RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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See the full story · 1 sourcesBALTIMORE — Twenty-four hours after trading away franchise face Adley Rutschman, the Orioles had a choice.
They could let the emotions of Monday’s trade deadline linger. Or they could turn the page.
They chose the latter, defeating the Angels, 3-1, to begin the final 50 games of the season with a much-needed win. Left-hander Cade Povich, recalled Tuesday to fill the rotation spot vacated when Dean Kremer was traded Saturday, dueled with former Oriole Grayson Rodriguez, tossing six scoreless innings and striking out seven, his most this season.
Along with Povich, who made his first start for Baltimore since May 7, the Orioles (55-58) also saw the team debut of catcher Carlos Narváez, acquired from the Red Sox in Monday’s trade for Rutschman. Christian Franklin, acquired from the Nationals on Monday, made his major league debut.
Franklin made an almost immediate impact, drawing a walk to open the third inning in his first plate appearance. He later scored when the Orioles loaded the bases with no outs, and Pete Alonso lined a one-out single to center, bringing home Franklin and Colton Cowser to give Baltimore a 2-0 lead. The outfielder finished the game 0 for 2 with the walk and run scored. Narváez went 0 for 2 and was hit by a pitch in the third inning to load the bases.
Before the third-inning surge, Baltimore’s offense was quiet, with no baserunners reaching in the first two frames. The Orioles returned to that form over the next three innings as Rodriguez retired nine straight.
Baltimore threatened again in the seventh when Coby Mayo hit a one-out triple, but he was later tagged out at home after trying to score on Franklin’s grounder to shortstop. The Orioles came away empty despite Franklin stealing second with two outs.
Rodriguez exited the game following the inning, tallying six strikeouts on 98 pitches while allowing just three hits.
Baltimore’s 2018 first-round pick was traded to the Angels (43-70) for outfielder Taylor Ward last November. Ward, of course, was dealt Monday after leading the American League with 87 walks in 111 games for the Orioles. Baltimore received right-handed reliever Alex Hoppe and minor league pitchers Brock Moore and Harrison Kreiling in return from the Mariners.
Rodriguez has not had the cleanest start to his tenure with Los Angeles. He opened the season on the injured list with right shoulder inflammation, made his debut in mid-May and later sustained a back strain that sidelined him for a month.
After missing the entire 2025 season with arm injuries, Rodriguez had been unable to recapture the form that produced a 3.86 ERA with Baltimore in 2024. His ERA sits at 7.24 after Tuesday’s start.
Povich, meanwhile, had made four appearances for the Orioles this season, including three starts, before going on the injured list May 8 with left elbow inflammation. He entered Tuesday with a 6.30 ERA in eight starts for Triple-A Norfolk, but manager Craig Albernaz emphasized before the game that Povich was fully healthy and had previously shown encouraging command.
“We all know he has electric stuff,” Albernaz said. “We’re pumped to have him back, pumped that he’s healthy, and we’re excited to see where he’s at.”
Povich allowed seven hits and just one walk, giving the Orioles reason to believe he can help fill the opening in their rotation.
The Angels threatened Baltimore’s lead in the top of the eighth against Andrew Kittredge, who survived Monday’s overhaul despite being mentioned as a potential trade piece. Nolan Schanuel scored from second when Christian Encarnacion-Strand committed a fielding error at third on Vaughn Grissom’s grounder, but Moisés Ballesteros grounded out two batters later to end the threat.
Tyler O’Neill restored Baltimore’s two-run lead in the bottom half with his eighth home run of the season, a pinch-hit solo shot, before Yennier Cano closed out the win in the ninth with his second save of the season.
There was every reason for the Orioles to come out flat.
Cowser spoke before the game about what it was like to lose a friend in Rutschman. The two were about to enter a movie theater when the catcher received the call informing him that he had been traded.
“It’s something where you look inward and feel as if you can be at fault as a player,” Cowser said.
Pete Alonso addressed the situation as soon as reporters entered the clubhouse. “All right, let’s rip the Band-Aid off,” he said.
Alonso then shifted the focus to the games still left to play, the Orioles’ remaining postseason hopes and the debuts of Franklin and Narváez.
Jackson Holliday, meanwhile, was not quite sure what to make of a front office selling while the team sat just 2 1/2 games out of a playoff spot.
“It’s a little weird,” Holliday said. “I guess that’s the business of baseball. … But we have to go out there and play and compete.”
The Orioles managed to do exactly that, despite Monday’s roller coaster and the uncertainty that followed.
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