The Orioles are hosting an ESPN game tonight for the first time in five years and trying to win their 20^th series following last night’s 8-3 loss to the Yankees before the second sellout crowd of the season.

Adley Rutschman is leading off again after going 0-for-2 last night with a walk and hit-by-pitch. His on-base streak has reached a career-high 14 games.

James McCann is catching, with Rutschman serving as designated hitter.

Adam Frazier is in left field and Jordan Westburg is the second baseman.

Gunnar Henderson is batting second and playing shortstop. His double last night snapped an 0-for-15 streak.

Unable to exhibit the same patience displayed during their rebuild period, the Orioles optioned struggling starter Tyler Wells to Double-A Bowie after last night’s game. They made the announcement this afternoon.

Reliever Joey Krehbiel had his contract selected from Triple-A Norfolk, and reliever Eduard Bazardo was designated for assignment to make room on the 40-man roster.

Wells produced a first half worthy of All-Star consideration, with a 3.18 ERA in 18 games and a 0.927 WHIP that led the majors. He’s made three starts after the break and allowed 11 runs and 10 hits with nine walks and three hit batters in only nine innings.

The final straw came last night, with Wells working only 2 2/3 innings and leaving after 63 pitches in an 8-3 loss to the Yankees. He was charged with three runs and three hits, walked three batters and hit another.

Manager Brandon Hyde said afterward that trust remained in Wells based on the first half, “but I’m also trying to win the game.”

We’re down to two days before the trade deadline and the Orioles have made one deal, with the Athletics for reliever Shintaro Fujinami on July 19. Executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias is in contact with everyone, whether due diligence or doing it with legitimate hopes of reaching an agreement.

Elias’ 26-minute media session Friday afternoon, in the auxiliary clubhouse rather than the stifling dugout heat, provided confirmation on his plans.

Find pitching.

Elias mentioned middle relief, which also came as no surprise. Fortify the bullpen, shorten games, and ease some of the strain on other relievers and the rotation.

The club also has engaged in talks for starting pitchers, though it isn’t clear how a newcomer would fit. A six-man rotation? A current starter sent to the ‘pen?

The Orioles remain 1 ½ games ahead of second-place Tampa Bay as their series continues tonight against the Yankees at Camden Yards.

Anthony Santander hit a walk-off home run last night in a 1-0 win, improving the Orioles’ record to 20-10 in one-run games. Santander stays in right field tonight.

Manager Brandon Hyde is putting another unique spin on his lineup, batting Adley Rutschman first for the first time in the catcher’s major league career.

Rutschman extended his on-base streak to 13 games last night, tying his career high. He leads the club and American League catchers with a .368 OBP.

Gunnar Henderson moves down to second. He’s starting at shortstop, with Ramón Urías at third base.

Orioles executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias is confident that his club can play deep into October in its present state. However, the front office has targeted areas of improvement.The sellers from the rebuild years are now buyers in first place.

“I think if we are going to make additional acquisition trades, I would bet heavily that they’re going to be on the pitching side of things,” Elias said this afternoon. “I think it’s no secret that that would be the areas of the team that, A, we could use more depth, or B, look for upgrades, so we’re working on that right now.

“This stuff, I don’t have total control over it. It’s a two-party transaction and there’s a big market out there happening right now, and we’re participating in that market. We’ll see what comes to it, but those are obviously the conversations that are first and foremost.”

They may be exclusive, with Elias downplaying the need for a left-handed hitting center fielder following injuries to Cedric Mullins and Aaron Hicks.

The club can’t set firm dates for their returns until they reach some milestones in their recoveries.

During an interview session with media this afternoon that lasted almost 27 minutes, Orioles executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias confirmed that pitching is the top priority at the trade deadline.

Elias said that if a deal is made, bet heavily on it being on “the pitching side.” Whether it’s depth or an upgrade.

Middle relief is viewed as an area that still needs to be addressed.

Injuries to outfielders Cedric Mullins and Aaron Hicks are viewed as “temporary” and won’t prompt the club to expand their trade targets.

Elias also said the club won’t make a terrible trade and force it just to “say we did something.” He believes that the current roster is capable of making a deep playoff run, but the Orioles are trying to add to it in a seller’s market.

The Orioles are back home and in the division, beginning a three-game series tonight against the Yankees.

This is the first time in Orioles’ history that they’ve been in first place in July or later while facing a last-place Yankees team.

Gunnar Henderson has returned to the lineup tonight, leading off and playing shortstop. He missed Wednesday’s game with lower-back discomfort.

Colton Cowser is in center field. Ryan Mountcastle is the designated hitter. Ryan O’Hearn stays in the cleanup spot.

The Orioles’ last eight games have been decided by three runs or fewer, their longest streak of the season. It’s also the longest active streak in the majors, per STATS. The Brewers, Mariners and Phillies are next with six.

Austin Voth’s injury rehab assignment moved to Triple-A Norfolk yesterday, his third affiliate on the road to a return from elbow soreness that’s plagued him at various times since spring training.

Updates on three other relievers – Mychal Givens, Dillon Tate and Keegan Akin – have been scarce at best. But Voth could be close to reinstatement unless the Orioles choose to use the entire 30 days.

Or if they put heavy emphasis on results.

Voth lasted two-thirds of an inning and was charged with two earned runs and three total, with three hits, a walk and two strikeouts. He threw 33 pitches, 21 for strikes.

He’s lurking either way, a pitcher who’s out of minor league options and capable of providing length out of the bullpen when healthy.

The trade deadline is less than a week away, with pencils down Tuesday at 6 p.m. That’s it besides minor league deals. Ride or die with your roster and farm system.

The Orioles will be in Toronto for another key division series, but the work done by the front office is going to steal most of the attention.

Interest in the team has intensified, with national media and other outlets trying to pry information or predictions on the course of action from executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias. But here’s the catch:

No one knows buyer Mike Elias.

Seller Mike Elias is familiar to Baltimore. But he’s moved to the other side.

PHILADELPHIA – The center field strategy for the Orioles isn’t complicated. There’s no code to break.

Colton Cowser gets most of the starts against right-handers and Austin Hays gets the bulk versus lefties. Ryan McKenna is an option after returning to the club yesterday but usually operates in a reserve role. He subbed for Cowser last night in the ninth inning.

Cedric Mullins and Aaron Hicks are on the injured list to bring the total number of players to seven. Hicks strained his left hamstring Monday night but should return before Mullins, who’s dealing with a right adductor groin strain.

Hicks is hoping to be back after 10 days. Manager Brandon Hyde isn’t as confident based on the unpredictable nature of hamstring injuries.

The Orioles remain calm while the roster churns.

PHILADELPHIA – Christmas carols played between innings tonight at Citizens Bank Park. A man dressed as Santa Claus danced on the field. The dining room served traditional holiday favorites like carved turkey and ham, stuffing and cranberry sauce.

The Orioles weren’t in a giving mood until they got to the ninth inning.

Bryson Stott doubled off Yennier Cano with two outs to score Bryce Harper and tie the game, J.T. Realmuto reached on an infield hit, with Jorge Mateo slow to get the ball out of his glove, and Alec Bohm singled into left field in the Phillies' 4-3 walk-off win over the Orioles before an announced crowd of 37,200.

Ryan O’Hearn homered off Phillies left-hander Matt Strahm leading off the eighth inning, his third tie-breaking hit in the last four games, but the Orioles fell to 62-39 overall and 4-2 on the trip. The Phillies won for only the second time in seven games.

The Orioles are 19-10 in one-run games. They had won six straight.

PHILADELPHIA – Orioles outfielder Aaron Hicks is hopeful that he can return to the active roster after 10 days.

Hicks went on the injured list this afternoon with a strained left hamstring. He exited last night’s game in the third inning after diving for Johan Rojas’ shallow fly ball.

He lost control of it but was credited with the catch. The Phillies didn’t request the challenge within the allotted 15 seconds.

It proved to be costly to Hicks.

“I feel like by the end of the 10 days I should be good,” he said. “Obviously last night I thought it was just a cramp, and then woke up this morning not really feeling that great. I had to go get an MRI today and obviously that landed me on the IL, but I only think it’s going to take about the 10 days.”

PHILADELPHIA – The Orioles have put outfielder Aaron Hicks on the 10-day injured list with a left hamstring strain and recalled Triple-A Norfolk outfielder Ryan McKenna.

Hicks was removed from last night’s game with hamstring cramping after diving for a fly ball. He underwent testing to determine whether he had a strain.

Cedric Mullins is on the injured list with a right adductor groin strain, and Hicks joins him after batting .252/.349/.435 with four doubles, a triple, six home runs and 20 RBIs in 42 games since the Orioles signed him on May 30.

McKenna batted .253/.315/.392 in 62 games with the Orioles. He’s hitting .217/.294/.500 with two doubles, a triple and three home runs in 12 games with Norfolk.

Colton Cowser could start in center field tonight against Phillies right-hander Taijuan Walker.

PHILADELPHIA – Wins for a pitcher have become devalued over the years, with other numbers illuminated and revered in the analytics age.

Too many factors are out of their control to put much stock in the record. And it’s especially true with relievers who can get credited with a victory simply by having their team go ahead after they enter a game. The level of effectiveness can be inconsequential.

Mike Baumann isn’t paying much attention to his 7-0 record, but it’s worth closer scrutiny.

No other reliever in baseball has at least five wins without a loss. And Baumann is one victory away from tying Grant Jackson’s club relief record, set back in 1973.

Jackson was on another plane with his 1.90 ERA, 0.971 WHIP and nine saves in 45 appearances. He struck out only 47 batters in 80 1/3 innings. Didn't need them.

PHILADELPHIA – A line drive traveling 356 feet the other way became Jordan Westburg’s first major league home run.

He couldn’t pause to admire it, as Gunnar Henderson did yesterday with a 446-foot shot off the D-catwalk ring at Tropicana Field. Westburg raced out of the box, slowed into his home run trot and pointed his index finger toward the outfield as he approached second base.

Westburg put a sinker about three rows deep into the right field corner in the second inning. He also put the Orioles in a favorable spot, with their 31-8 record when scoring first leading the majors before tonight.

Ryan Mountcastle broke a tie with a 451-foot homer to center field in the sixth, Colton Cowser broke another in the ninth with a two-out bloop double down the left field line and a short bullpen held up at the end in a 3-2 victory before an announced sellout crowd of 44,043 at Citizens Bank Park.

There’s no slowing this team, which has won five of six games, 13 of 16 and 14 of 19. The Orioles are a season-high 24 games above .500 at 62-38, including 32-18 on the road. And they lead the idle Rays by 2 ½.

PHILADELPHIA – Adley Rutschman is out of tonight’s lineup to open the series against the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. However, the All-Star catcher’s health is fine.

Manager Brandon Hyde is giving Rutschman a rest day, whether it lasts the full nine innings or until he’s needed off the bench.

“He played all four games in Tampa on the turf, caught three of them,” Hyde said this afternoon, “so just give him a day off today.”

Closer Félix Bautista won’t be used tonight after pitching four of the last five days, recording three saves and a two-inning win.

Bautista leads the American League and is third in the majors with 28 saves. He’s gotten a save or win in 33 of 45 appearances for a 73.3 percentage that would be the fourth-highest in club history behind Jim Johnson’s 74.6 in 2012, Randy Myers’ 77 in 1997 and Lee Smith’s 82.9 in 1994, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

PHILADELPHIA – The Orioles have won 12 of their last 15 games, averaging six runs during that stretch, and return to interleague play tonight against the Phillies.

Gunnar Henderson is in the cleanup spot as the designated hitter. He’s batting .291/.375/.655 (16-for-55) with five home runs, 13 RBIs and 14 runs scored in his last 14 games.

Henderson’s 16 home runs this season are the fourth most among rookies behind Corbin Carroll (21), Francisco Alvarez (19) and Josh Jung (19). The Orioles are 12-3 in the 15 games when he’s homered.

James McCann is catching, with Adley Rutschman on the bench.

Austin Hays is leading off. Jordan Westburg is playing second base, Jorge Mateo is the shortstop and Ramón Urías is the third baseman.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Cody Asche gives the compliment and explains how it also can be a curse.

“We’re really fortunate, we have a lot of really good hitters who are almost too good for the minor leagues,” said Asche, the Orioles’ offensive strategy coach, as he sat in the visiting dugout at Tropicana Field before a weekend game. “They don’t get to quite learn the lessons that players of less caliber have to learn when the competition gets better.”

Colton Cowser is in the same boat while navigating the choppy waters in the major leagues.

Cowser made his long-awaited debut at Yankee Stadium on July 5 and went 1-for-3 with an RBI, walk and run scored. Media swarmed his locker before and after the game. The smile didn’t leave his face. Teammates were excited to have his talents and fun personality with them again.

It almost looked too easy.

The Orioles accomplished a goal this weekend of leading their division.

Now, they want to pad it.

Gunnar Henderson singled and hit a 446-foot home run in the first two innings, and Ryan O’Hearn broke a tie in the sixth with a line drive off the left field foul pole in a 5-3 victory over the Rays before an announced crowd of 23,440 at Tropicana Field.

A 19^th series win left the Orioles with a 61-38 record, their most games above .500 this season. They’ve gone 6-3 against the Rays, with four remaining in September at Camden Yards.

Tampa Bay would need a sweep to claim the tiebreaker if the teams are tied. The Orioles hold a two-game lead as they board a flight to Philadelphia.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Colton Cowser is in right field and Aaron Hicks gets the start in center field, as the Orioles try for their 19^th series win and a two-game lead over the Rays in the American League East.

Ryan Mountcastle and Jordan Westburg are on the bench.

Gunnar Henderson is leading off and playing shortstop. Anthony Santander is the designated hitter. Ramón Urías is the third baseman, with Adam Frazier at second.

Tyler Wells leads the majors with a 0.984 WHIP in 19 games. He faced the Rays on June 21 at Tropicana Field and allowed four runs (two earned) with six strikeouts in five innings.

Randy Arozarena and Isaac Paredes homered in the second inning.