Mayo goes 4-for-4 with 5 RBIs in Orioles’ 7-6 loss to Astros

What’s happening? Coby Mayo had a productive trip to Florida’s East Coast, going 4-for-4 and driving in five runs in the Orioles’ 7-6 loss to the Houston Astros in West Palm Beach on Tuesday.

Mayo, who grew up in Parkland, Florida got to play in front of friends and relatives at home for the past two days.

He hit a two-run home run and had three singles. He’s 13-for-26 (.500) with 10 RBIs.

On Monday, he was 1-for-3 in the Orioles’ 7-2 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals in Jupiter.

“It was nice to play in this park finally as a professional baseball player,” Mayo told reporters in Jupiter on Monday. “I was in Jupiter hundreds of times growing up and in high school.”

Chris Davis was elected to the Orioles’ Hall of Fame. Davis, who hit the sixth most home runs in team history, will be enshrined on August 1^st along with pitcher Storm Davis and Jim Russo, the longtime scout and front office executive, who’ll enter as the Herb Armstrong Award winner.

What happened? Manager Craig Albernaz started two of the best pitching prospects in the games. On Tuesday, Levi Wells allowed two runs on two his in 3 2/3 innings.

“It’s really impressive what he can do,” Albernaz told reporters in West Palm Beach about Wells on Tuesday. “I love his attitude and makeup, how he goes about it on the mound. He’s a bulldog out there. He’s competing his butt off every single pitch and the stuff’s real.”

Trey Gibson, who won the organization’s award for top minor league pitcher in 2025, allowed two runs on one hit in four innings in Monday’s start.

Pete Alonso, Ryan Mountcastle, Adley Rutschman and Taylor Ward didn’t play in either game.

Samuel Basallo, Dylan Beavers and Colton Cowser played on Tuesday. Beavers played center and Cowser was in right.

What’s up with José Barrero? The 27-year-old Barrero, also lives on Florida’s East Coast and played shortstop in Tuesday’s game. He was hitless in three at-bats.

Barrero is a .182 hitter in 161 major league games with St. Louis and Cincinnati from 2020-2025. He signed with the Orioles last July and played at Triple-A Norfolk and re-signed with the team in the fall.

Along with childhood friend Bryan Ramos, who played third on Tuesday, Barrero defected from Cuba at 18 when he was in Mexico and moved to the Dominican Republic before signing with Cincinnati.

“It feels amazing. I want the best for him, too,” Barrero said. “We’re from Cuba, Havana, and I’m happy to be here with him.”

What’s what? Many fans were puzzled over the announcement of Davis’ election to the Hall of Fame. They shouldn’t be. While Davis had some awful years after he signed a club record, seven-year, $161 million contract, he did lead the majors in home runs in 2013 and 2015 and was the winning pitcher in a symbolically important game in Orioles history.

Davis threw two scoreless innings in the Orioles’ 9-6 win over the Boston Red Sox in 17 innings in May 2012, a game that capped off a successful road trip to Yankee Stadium and Fenway Park and set the team on its way to break the streak of 14 seasons of losing baseball.

His “Crush Davis” T-shirts were a sensation in 2013, and fans never really turned on him even through some of his forgettable years late in his career.

The honor is richly deserved.

What’s the word? “Just swinging at the right pitches has been good so far and not missing pitches. I’ve missed some. Those at-bats never worked out in your favor when you’re missing good pitches to hit.”-Mayo on what’s working this spring. 

What’s the number? 434. Mayo’s first home run of the spring traveled 434 feet.

What’s the record? 7-9-2. The Orioles will host the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota at 1:05 p.m. Kyle Bradish will start against Noah Davis. It will be Bradish’s third start of the spring. He’s allowed four runs on seven hits in five innings.

Ben Wagner and Ben McDonald will have the call on MASN.

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