SAN FRANCISCO – The Orioles go for the series win this afternoon after prevailing yesterday for the second time in 10 games.

Gunnar Henderson is the designated hitter and Luis Vázquez is the shortstop. Dylan Beavers is in right field and Daniel Johnson starts in left. Ryan Mountcastle is at first base.

Tomoyuki Sugano get the start, his 26^th, to close out the month. The Orioles are 11-16 in August.

Sugano, 35, has 10 victories and is on pace to be the oldest rookie in major league history to lead his team in wins. Jim Turner holds the record with 20 in 1937 at 34 years and 58 days, per STATS.

Samuel Basallo, who’s behind the plate today, is the third-youngest catcher to homer at 21 years and 17 days. The Rangers’ Iván Rodríguez is first at 19 years and 273 days, and the Mets’ Francisco Alvarez is second at 20 years and 319 days.

SAN FRANCISCO – The Orioles have lost eight of their last nine games, but they have left-hander Trevor Rogers on the mound this afternoon at Oracle Park.

Take the guy with the 1.40 ERA any day.

Rogers has allowed one run in each of his five starts this month totaling 35 innings. He’s struck out 36 batters.

In his final start in July, Rogers shut out the Rockies on one hit over seven innings. If he isn’t Most Valuable Oriole, he’s no worse than the runner-up.

Rogers has made three career starts against the Giants and posted a 2.63 ERA and 1.098 WHIP in 13 2/3 innings. He allowed two earned runs and three total in five innings in his only appearance in San Francisco.

Rather than subject my mailbag to another West Coast flight and jet lag, I decided to dump some of its contents back home and travel light.

Carry on.

This is the latest sequel to the beloved 2008 original, which set box office records. It isn’t streaming anywhere, but I am … usually around 3 or 4 a.m.

If I did any editing, I’m keeping it to myself. No grand announcements about clarity, length, style or brevity. Sorry to cheat you out of that thrill.

Also, a reminder that my mailbag gets your mailbag in the camel clutch and won’t let go until it submits. Especially on hump day.

The business side of baseball reared up and bit reliever Roansy Contreras earlier today with news that the Orioles designated him for assignment to make room for right-hander Shawn Dubin.

Contreras finally got the call this week and made his Orioles debut last night, tossing 4 1/3 scoreless innings behind opener Dietrich Enns. He’s out of minor league options and would need to pass through waivers before the Orioles could outright him.

“Those are tough decisions,” said interim manager Tony Mansolino. “There was a lot of time spent on that, trying to figure out what the right thing to do was. We’ve got a lot of smart people who are looking at a lot of different type of information and trying to make the best decision they can.

“The coach in me wants him to get claimed because we want our players to play in the major leagues and get opportunities. The Baltimore Oriole in me wants him to get through and go unclaimed and be back in the fold for us.”

Dubin will be in the bullpen today.

HOUSTON – The August schedule isn't an easy one for Baltimore. 

With inexperience everywhere, the O's have had to face the two crown jewels of the American League West, the Mariners and Astros, in two consecutive series. 

Baltimore took two of three against Seattle. And after taking game one in Houston, the Birds fought tooth and nail in Game 2. 

In the end, though, it was Houston that came away with a 5-4 victory in 12 innings. 

And, of course, it was Ramón Urías. Last night, the former Oriole broke up Brandon Young's perfect game bid. Tonight, he walked it off. Another slow dribbler to third, and another heartbreaker. 

The Orioles complete their latest homestand this afternoon against the Mariners and fly to Houston for a three-game series, followed by two in Boston.

The roster will change again before they make it back home. Count on it.

My mailbag also changes with each massive dump. And this is probably a good place to stop, but let’s keep going.

You ask, I try to answer, and we have the latest sequel to the beloved 2008 original that currently airs on Netflix. Or is it Amazon Prime? Anyway, it’s out there, just like so many of you.

Questions aren’t edited for clarity, style, length, brevity or bravado. And I wouldn’t tell you anyway, because, again, who cares?

With each passing start, Trevor Rogers offers further confirmation that what he’s doing isn’t a fluke. He isn’t going to fall apart at the baseball seams. This is how he pitches.

He can't control the bullpen, which stumbled again, but he can put his trust in a young hitter to make the mishap irrelevant.  

Rogers completed seven innings again tonight and allowed only one run, and Jackson Holliday doubled with two outs in the ninth to score Dylan Carlson and give the Orioles their first walk-off win, 4-3, over the Mariners before an announced crowd of 17,290 at Camden Yards.  

Carlson, who had two hits after ending an 0-for-35 slump last night, singled off Matt Brash with two outs and raced home on Holliday's first career walk-off. The Orioles were the last team in the majors to get one, and it came from Holliday, who was 5-for-41 this month before pulling a slider down the right field line.

"I knew he had a really good slider," said Holliday, who almost had his jersey torn off by teammates during the celebration. "Honestly, just trying to hit another line drive, hit a barrel. But I was kind of looking for that pitch and just trying to get it in a good spot to do something with and was able to do that.

PHILADELPHIA – The Orioles are making another change to their bullpen, claiming right-hander Rico Garcia on waivers from the Mets this afternoon. He hasn’t reported.

Garcia appeared in six games with the Orioles in 2022 and allowed four runs in eight innings. He appeared in one game with the Yankees this season and allowed three runs in 2 2/3 innings, and in eight with the Mets and surrendered three with 16 strikeouts in 12 2/3.

The 40-man roster has 38 players.

While waiting for the Orioles to post their lineup ...

Dean Kremer registered a 7.04 ERA through April and had a 2.72 ERA in May, a 3.30 ERA in June and a 4.30 ERA in July. He’s registered a 2.89 ERA, 1.018 WHIP and .207 opponents’ average in nine home games and a 5.37 ERA, 1.464 WHIP and .294 opponents’ average in 13 road games.

Ryan O’Hearn swung, stood and tossed his bat. He watched José Berríos’ fastball land on the flag court in right field, began to jog up the line and pointed at the dugout.

The significance of the moment wasn’t lost on anyone.

O’Hearn might have played his last game with the Orioles, who failed to complete their sweep today with a 9-8 loss to the Blue Jays at Camden Yards. The same goes for Cedric Mullins, who made another leaping catch at the fence to rob a home run and preserve the lead. Moments that fed the hopeless baseball romantics.

The trade deadline is approaching the 24-hour mark and both players are generating heat.

The entire team was getting hot with five wins in a row, but reliever Yennier Cano, tasked with holding a 5-4 lead, allowed five runs in the seventh inning. They answered with three in the bottom half but fell to 50-59.

The Orioles used their 95th lineup last night in their 106^th game. Catcher Adley Rutschman was reinstated from the injured list and batted cleanup for the fifth time, and the first since May 18.

There seems to be some interest from interim manager Tony Mansolino in going with a top four of Jackson Holliday, Jordan Westburg, Gunnar Henderson and Rutschman You can read between the lines or just focus on the actual lines.

“I’m fascinated by sticking (Rutschman) in that four hole, kind of sitting behind Gunnar, having a switch-hitter sitting right there, and the effect of that on Gunnar and just trying to navigate our lineup if all four of those guys at the top are cooking and fulfilling and reaching their potential,” Mansolino said during his afternoon media session.

“It's an absolute dynamic four hitters. And the guys behind them are pretty good, too.”

Ryan O’Hearn has batted cleanup 48 times, easily the most on the team. Ryan Mountcastle is next at 17. O’Hearn was slotted fifth last night and Laureano sixth.

The Orioles returned to having eight relievers in their bullpen today by optioning infielder Jeremiah Jackson and recalling right-hander Yaramil Hiraldo.

Hiraldo made his major league debut on May 27 against the Cardinals and tossed 1 1/3 scoreless innings in his lone appearance.

Grant Wolfram remains the only left-hander in the ‘pen, but interim manager Tony Mansolino expects Keegan Akin to be reinstated from the injured list on Monday. Akin is pitching again tonight with Triple-A Norfolk.

Ryan O’Hearn is back at first base tonight and Coby Mayo heads to the bench after homering last night.

O’Hearn turns 32 today. He could become the third Oriole to homer on his birthday in the last 10 years after Ramón Urias last summer and Matt Wieters in 2016.

The Orioles are selecting infielder Jeremiah Jackson’s contract from Triple-A Norfolk and will be short one reliever after trading left-hander Gregory Soto to the Mets.

Jackson, 25, is batting a combined .311/.340/.538 with 30 doubles, 15 home runs and 41 RBIs in 83 games between Norfolk and Double-A Chesapeake. He’s never played in the majors.

Interim manager Tony Mansolino said he won't have an update on closer Félix Bautista (shoulder) until next week.

The Orioles return to Camden Yards for a six-game homestand that begins with three against the Rockies.

Gunnar Henderson is on the bench. He’s leading the Orioles in hits, doubles and triples for the second straight season. Brooks Robinson was the last player in franchise history to do it in consecutive seasons from 1960-62, per STATS.

CLEVELAND – For the first seven innings of tonight’s ballgame, the Orioles had the momentum. 

The Guards had mustered just two hits and two runs, a pair that scored on a weak single from Kyle Manzardo.

The O's had enough chances to win this game. Ultimately, the Birds' bats didn't come through in a 3-2 loss. Not having their best reliever available late in the contest certainly didn't help matters.  

On Monday night, the Orioles and Guardians combined to score six runs in the first inning of play. Last night, there was only one, but it came on a José Ramírez solo shot. 

Tonight, the first extra-base hit of the game didn’t come until the top of the third inning, courtesy of Cedric Mullins. 

TAMPA – The Orioles took a quick lead again this afternoon with Jackson Holliday’s leadoff home run. They built on it in the third inning with Alex Jackson’s first homer since last July. They keep playing to win, as reflected by the lineups, but there’s no escaping the reality of their situation.

Today’s 5-3 victory over the Rays at George M. Steinbrenner Field featured a 2-hour, 36-minute rain delay – longest of the season - prevented a sweep and left the Orioles 10 games below .500 at 44-54. They’re playing four this week in Cleveland before returning home. And each day that passes makes them wonder how much the clubhouse will change.

If it’s a distraction, the Orioles pushed it aside today. They led 4-0 by the third on Henderson’s 109.2 mph, two-run double off Ryan Pepiot. The only losses came later in the inning when plate umpire James Hoye ejected Ramón Laureano and interim manager Tony Mansolino.

Laureano thought he checked his swing on a strikeout, flung his helmet and protective padding at home plate and was tossed. Mansolino picked up the argument after Laureano walked away and received his first career major league ejection.

Ramón Urias entered the game at first base and Ryan O’Hearn moved to right field.

The Orioles remain 7 ½ games behind in pursuit of the last Wild Card spot after last night’s 7-6, 10-inning loss to the Mets. Thirteen games separate them from the first-place Blue Jays.

There’s still a chance, but it’s barely a flicker.

Tomoyuki Sugano is trying to get back to the form that produced a 3.04 ERA through 12 starts. He’s registered an 8.87 ERA and 2.149 WHIP in his last five outings to leave his overall numbers at 4.44 and 1.307 in 93 1/3 innings.

Sugano has allowed seven home runs in his last four starts over 18 innings.

Jackson Holliday is the designated hitter tonight. Holliday has recorded an RBI in three straight games (five RBIs total) after collecting one in the previous nine games.

Bryan Baker turned to watch the flight of another baseball heading for the center field fence. He stood with his hand on his hip, certain of the outcome. Pete Alonso knew it, too, carrying his bat most of the way to first base before flipping it in celebration.

A pair of two-run homers off Baker in the eighth inning made a 6-2 lead disappear, and the Orioles would be tested to get back up again, knowing how every loss rips into their hopes for a playoff push and increases the likelihood that the front office sells at the trade deadline.

They couldn't get back on their feet. 

The Mets scored a run against Yennier Cano in the top of the 10th inning and defeated the Orioles 7-6 before an announced Hawaiian shirt crowd of 35,200 at Camden Yards.

Juan Soto had an RBI single off Cano. The Mets loaded the bases with one out and couldn't pad their lead, but it didn't matter. Huascar Brazobán kept the automatic runner, Jackson Holliday, at second base.

The All-Star Game is a week from today, which is the unofficial halfway point of the season.

The Orioles are playing their 90^th game tonight, against the Mets at Camden Yards, to begin their last homestand before the break. They can move eight below .500 for the first time since May 6.

Four days off before another trip to Tampa present an opportunity to process everything that’s happened and wonder exactly how they got to this point. How so many surprises attached to one team like barnacles. 

* Rather than challenge for a division title, the Orioles are stuck in last place.

* Their two best starters are Trevor Rogers and Charlie Morton.

Ryan O’Hearn will have to make new friends at the All-Star Game.

The reserves and pitchers were announced today and none of the other Orioles are joining O’Hearn at Truist Park in Atlanta.

Second baseman Jackson Holliday, who went 4-for-4 with a two-run homer today in a 2-1 win over the Braves, advanced to Phase 2 of voting but didn’t have his name called.

Holliday is batting .260 with 13 doubles, two triples, 11 home runs, 36 RBIs and a .724 OPS in 82 games and has emerged as the everyday leadoff hitter. He’s only the fourth Oriole with multiple four-hit games before turning 22, joining Manny Machado and Hall of Famers Brooks Robinson and Eddie Murray.

Closer Félix Bautista, outfielder Ramón Laureano and shortstop Gunnar Henderson also appeared to have a chance at an All-Star selection.

ATLANTA – The last time the Orioles swept an opponent, Trevor Rogers was still pitching for Triple-A Norfolk. 

At the time, Rogers had just one big league start in 2025. It came against the Red Sox in late May, with 6 ⅓ innings of shutout baseball. 

Who knew if the lefty could make that dominant start a habit? 

He’s done just that, and today, he led the Orioles to a sweep of the Atlanta Braves. Today, the O’s came out on top 2-1.  

Rogers was dominant throughout the contest, with the Braves’ first runner in scoring position coming in the bottom of the fifth inning. He struck out six and induced weak contact, of both the ground ball and fly out varieties. 

ATLANTA – Last night’s Fourth of July contest between the O’s and Braves didn’t provide many fireworks. This afternoon, though, the clubs certainly made up for it, combining for five home runs in an extra-innings thriller. 

The Orioles came out on top, 9-6. 

After facing three elite starting pitchers in Jacob deGrom, Nathan Eovaldi and Spencer Strider, it was just the performance the bats needed to get back on track. 

"I feel like our guys have swung the bat good here for the last month, and I thought today was a pretty good indication of it," Tony Mansolino said after the game. "We faced a really good Major League bullpen, a lot of left-handed pitching, that thing that’s been tough on us here over the last year-and-a-half. And after 10 innings to walk out with nine runs, you have to be pleased."

Dean Kremer was on the mound for Baltimore, looking to continue his great stretch of starts since May 1. A big key was that he needed to avoid the big inning.