Albernaz on rematch with Yankees: ‘A punch in the face the last time’; Basallo scratched with left knee discomfort; Injury update on Helsley, Holliday, Kjerstad, Kremer; O’s-Yankees lineups

BALTIMORE—A week after concluding a four-game sweep at Yankee Stadium, the Orioles will begin a three-game series against New York on Monday night at Camden Yards.

The Orioles were outscored 39-10 during the four games.

“It was a punch in the face the last time we played them,” manager Craig Albernaz said of the series. “Hopefully our boys will come out and respond.”

Left-hander Trevor Rogers, who’s been on the injured list with the flu, could start on Tuesday, but Albernaz said that he wasn’t ready to announce if he’s ready.

Basallo scratched 

Catcher Samuel Basallo, who was supposed to be the designated hitter on Monday night against the Yankees, was scratched because of left knee discomfort. It was caused by Sunday’s seventh-inning collision at home plate with the Athletics’ Carlos Cortes. Basallo caught a one-hop throw from centerfielder Leody Taveras, who charged a base hit by Zack Gelof, and took a shot at home from Cortes, who didn’t slide. Basallo said he braced for impact and knocked Cortes to his left while holding on to the ball for a game-saving play in a 2-1 win. The 21-year-old catcher remained in the game.

Coby Mayo will replace him as the DH.

Keeping tabs on Henderson

Shortstop Gunnar Henderson’s struggles have been top of mind for Albernaz, but he doesn’t want to get too involved.

“The internal battle that I fight is trying not to micromanage and letting our coaches coach,” Albernaz said. “The perception of micromanaging, I should say.

“I love to coach. I love to help. It’s balancing letting our coaches coach and also not thrusting myself in every aspect of the game. With Gunnar, the conversations are always happening. It depends on the player, too. If they want to have those conversations, if they’re willing to, if they’re open to them, and Gunnar is.

“We talk baseball all the time. He talks about defense. He talks about baserunning with me, hitting, not in-depth as he would with a hitting coach, but those conversations are always happening, and the stance I take with all of our players is to be a sounding board for them.

“Our coaches work their tails off. They’re prepared. They’re in the trenches with them every day. The players hear their voice constantly. I’d just like to keep my office as a place where they can come in and just say what’s on their mind, what they’re thinking. With Gunnar, we always have those conversations. It’s been awesome.”

Helsley not throwing yet

Closer Ryan Helsley, who’s on the 15-day injured list with right elbow inflammation, is eligible to return this week, but he won’t be.

“It felt like a little stiffness a couple of weeks ago,” he said. “I went home for a few days and was hoping it was going to feel better. I’d been feeling it for a couple of week. I threw once in eight or nine days, and I wasn’t really feeling any better.

“I knew something probably wasn’t quite right. I had a little bit of swelling and stiffness in there. I’ve just got to wait for that to go down. All the scans and doctor reviews were really encouraging.”

Helsley is 0-2 with a 2.53 ERA and seven saves.

He hopes to resume throwing soon and thinks he’ll need a rehab assignment. Asked if June 1^st is a realistic goal, Helsley said it was.

“We haven’t talked dates,” he said. “That’s three weeks away, so I would think so. I would love to be back by then. In a perfect world, I would have loved to be back at the 15-day mark, but pitchers’ arm injuries are always tough and always take longer than you think.”

Injury update

Second baseman Jackson Holliday, who played third base for Double-A Chesapeake on Sunday, and outfielder/designated hitter Heston Kjerstad will move their rehab assignments from the Baysox to Triple-A Norfolk on Tuesday.

Starting pitcher Dean Kremer, who’s on the 15-day injured list with a strained right quadriceps muscle, is improving, according to Albernaz.

“He’s trending in the right direction,” Albernaz said. “Luckily he’s still able to throw a baseball and keep his arm moving.”

Albernaz thinks that’s a positive.

“When a pitcher goes down with a lower-body injury, you want to make sure his arm is in condition to go out and throw at least 80 pitches,” he said. “There still might be a little buildup to it, but you don’t want to overtax his quad.”

Right-hander Yaramil Hiraldo, who’s on the 60-day injured list with right shoulder inflammation, is continuing his throwing progression. Hiraldo is eligible to return on June 1^st.

Notes: Nicole Sherry, longtime Orioles groundskeeper, who holds the title of senior director of field operations, is leaving the team, according to an industry source. Sherry’s departure was first reported by The Baltimore Banner. …  Left-handed pitcher Josh Walker’s contract was purchased by the Orioles. Right-hander Trey Gibson was optioned to Norfolk. Heston Kjerstad was transferred to the 60-day injured list to make room on the 40-man roster for Walker, who was 1-1 with a 4.40 ERA and a save in 11 games for Norfolk.

Orioles-Yankees lineups

Orioles

Taylor Ward-LF

Gunnar Henderson-SS

Adley Rutschman-C

Pete Alonso-1B

Tyler O’Neill-RF

Coby Mayo-DH

Leody Taveras-CF

Weston Wilson-3B

Blaze Alexander-2B

Brandon Young-RHP

Yankees

Trent Grisham-CF

Ben Rice-1B

Aaron Judge-RF

Cody Bellinger-LF

Jazz Chisholm-2B

Ryan McMahon-3B

Spencer Jones-DH

Max Schuemann-SS

Austin Wells-C

Ryan Weathers-LHP

Call for questions: I answer Orioles questions most weekdays. Please send yours to: Rich@BaltimoreBaseball.com