BALTIMORE- What happened? After two seasons with numerous injuries, the Orioles were hoping to have a relatively healthy 2026. That hasn’t been the case with regular second baseman Jackson Holliday, third baseman Jordan Westburg and key relievers Keegan Akin, Dietrich Enns and Andrew Kittredge among those on the injured list.
Just before Saturday night’s game, catcher Adley Rutschman was placed on the 10-day injured list with left ankle inflammation. Catcher Maverick Handley, who had been at nearby Double-A Chesapeake, was hurriedly selected for the 26-man roster. Right-handed pitcher Chayce McDermott was designated for assignment.
In the bottom of the second, designated hitter Ryan Mountcastle, who was added to the lineup to replace Rutschman while Samuel Basallo moved from DH to catcher, stumbled midway between first and second base after he hit a ball to center. Mountcastle dove into second base for a double and was removed and replaced by pinch-runner Dylan Beavers.
“Left foot pain right now,” manager Craig Albernaz said. “He’s going to get an MRI tomorrow just to see what we’ve got. I thought it was ankle when it happened. The way he was kind of describing it, the look, just funky the way he obviously was running around first. But, yeah, it’s more in his foot, so we’re going to get an MRI tomorrow, same time as Adley’s.”
Albernaz said that Rutschman hurt his ankle in the first inning on Friday night when he doubled.
“He said he felt it when he got to second base and didn’t really think anything of it,” Albernaz said. “When he woke up this morning, he said it felt just a little weird, and then when we talked earlier in the day, he mentioned it, but again, it wasn’t anything crazy. And as he was going through today, it kind of just swelled up on him pretty good. So that’s kind of where we’re at now.”
The Orioles have 11 players on the injured list: Akin, Enns, Holliday, Kittredge, Rutschman, Westburg, reliever Yaramil Hiraldo, outfielder/designated hitter Heston Kjerstad, starter Zach Eflin and relievers Félix Bautista and Colin Selby.
Bautista, Eflin, Selby and Westburg are on the 60-day injured list.
“I wouldn’t say it’s difficult. It’s just part of it,” Albernaz said. “It’s just part of baseball, the grind of the season. There’s always injuries. Yeah, it’s a lot going on, but I wouldn’t say it’s difficult. It’s making sure guys are prepared to step up when their name is called and that’s what happened tonight.”
What happened? Jeremiah Jackson had three hits and homered and Gunnar Henderson continued his hot hitting with his major league leading sixth home run as the Orioles beat the San Francisco Giants, 6-2, before 29,444 at Camden Yards.
Chris Bassitt pitched 4 2/3 innings, his longest start of the season, allowing two runs, one earned, on seven hits, walking one and striking out one.
Henderson hit his fourth home run in five games. His home run gave the Orioles a 2-1 lead in the third. He has one more home run than the rest of the team combined, 6-5.
Heliot Ramos’ RBI single scored Rafael Devers in the top of the second, and the Orioles tied it, 1-1, when Colton Cowser’s grounder to San Francisco starter Logan Webb scored Beavers, who ran for Mountcastle.
Ramos’ infield out scored Devers in the fourth to tie it, 2-2.
The Orioles scored two in the bottom of the fourth. Beavers walked and was ruled out for interference after he clipped Giants second baseman Luis Arraez on Leody Taveras’ grounder to second. Arraez later left the game with a bruised right wrist.
Taveras scored on Coby Mayo’s infield out, and Mayo scored on Jackson’s double, giving the Orioles a 4-2 lead.
Grant Wolfram relieved Bassitt with two outs in the fifth and recorded three outs. Yennier Cano finished the sixth. Rico Garcia continued his outstanding start of 2026 with a spotless seventh. Anthony Nunez threw a scoreless eighth. Ryan Helsley finished up with a scoreless ninth after giving up two hits.
Jackson’s first home run in the seventh gave the Orioles a 5-2 lead. Mayo’s RBI single in the eighth made it 6-2.
What about the injuries? Bassitt didn’t seem to think Rutschman’s injury was serious.
“It stinks in the aspect of today, but he’s fine,” Bassitt said. “So, it’s not a massive deal, but it’s just so early [14 games]. And we’ve been preaching, trying to preach to these guys, you got to get through April healthy.
“And obviously we lost [Eflin], but overall you’ve just got to get through April healthy and obviously you have to be good in the standings and all that stuff. I understand that, but … there’s a right way and wrong way to get through there, so there’s no reason to push things right now. So, Adley will be fine.”
Jackson’s three hits tied his career high.
“Any time anybody goes down, it’s tough,” Jackson said. “But, yeah, the way we reacted and went out there and played our brand of baseball, it’s just what we’ve got to do. Obviously, it sucks. But it’s kind of part of the game, and we’ve got to pick each other up.”
What does it mean? The Orioles need to overcome these injuries, and if Rutschman is out more than the minimum 10 days, it could be an issue.
What’s the word? “Good teams find a way to tread water when they’re not playing well, and for us to be .500 speaks a lot about this group. There’s not a lot of panic.”-Bassitt on overcoming injuries
What’s the stat of the day? 6 2/3. Garcia hasn’t allowed a hit or a run in 6 2/3 innings. He hasn’t allowed a hit in seven straight appearances, two short of the club record of nine set by Cano from April 14th-30th, 2023.
What’s going on in the minor leagues? Jackson Holliday was 1-for-3 in his rehab assignment, designated hitter Weston Wilson hit a two-run home run and catcher Creed Willems homered as Triple-A Norfolk beat Jacksonville, 3-2.
Levi Wells allowed two unearned runs on three hits in 5 1/3 innings, striking out six without walking a batter.
First baseman Ethan Anderson hit a three-run home run and leftfielder Frederick Bencosme also homered in Chesapeake’s 4-1 win over Erie.
Centerfielder Vance Honeycutt drove in four runs and hit a three-run home run, rightfielder Ike Irish hit a two-run homer, designated hitter Wehiwa Aloy and catcher Colin Tuft also homered as High-A Frederick beat Winston-Salem, 11-2.
JT Quinn struck out 10 and allowed two hits in 4 2/3 innings.
Centerfielder DJ Layton drove in three runs as Single-A Delmarva beat Augusta, 7-4.
What’s next? Cade Povich (0-0, 3.18) will start against Adrian Houser (0-1, 3.97) on Sunday at 1:35 p.m.
Call for questions: Most weekdays, I’ll be answering at least one Orioles question. Please send yours to: Rich,@BaltimoreBaseball.com