This, that and the other

MINNEAPOLIS – Keegan Akin didn’t make last year’s Division Series roster. He didn’t stand a chance.

A lower-back injury ended Akin’s season on June 28. He allowed 10 earned runs and 13 total in four innings over his last four appearances, an ugly stretch by any measurement.

The Orioles are meeting to discuss their roster for the upcoming Wild Card series and Akin’s spot is secure. He’s healthy and having the finest season of his career. He’s just doing it quietly.

More people should be talking about this guy.

Akin’s 65 appearances rank second to Yennier Cano’s 69 and are 20 more than his previous high in 2022. He’s registered a 3.13 ERA and 0.927 WHIP, the best of his five seasons in the majors, and he’s struck out 96 batters in 77 2/3 innings.

Over his last 16 games, Akin has surrendered only two earned runs in 17 2/3 innings. In the second half, he’s posted a 2.17 ERA and 0.690 WHIP in 25 games and held opponents to a .165 average and .473 OPS. And this month, he’s allowed one earned run and struck out 14 in 10 1/3.

That’s exceptional by any measurement.

Manager Brandon Hyde is using Akin in higher leverage situations and under any circumstances, including four times in a stretch of five days before Thursday night. He got two big outs in the sixth inning Tuesday night at Yankee Stadium and the last two on Wednesday to record his first save since Aug. 1, 2022.

Akin replaced Matt Bowman, who surrendered four runs, and retired Austin Wells on a fly ball and Giancarlo Stanton on a popup.

“Look at the numbers, look at the strikeouts,” said manager Brandon Hyde.

“He’s doing better in games that are close, in games that we have the lead. He’s always done well when we’re kind of in that down a couple runs in the fifth or the sixth range and gives us an inning or two. I think he’s just continuing to get better.”

The bullpen has four lefties ticketed for the Wild Card series – Akin, Danny Coulombe, Cionel Pérez and Gregory Soto. Cade Povich is trying to make it five.

Povich, by the way, threw the 10 fastest pitches of his career last night, topping at 96 mph. His four-seam fastball averaged 93.7 mph compared to 92.3 before the game.

* Colton Cowser’s 24^th homer last night tied him with San Diego’s Jackson Merrill, a Severna Park native, for most in the majors by a rookie.

Cowser has five homers against left-handers.

* Ryan Mountcastle is making a triumphant return from the injured list.

Mountcastle is 6-for-13 since his reinstatement. He’s 23-for-59 (.390) with six doubles and five home runs in 16 career games against the Twins.

* Jordan Westburg went 0-for-5 last night but he drove in a run in the eighth inning on a ground ball to the mound.

Westburg is hitless in nine at-bats in his last two games but was 4-for-12 with two RBIs in the first three after returning from a fractured right hand.

“It’s a blue-collar at-bat. It’s a blue-collar game that he plays," said bench coach Fredi González. "He’s not gonna be flashy, he’s not gonna be a guy who steals 50 bases, but he’ll steal a base when he has to. He’ll put a ball in play. He’ll get a big hit when you have to, make a great play defensively. We recognize it.

"Hopefully he gets a bobblehead like everybody else got one. We appreciate him a lot."