’s Minor League Player of the Year Award. But it’s 2024 and the system is much deeper, making it harder for players like Norby to climb out of it.

MIAMI - The Orioles have recalled infielder Connor Norby for the series finale today at Miami and infielder Jorge Mateo goes to the 10-day injured list with a left elbow subluxation. Norby is in the O's lineup today and batting eighth. The move is retroactive to yesterday.

The club also recalled pitcher Bryan Baker and optioned right-hander Chayce McDermott, who started yesterday,  to Triple-A.

A road trip that began with two wins amid promise last Friday in Texas ends this afternoon in Miami with the Orioles looking to reverse a slide.

A slide that has seen them losing three games in a row scoring just eight runs. They have also lost eight of 11 and 10 of their past 15. They are only 11-16 since June 21. 

A loss today and the Orioles would have a four-game losing streak and a pair of five-game losing streaks since June 21.

MIAMI - We thought when the Orioles produced a winning season in 2022, winning 83 games which was 31 more than the year before, that they had stopped the losing. We were further convinced they had stopped the losing last season with 101 wins and their first AL East title since 2014.

The dark days were gone.

They have returned to the Orioles, who must prove to all of us that this is just temporary. But with each lackluster performance and each loss, the phrase "this too shall pass" does not seem as reasonable and appropriate as it once did.

Is the latest losing run a bump in the road or a bigger pothole - one that could derail what just recently looked like a special season was possible? 

These Orioles still have World Series hopes, right?

The Orioles close out their road trip this afternoon in Miami, trying to avoid being swept by a team with the worst record in the National League, and get ready for another reunion with Manny Machado, whose only previous return to Camden Yards happened in 2019.

Their roster was adjusted again yesterday but didn’t involve a trade. Chayce McDermott had his contract selected from Triple-A Norfolk, reliever Bryan Baker was optioned and pitcher Jonathan Heasley was designated for assignment to create room on the 40-man roster. The move with Baker was made late Tuesday night.

Right shoulder inflammation prevented Heasley from pitching since June 11, when he started against Memphis and allowed two runs in 5 1/3 innings. He surrendered six runs and nine hits in 2 1/3 in his previous start at Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, but he was really good in May with 16 scoreless innings with the Tides.

Heasley also made one appearance with the Orioles that month and allowed four runs in one inning against the White Sox in Chicago. He was transferred to the 60-day injured list on Monday.

The injury should make it easier for Heasley to clear waivers and be outrighted if the Orioles want to hold onto him.

MIAMI – In his major league debut tonight, Orioles right-hander Chayce McDermott handled himself well, throwing three scoreless innings and one where he got in trouble. 

But with the Baltimore offense not doing much this series, basically since the fourth inning last night, that poor inning looked like it would be enough to beat him tonight.

However, after going scoreless through five innings tonight and over their previous 11 innings this series, the O’s finally got the big hit they needed in the top of the sixth.

With the bases loaded and two outs, Colton Cowser’s three-run double down the right-field line off reliever Huascar Brazoban tied the game 3-3. Just like that the Orioles had their first extra-base hit this series and three huge runs.

But that tie didn't hold.

MIAMI – After a series-opening 6-3 loss in Miami last night, the Orioles take the field tonight looking to turn around their recent poor play and even this series.

They do it with right-hander Chayce McDermott making his big league debut on the mound. The 2023 Jim Palmer Award winner as the O’s Minor League Pitcher of the Year was 3-5 with a 3.96 ERA at Triple-A Norfolk. Over 91 innings in 20 games, he had a 5.34 walks-per-nine-innings rate and 12.76 strikeouts-per-nine-innings rate.

He leads the International League in strikeouts and is tied for the overall minor league lead.

Ranked as the O’s No. 6 prospect by Baseball America, he is No. 7 via MLBPipeline.com, which provides 60 grades on his fastball and slider and 45 for his control.

In 10 Triple-A games to end the 2023 season, McDermott pitched to an ERA of 2.49 and 1.01 WHIP and felt then he was on the way to making command gains.

MIAMI – As of the time of Brandon Hyde's pregame press update with the media this afternoon, the Orioles still do not know if infielder Jorge Mateo is headed to the injured list.

He collided with shortstop Gunnar Henderson in the third inning last night while going for a grounder up the middle. His left elbow got badly twisted and he left the game. Initial X-rays were negative, but Mateo was headed last night for further testing. He was not in the clubhouse today during the media access time.

“He’s got an MRI this afternoon. We’re awaiting results on that. He was getting tested last night and then today,” said Hyde. “So we’re hoping for the best, but the results haven’t come back yet."

Hyde said Connor Norby was not yet at loadDepot park.

“He is flying in. He’s going to be on taxi (squad) tonight,” said Hyde. “He’s flying in tonight. We’re waiting on Mateo’s results and other stuff, so he’ll be on taxi for tonight’s game.”

MIAMI – The Orioles made a few roster moves to get right-hander Chayce McDermott from the taxi squad to the active roster. He will make his big league debut tonight and get the start on the mound versus the Marlins.

To get McDermott on the active roster, right-hander Bryan Baker was optioned to Triple-A Norfolk. To add him to the 40-man roster, right-hander Jonathan Heasley was designated for assignment.

McDermott will wear No. 60.

Over 20 games at Triple-A, he went 3-5 with a 3.96 ERA. In 91 innings, he had a 5.34 walks-per-nine-innings rate and 12.76 strikeouts-per-nine-innings rate.

McDermott leads the International League in strikeouts and is tied for the overall minor league lead.

MIAMI – It is an interesting lead-up to the trade deadline this time around in the Orioles clubhouse. Interesting in that the players who are being rumored and speculated about by media and fans alike are players mostly not currently in the Baltimore clubhouse.

There has been more speculation about prospects a step below at Triple-A and questions about whether the O’s deal some of their highest-rated young talent.

I asked Ryan O’Hearn, a veteran of a few deadlines with two teams, how the pre-deadline lead-up has been this year in the Baltimore clubhouse.

“I think guys maybe, a story comes out and they might pay attention to it a little bit. But not to a great degree,” he said. “I know when the deadline is, but don’t know what is going to happen or what Mike (Elias) and the front office want to do. That’s kind of their job to plan out the long-term health and success of the organization, and it’s kind of my job to be present and win a baseball game today. And that is kind of how I look at it.

“Obviously, there are some really good players out there that could be dealt and if we get some of those guys or one of those guys that can help us win, that’s awesome. We want to win deep into October and do special things with this group.”

Let’s begin the day by trying to figure out what the Orioles are doing with their rotation. And why.

Chayce McDermott was on the 24-hour taxi squad yesterday in Miami and the Orioles withheld an announcement on tonight’s starter. Albert Suárez started last night, and he limped off the mound with assistant athletic trainer Patrick Wesley in the third inning after a 102 mph ground ball slammed off his lower right leg. Corbin Burnes is listed for Thursday afternoon and that’s set in stone, but tonight remained TBA prior to first pitch.

Oh, the drama.

(Burnes has gone at least six innings while allowing no more than four earned runs in his last 15 appearances, the longest streak by an Oriole since Dennis Martinez in 1978, per STATS).

The choices seemed to come down to McDermott tonight or maybe Cole Irvin returning to the rotation and McDermott having his contract selected and going into the bullpen. The 40-man roster is full, so space would need to be cleared.

The Orioles are moving Chayce McDermott from the taxi squad to Wednesday night starter in Miami, and they also are summoning infielder Connor Norby as a possible recall from Triple-A Norfolk.

Manager Brandon Hyde told the assembled media that McDermott would make his major league debut Wednesday as the new fifth starter. That seemed to be the plan all along. The spot was listed as TBA and there was no other reason to fly McDermott to South Florida.

What happened to Jorge Mateo was unexpected and led to Norby’s trip to Miami.

According to an industry source, Norby is joining the Orioles in case Mateo goes on the injured list after his collision tonight with shortstop Gunnar Henderson a ground ball up the middle in the third inning.

Mateo’s left arm bend backward at the elbow, a gruesome image captured on MASN. He was in obvious pain as he laid on the ground and eventually came out of a game that the Orioles lost 6-3.

MIAMI – The first game of the Orioles' road series against the Miami Marlins could have started better. A whole lot better. 

As the last of the third inning ended tonight, the Orioles found themselves down three runs and two injured players.

The Marlins, who entered with a National League-worst 35-65 record, scored four runs in the second to lead the Orioles 4-1. After the Birds pulled within 4-3 in their half of the third, Miami scored twice more in the home half to make it 6-3.

In that inning, both second baseman Jorge Mateo and starting pitcher Albert Suárez left with apparent injuries. It was definitely an injury for Mateo, who left with head athletic trainer Brian Ebel and assistant Pat Wesley. Suárez left with Wesley, but he may have been about to be pulled from the game anyway.

After a leadoff single in the home third, Jesús Sánchez, who homered an inning earlier, hit a grounder up the middle. Both shortstop Gunnar Henderson and Mateo at second went for the grounder on the first base side of the bag at second. They came together and hit each other with Mateo left’s arm and elbow becoming badly twisted as he went sprawling into Henderson. He came up holding his left arm, and after Ebel looked it for several minutes, they walked off the field along with Wesley.

MIAMI – The signs seem to be pointing toward right-hander Chayce McDermott making his major league debut on Wednesday night and getting a start for the Orioles against Miami.

But it’s not official yet.

McDermott was added to the taxi squad today and could be activated to start tomorrow.

“Not yet,” manager Brandon Hyde said pregame when asked about Wednesday’s starter. “Chayce is here and we’ll see how tonight goes and make a determination after tonight’s game.”

Hyde has said that Corbin Burnes will start Thursday and he would be on normal rest tomorrow, but he's going to get the extra day. He's not starting tomorrow and it is too soon to recall Cade Povich. So again, signs point to a rookie debut in that game. 

SEATTLE – Danny Coulombe hasn’t thrown a pitch for the Orioles since June 8. He faced six batters at Tropicana Field, retired all of them and struck out the side in the eighth inning. Five straight scoreless appearances lowered his ERA to 2.42.

Talk of a possible berth in the All-Star Game sounded legit.

Out of the many losses to the roster due to injuries and surgeries, Coulombe’s stings as much as any. It isn’t a knockout punch, but it can stagger a team.

Rather than feel around for the mouthpiece on hands and knees, manager Brandon Hyde keeps hunting for ways to compensate in close games.

Bring up Coulombe’s name to people in the industry, as I did again over the weekend, and they tend to cringe, shake or tilt back their heads and convey just how badly it hurts the club. As if Coulombe is the one guy who has a lower profile but a higher impact because of the clutch outs he gets – and doing it more than every fifth or sixth day.

Let’s state the obvious, get it out of the way and refuse to treat it as fresh news. Think of it as Chinese takeout in the back of the fridge.

Just don’t bother sniffing it first.

The Orioles are trying to find another reliever, making it clear to other teams that they remain in the market. I say “remain” because they’ve been open to fortifying the bullpen pretty much since the first day of spring training.

Losing closer Félix Bautista to Tommy John surgery led them to veteran Craig Kimbrel, who recorded his 16^th save Wednesday and hasn’t allowed an earned run in his last 12 appearances. That didn’t alleviate all of the concerns.

They’d like to strengthen the setup portion of the ‘pen, and closing experience would be ideal. Whether they’d express a preference for a left-hander probably depends on the severity of Danny Coulombe’s elbow injury. Anyone who can get outs.

The rotation received a roundhouse shot in the arm with the Feb. 1 trade for ace Corbin Burnes. It absorbed a couple of blows with the spring training news that Kyle Bradish, the Orioles’ Game 1 starter in the Division series, and former All-Star John Means would begin the season on the injured list, and then lost Tyler Wells last month to elbow inflammation. The unit grew stronger with the returns of Bradish and Means but also lost Grayson Rodriguez to shoulder inflammation.

The calm keeps clashing with the storms, but the Orioles headed into their off-day with the fifth-lowest team ERA in the majors at 3.31. The starters’ ERA fell to 3.18, sixth in the majors and fourth in the American League. The staff’s 1.08 WHIP ranked fourth in the majors and third in the AL.

The Orioles have allowed two runs or fewer in seven consecutive games, their longest single-season streak since Aug. 1-8, 1980, when they reached eight. The ERA is 1.14 during this stretch.

Starters plowed through the Reds’ order over the weekend, failing to surrender a run in 19 1/3 innings. And they did it without Burnes and Bradish, who are on deck in D.C. and trying to extend the starters' streak of six-plus shutout innings to five and tie the club record from Sept. 2-6, 1974 and Sept. 26-Oct. 1, 1995.

How’s that for pitching depth? Wait for Wells and Rodriguez and keep hanging zeros.

One of many good things about the fact the 2024 Orioles season has begun is that we will stop hearing about the Texas series and the Orioles being swept in the American League Division Series.

A new year thankfully leads to media asking less about that and the players certainly are glad to stop answering for it and about it.

“I use it for fuel a little bit. But that was last year and this is a new year,” the O’s Gunnar Henderson said this week, probably speaking for just about all of us.

After a 101-win season followed up by their convincing Opening Day romp over the Los Angeles Angels, the O’s are seen as World Series contenders for this season.

They are now the hunted and not the hunters, so to speak.