Blaze Alexander is the other MVO, Most Versatile Oriole

Pete Alonso was unanimously voted the MVO, Most Valuable Oriole. There’s another MVO on the team, Most Versatile Oriole, and that’s Blaze Alexander.

Alexander was acquired from the Arizona Diamondbacks just before spring training, and despite playing only 11 games in the second half of the season because of stints on the injured list for a fractured left hand and back spasms, had his most productive season in the majors.

He set career-highs in games played (93), average (.303), RBIs (31), OPS (.775), and stolen bases (10).

Alexander’s most impressive career high was starting multiple games at six positions — second base, shortstop, third base and each of the three outfield positions.

He finished one position short of the team record for most positions played in a season, held by Ryan Flaherty, who played seven positions in 2016. Flaherty played everywhere but catcher and center field. He even pitched an inning.

According to the Elias Sports Bureau, there were 13 seasons in which an Oriole played six positions. Besides his record-setting season, Flaherty played six positions in 2012, 2014 and 2015.

There have been five other occurrences this century — Jorge Mateo (2025), Pat Valaika (2020, 2021), Jace Peterson (2018) and Melvin Mora (2003).

Mateo, Valaika (2021) and Peterson each pitched in lopsided losses.

The other Orioles to play six positions in a season were Dick Williams (1956, 1958), Billy Goodman (1957) and Rich Amaral (1999).

Alexander’s usefulness was at a height in the season’s first half. Kansas City’s Lucas Erceg broke his hand with a pitch on July 12^th, the final game before the All-Star break.

“I got really hot there, those three months,” Alexander said during the Orioles’ final weekend of the season at Yankee Stadium. “Got an everyday opportunity to play. The injury set back my season.”

Alexander filled in capably at third base for Jordan Westburg, who had Tommy John surgery and missed the season, starting 36 times.

“I wouldn’t say I rushed to get back, tried to get back as quick as I can, and then tweaked my back,” he said.

Alexander returned to the Orioles on August 28^th and injured his back on September 8^th. He missed a few days of rehab for a good reason, leaving the club when they were playing the New York Mets at Citi Field to return to Arizona for the birth of his first child.

“When I was going, it was the best I’ve felt in a major league uniform,” he said. “I started to get comfortable here. People were allowing me to be me, and that’s all you can really ask for as a player.

“I was showing up stress-free, knew what I had to do, and keeping it simple. I feel like I was able to be really repeatable. If I were to put it in one word, it would just be consistent. I feel like I had a consistent year.”

In 2024 and 2025, Alexander played 133 games with the Diamondbacks, splitting time with Triple-A Reno and Arizona.

“When I got my chance at the trade deadline last year, I showed that I could be an everyday player,” Alexander said. “I had to work into that role here.”

Starting the season, Alexander knew he had to be adaptable.

“I knew I was going to get a lot of opportunities in different spots,” he said. “The only thing I really cared about was having my name in that lineup. Whether it was in the outfield, wherever in the infield, it was, ‘I’m playing that day. Let’s go and do whatever can to help the team win that day.’

“With consistent playing time, you start to find yourself. You’re not facing that best pitchers in the world every three, four days. You’re facing them every day. With that comes repetition and consistency follows after that. You develop yourself into an everyday big leaguer.”

If Westburg comes back healthy and the Orioles also have Coby Mayo and Christian Encarnacion-Strand to play third, Alexander could be even more useful next season.

“They love my versatility,” he said. “It makes it a lot easier on them to fill in a lineup with me being able to play everywhere. Going into this offseason, I’m going to fine-tune things and really get ready to play wherever.

“It was different in the offseason last year, really wasn’t quite sure where I was going to play, whether it was going to be more left field. I didn’t do as much outfield work in the offseason. We’ll definitely have a discussion where they see [me] most, and I would imagine it’s a lot of the same you saw this year.”

Alexander started six games in center field and four each in left and right.

“I’ll definitely prepare 10 times more, to be able to do whatever’s asked for me,” he said. “Be so comfortable, running out to center field, switch midgame, go to third base. I know I can do it. Not everyone can do that. I take pride in that. If that’s my role, I’m going to try to be the best at what I do.”

Notes: As reported elsewhere, on Tuesday, the Orioles made cuts in their business staff. They also let go of staffers who filled the roles of The Bird and Mr. Splash. Longtime team photographer Todd Olszewski, who’d been with the Orioles for 24 years, was also cut. … Pete Alonso is one of 10 American League finalists for the Hank Aaron Award, which recognizes the most outstanding offensive performance in each league. The winners will be announced on MLB Network on November 11^th.

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