ANAHEIM – Orioles manager Brandon Hyde is pleased with the results for the club since they went to a six-man rotation. He said, “it’s been enormous for all our starters, so happy we did that.” But as the games begin to wind down and the playoffs approach, he said today the club could be returning at some point to a five-man rotation.

“Yeah. We’re still talking about all that," he said. "We’re mapping out some guys for certain teams and series. Might have a spot start here and there. Might just go straight five-man. Lot of different scenarios. We’re kind of getting through the weekend in Boston and then kind of reset a little bit. We’ve got Tampa and some big games coming up. All these are big games and trying to act accordingly."

Hyde is still not ready to announce how the Orioles will use lefty John Means who is scheduled to pitch for Triple-A Norfolk tomorrow night. His 30-day rehab ends Friday, so his next game after this one should be for the Orioles.

“Things can happen on a daily basis. We have some plans in place, some different scenarios, but we’ll kind of wait and see where we are after his start. See how he throws and do what is the best thing for our team at that time,” Hyde said.

The skipper today was asked again about picking up his 300th O's win last night becoming the fifth Orioles manager to win 300. Did he get any hardware for a milestone win?

Ryan McKenna is playing center field tonight in the latest Orioles right-handed heavy lineup in Anaheim.

Austin Hays is the cleanup hitter and left fielder. Jordan Westburg is starting at second base. Jorge Mateo is the shortstop.

Aaron Hicks is in right field, with Anthony Santander serving as designated hitter.

Adley Rutchman is back in the leadoff spot and catching.

Gunnar Henderson is too good to sit in any lineup. He’s the third baseman.

Outfielder Anthony Santander began last night’s series in Anaheim leading the Orioles with 26 home runs and 79 RBIs. He’s trying to finish first in both categories for the second year in a row, becoming the first Oriole since Chris Davis in 2012-13.

He’s doing a lot of other things, like how he’s pushing harder through the crowd for Most Valuable Oriole.

Don’t be too quick to concede the award to catcher Adley Rutschman, rookie infielder Gunnar Henderson, starter Kyle Bradish, closer Félix Bautista – whose value becomes more evident if the Orioles collapse from his elbow injury – or anybody else in contention.

Santander’s 33 doubles also ranked first on the club before Austin Hays tied him last night with an RBI double. And Santander was first with 60 extra-base hits, 239 total bases, a .489 slugging percentage and .818 OPS.

In case you missed it earlier, Santander is the first Orioles switch-hitter with at least 25 home runs in consecutive seasons since Hall of Famer Eddie Murray in 1987-88.

Anaheim, Calif. – The Orioles seemed to be headed for another game that went down to the last out and maybe the last pitch. They have played in a lot of close games this year and won a lot of close ones.

But in need of some insurance runs in the seventh tonight, Gunnar Henderson provided them.

His almost nightly big play or big swing came at the plate this time. He blasted a three-run homer to turn a one-run lead into a more comfortable four-run edge.

The Orioles went on to beat the Angels 6-3 tonight to improve to 86-51 and win their third in a row, ninth in 12 games and 23^rd in the past 33 games.

They are now 17-6 in road series-opening games, produced their 43rd comeback win and have opened a season-high 3 1/2-game lead atop the American League East over the Rays, who lost this afternoon to the Red Sox.

Anaheim, Calif. - The Orioles will face three left-handed starters this series against the Angels, a rare occurrence. For tonight, it puts Ryan O'Hearn on the bench as Adley Rutschman rests.

O'Hearn is hitting .300 with an .830 OPS in 83 games. He has just 22 plate appearances this year against lefty pitching and is 5-for-20, but two of the five hits are homers.

"Well, it gives guys opportunities," manager Brandon Hyde said of his lineup against left-hander Kenny Rosenberg tonight. "But a lot of times in those games, too, those lefties come off the bench in big spots. So even though we are facing a lefty a lot of times O (O’Hearn) will hit, (Adam) Frazier will hit. I have Adley off the bench tonight, too.

"Best-case scenario is we can chase a starter early and get into their bullpen, which kind of sets us up for the series. We are going to face a lot of righties after this. At least two of three in Boston and at least two with St. Louis and probably four against Tampa."

Speaking of the Rays, they lost today 7-3 at home to the Red Sox. So the O's Amarican League East lead is three games at the moment and could be 3.5 games at the end of tonight.

The Orioles begin their series in Anaheim tonight with Adley Rutschman out of the lineup for the second time in six games.

The Angels are starting three left-handers, and Austin Hays moves into the leadoff spot tonight. Gunnar Henderson is playing third base and batting cleanup.

Jordan Westburg is playing second base and batting fifth. Jorge Mateo is the shortstop.

Aaron Hicks is in right field, and Anthony Santander is the designated hitter.

Rookie Grayson Rodriguez has allowed 11 runs in his last seven starts over 42 2/3 innings. He faced the Angels on May 15, before his reset, and allowed eight runs and nine hits in 3 1/3 innings. Shohei Ohtani and Chad Wallach homered in the fourth.

After the final out is recorded in the World Series, and before the start of the Winter Meetings in Nashville, important business is conducted that can be downplayed or ignored in some circles.

The four Baseball Writers’ Association of America awards in November. A much bigger deal for the Orioles after they regained their contender status and inflated the level of talent on the roster.

I remember when I could skip the MLB Network programs, which run longer than the Oscars, because the Orioles didn’t have anyone in the discussion. My work was done. Let the other beat writers craft their stories while I tuned into "Jeopardy" or whatever was streaming on Netflix. Those poor fools.

Those days are over.

Gunnar Henderson has become the leading contender for Rookie of the Year in the American League. I won’t say he’s a runaway winner, but the kid sits in the driver’s seat - looking young enough to carry a learner’s permit.

PHOENIX - Baseball's No. 1 prospect is moving on up. Again. Shortstop Jackson Holliday will play for his fourth team of the minor league season when he joins Triple-A Norfolk from Double-A Bowie this week, according to a source. 

Holliday, 19, will play his first game for the Tides on Tuesday at Harbor Park when Norfolk hosts Jacksonville at 6:35 p.m.

The Tides will play their next 12 games in Norfolk before capping off the regular season with a six-game series at Buffalo. After that, Norfolk will host a best-of-three International League championship series at Harbor Park that begins Sept. 26. If the Tides win that series they will play the Pacific Coast League winner in the Triple-A National Championship Game Sept. 30 in Las Vegas.

Holliday batted .396 with an OPS of 1.182 in 14 games at the start of the season with Single-A Delmarva. His first game with High-A Aberdeen was April 25, and in 57 games he batted .314 with a .940 OPS with the IronBirds. On July 14 he moved to Double-A Bowie and hit .338/.421/.507/.928 in 36 games with nine doubles, three triples, three homers and 15 RBIs.

So over 107 games for the year at three levels, Holliday has hit .333/.451/.517/.968 with 26 doubles, nine triples, 10 homers, 95 runs, 23 steals and 66 RBIs. He has walked 85 times with 101 strikeouts.

PHOENIX - The Orioles' path to a series win today at Arizona – and their 85^th victory of the season – was far from easy. They took an early lead, got tied up in a two-run Arizona fifth and had to win this game a second time today.

They did by scoring four runs in the sixth to break a 4-4 tie and beat the Diamondbacks 8-5 to win the last two games of this series.

The O's start a nine-game road trip with a series win and are now 85-51. Baltimore has won eight of 11, 11 of 15 and 22 of its past 32 games as the road trip now heads to Anaheim, California. 

The Orioles had lost their previous four series at Arizona, making today their first win of a series in this ballpark, and they are now 9-15 all-time against the Diamondbacks and 5-10 at Chase Field.

The task was made even tougher today because the opposing starter was Zac Gallen, a right-hander having a great year. He was the National League starting pitcher in this year's All-Star game.

PHOENIX -  Orioles manager Brandon Hyde is still not ready to pass on what the next steps will be for injured closer Félix Bautista. Bautista, who has a 1.48 ERA with 33 saves, made the 2023 All-Star team, but went on the 15-day injured list Aug. 26 with a right UCL injury. The next steps – and what they will look like – may not be completely formulated yet.

Hyde was asked today if it’s possible Bautista can pitch again this season. 

“Well, we are waiting for the inflammation to go down honestly, before we kind of reassess and do anything else. We are letting the inflammation die down and then we are going to make some decisions after that," the manager said. 

As to when that inflammation will lessen is not a question Hyde can answer right now.

“That would be a medical question," he said. "Not really sure, it’s been a while now. Think we are waiting a few more days.”

The Orioles are trying today to claim their 28^th series as they conclude their visit to Arizona.

Ryan Mountcastle has returned to the lineup after missing the past few games due to an illness. He’s batting cleanup and playing first base.

Anthony Santander was hit on the right hand last night in the ninth inning, left the game and underwent testing, and is serving today as designated hitter.

Two positive developments before the first pitch is thrown.

Aaron Hicks, reinstated from the injured list today, is in left field. Ryan O’Hearn is the right fielder. Austin Hays is on the bench.

The Orioles’ roster has changed again.

Get used to it.

Jorge López was activated this morning after the Orioles claimed him on waivers yesterday from the Marlins. Aaron Hicks was reinstated from the injured list.

To make room, outfielder Colton Cowser was optioned to Triple-A Norfolk and reliever Austin Voth was designated for assignment.

López enters a bullpen that includes Yennier Cano. They were involved in the 2022 deadline trade with the Twins.

On the same day that the Orioles claimed their former closer, Jorge López, on waivers from the Marlins, manager Brandon Hyde told the assembled media at Chase Field that former Rule 5 closer Tyler Wells has arm fatigue.

I’m tired from trying to project this month’s bullpen. I’m not getting any closer.

My take from the East Coast is that López is insurance, a depth move with Félix Bautista on the 15-day injured list and Wells perhaps delayed in his return to the Orioles. The timing might be coincidental, but we honestly don’t know if that’s the case.

The trade deadline passed and the only way to acquire players is via claims and minor league deals. López isn’t eligible to make the postseason roster because he arrived in the organization after Aug. 31, but he can assist in the quest to win the division title.

Then again, is he equipped to do so?

PHOENIX - If you watched the first three innings of the Orioles game at Arizona tonight, you would not have had a clue about what was going to happen in the top of the fourth.

Through three the Orioles had two hits and no runs against Arizona rookie right-hander Slade Cecconi, their No. 14 prospect via MLBPipeline.com. His slider was working nicely and the O’s had scored just two runs in the first 12 innings of this series.

On top of that a messy last of the third saw Arizona take a 2-0 lead against right-hander Kyle Bradish.

Things could have been better. And they soon would be.

Suddenly the Orioles were producing loud contact and suddenly they had a six-run fourth inning which featured seven straight hits and led 6-2.

PHOENIX – The Orioles are hoping to recapture the magic with right-handed reliever Jorge López. Added by the Orioles today on waivers from Miami, López has not yet reported to the team, but he is going to and the O’s hope he can help them win the American League East.

Being acquired after the cutoff date for postseason eligibility, López will not be able to pitch in the playoffs with Baltimore.

Between the Twins and Marlins this year, López is 6-2 with a 6.13 ERA and 1.574 WHIP over 47 innings. He has a 3.8 walk rate and 6.7 strikeout rate. But when last an Oriole, he was a bullpen weapon who made the 2022 AL All-Star team.

“You know, Lopy is someone a lot of us in that clubhouse are really close with,” manager Brandon Hyde said today in the visitor’s dugout. “Had some really good moments. First half last year was the best closer in baseball. What he did making the All-Star team. It was great to see him a couple of months ago in Minnesota. You know we are hoping he can help us down the stretch.”

They helped López once go from struggling starter to top reliever and the Orioles hope to get him going again when he joins the team.

Ryan Mountcastle is out of the Orioles lineup again tonight in Arizona. He was scratched last night due to an illness.

Gunnar Henderson, who went 2-for-4 last night with two runs scored, stays at shortstop. Adley Rutschman is the designated hitter.

Ryan O’Hearn is the first baseman and Ramón Urías is playing third base. Adam Frazier is the second baseman.

Henderson is batting .330 or better when he’s ahead or even in the count, but .172 when behind.

Anthony Santander is slugging .809 against fastballs since the start of August after slugging .276 against them in July.

PHOENIX – The Orioles bullpen added a reinforcement today as the club claimed former O’s closer Jorge López off waivers from Miami. He has not reported yet to the team. Right-hander Logan Gillaspie was designated for assignment to make 40-man roster room.

The 40-man roster has a full 40 players.

López, acquired by the Orioles via waivers from Kansas City on Aug. 9, 2020, became an All-Star on their watch after struggling to pitch as a starter. In 2022 for the Orioles he pitched to a 1.68 ERA in the 'pen with a 0.972 WHIP and 10.1 strikeout rate in 44 games.

On Aug. 2, 2022, the Orioles traded López to Minnesota for four pitchers: Yennier Cano, Cade Povich, Juan Nunez and Juan Rojas.

But López had a 4.81 ERA and 1.414 WHIP in 60 games with the Twins over the 2022 and 2023 seasons. On June 8 they placed him on the restricted list for “mental health reasons,” and he was reinstated July 4. On July 26, they traded him to Miami for right-hander Dylan Floro. Now he is back as an Oriole.

Another day has passed without an update on Orioles closer Félix Bautista beyond the injury to his ulnar collateral ligament. He walked off the field Aug. 25 with two outs in the ninth inning and two strikes on his last batter, and he underwent further testing to determine the severity of the injury and whether surgery was necessary.

Bautista earned his first hold of the season. Everyone else remains on hold.

The Orioles went 3-2 heading into last night’s game in Arizona after placing Bautista on the 15-day injured list. The last three margins were nine, six and five runs, making Bautista’s absence less noticeable.

Yennier Cano earned a save the night after Bautista’s removal from the bullpen, but he would have been the designated closer anyway. Bautista had appeared in three of the past four games and gone back-to-back. Manager Brandon Hyde wasn’t put in a bind.

The Orioles lost 4-3 to conclude the Rockies series. An unearned run scored off Cano in the top of the ninth inning. No save situation.

PHOENIX - The Orioles haven't lost often this year when scoring first and when playing the opening game of a road series.

They did both tonight but lost 4-2 at Arizona to start the regular season's final month and begin an important nine-game road trip.

Former Orioles Zach Davies and Christian Walker helped beat the Orioles in front of 18,248 at Chase Field as Baltimore fell to 83-51 and missed a chance to move 2.5 games ahead of the Tampa Bay Rays, who lost to Cleveland.

Each team scored in the first inning, which ended with Arizona leading the Orioles 2-1.

Against right-hander Davies, the Orioles’ 26^th round pick in the 2011 MLB Draft, the Birds got a one-out single in the first from Gunnar Henderson and he advanced to second on a groundout. With two men out, he scored on Ryan O’Hearn’s RBI single to center. It was RBI No. 46 for O’Hearn, a .306 hitter with runners in scoring position.

PHOENIX - Two players who spent time on the Orioles roster earlier this year officially returned to the team today as the September roster expanded from 26 to 28 players. Outfielder Colton Cowser and right-handed reliever Joey Krehbiel are back.

Cowser was the O’s top draft pick, taken No. 5 overall, in the 2021 MLB Draft. Krehbiel, 30, was a big part of the 2022 Orioles bullpen, going 5-5 with a 3.90 ERA and 1.231 WHIP.

"Honestly, really encouraged with how Joey was throwing the ball in Triple-A," manager Brandon Hyde said this afternoon in the visitor's dugout at Chase Field. "Some really good appearances as of late and threw the ball well for us in a few brief moments this year. And Colton, just kind of where we are from an outfield standpoint, a health standpoint, have a lot of guys that have played a lot of innings out there. He adds outfield depth with a guy that can play all three spots. We thought that was important."

Hyde was asked if Cowser will be up for the rest of the season?

"I think we're day-to-day right now with everybody," he said.