Orioles value young contributors as losing gets old

BOSTON - The Orioles conclude their series against the Red Sox this afternoon with another rookie on the mound. Another enormous challenge that, at the least, can push along the education of a young starting pitcher.

As long as it doesn't break him.

Alexander Wells receives his turn after Keegan Akin and Zac Lowther pitched in the first two games of the series.

Got to make sure the Red Sox get their fill of lefty prospects.

So, where does this group go for support? To ensure that any beatings provide information they can use to build from? It starts with each other.

"Just the dialogue, back and forth after our outings," Lowther said. "Stuff that we can work on and then trying to challenge ourselves during the week to really enforce some of the things that we need to get better at and continue to promote the things that we are good at already."

The offense shut down again yesterday after scoring three runs in the first two innings, but Cedric Mullins had a double, single and two stolen bases by the second.

Call me crazy, but I don't think he's going to cool off after his hot start. I think this is sustainable.

The doors to the 30/30 club will swing open with one more home run. Would be nice if it happened at Camden Yards, complete with a curtain call, but the Orioles have another game in Boston and three in Philadelphia.

Maybe he could just bunt a lot.

Mullins is the 21st player in Orioles history to steal 30 or more bases in a season and joins Jonathan Villar (40 in 2019) and Nate McLouth (30 in 2013) as the only ones since 2010.

Ryan Mountcastle hit his 30th home run, the first Orioles rookie to reach that mark. Of course, he also was the first to 29, but everyone's counting.

His 16 home runs since the All-Star break lead all rookies. Not just in the American League.

He's the sixth AL rookie since 2000 with 30 or more homers, joining Aaron Judge (52 in 2017), José Abreu (36 in 2014), Eloy Jiménez (31 in 2019), Mike Trout (30 in 2012), and Adolis García (30 in 2021).

How does anyone exclude him in Rookie of the Year discussions? Don't necessarily have to anoint him the favorite, but for crying out loud, he's earned a seat at the table.

Austin Hays is Mr. September, which I doubt is going to catch on. But there are no Octobers in a rebuild - except for those three games in Toronto to close out the season.

They remind me of three people who show up late to a party when everyone else is offering to clean up and asking for their coats.

Hays had a single and walk yesterday, giving him hits in 14 of 16 games this month and 22 of his last 24.

"When you have a season like this, you are looking for bright spots and things to build on for the future, and looking for cornerstone guys that when the team does get competitive and does get good, that you can surround them with the right kind of players, veteran players, the right pitching staff," manager Brandon Hyde said following yesterday's loss.

"Cedric Mullins is playing like that, there's no doubt about it. Playing like an All-Star. Ryan Mountcastle, 30 homers, that's an incredible accomplishment for his rookie year. So, you look at the first four guys in our lineup today, they're all took really good at-bats. They're swinging the bat well.

"(Anthony) Santander swung the bat really well today. He's feeling better and you can tell in his swings. And Haysie, outstanding month. So, really excited about those four guys going forward and they have been a bright spot for a tough year."

Santander was 1-for-4 yesterday and almost took the cover off a ball that hooked foul. Last year's Most Valuable Oriole hasn't been shut down in September, so he's ahead of the past two seasons, but the ankle he sprained in April remains sore and never let him soar.

Never let him fully return to the player who had scouts watching him in spring training and executives checking on his availability.

Santander batted .309/.350/.617 with five doubles and eight homers in 26 games last month. He began yesterday slashing .241/.268/.426 in September, and he hit three homers in a four-game stretch.

"It's been a tough year for him. Hasn't been himself for the majority of the year," Hyde said.

"Actually, the last month he's moved around the best he's moved all year long. The bat speed has been back, it looks like he's in his legs a little bit more. You can see the finish of his swing that there's some balanced finishes there. For a couple months it was kind of hard to watch a little bit, you could tell it was bothering him, the ankle.

"I really like Anthony a lot, I think he's got a lot of upside. We saw what he could do in a short spring last year. Even two years ago, he really showed the tools he has and he had some really good moments where you thought this guy could be a middle-of-the-order bat, switch-hitter, play corner outfield defense. And then this year kind of that ankle just happened right away and just never got going. But I've been encouraged by the last month. His swings have been better and he's shown more the kind of player that I think he's going to be."