Orioles' bullpen stumbles again in 3rd straight loss to Guardians

Matt Weyrich, The Baltimore Sun on Jul 23, 2025

Published in Baseball

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CLEVELAND — The Baltimore Orioles’ bullpen, once the lone source of stability for the struggling ballclub, has become a glaring problem over the past few weeks.

After entering play Wednesday with the highest bullpen ERA in the majors this month at 6.75, the Orioles let another close game slip away as Colin Selby gave up the go-ahead run in the eighth inning of a 3-2 loss to the Cleveland Guardians.

The Orioles (44-57) have lost three straight to open their series against the red-hot Guardians, who have won 11 of their past 13 games. Baltimore, which has lost seven of its past eight, hasn’t been swept in a four-game series since Aug. 16-19, 2021, when the Tampa Bay Rays dismantled the club at Tropicana Field.

Selby entered Wednesday’s game in the eighth with the score knotted at 2 and retired the first two batters he faced. However, No. 9 hitter Bo Naylor kept the inning alive with a double into the left-center field gap and scored on an RBI single by Steven Kwan. It was the only run the bullpen allowed, but a costly one in what has become a string of late-inning losses for Baltimore.

Zach Eflin started his first game since June 29 after back discomfort forced him to the injured list and allowed two runs over five innings. He didn’t allow a base runner until the fourth, when the Guardians tagged him for both runs on a bloop single by designated hitter Kyle Manzardo. The 31-year-old right-hander’s performance was a welcome improvement from his disastrous June numbers, and he’ll get one more start before the trade deadline.

Jordan Westburg scored the Orioles’ first run on a sacrifice fly by Ryan O’Hearn in the fourth and Jackson Holliday hit his 14th home run of the season in the sixth with a solo shot to right field. Yet that would be it for the Baltimore offense as Cleveland right-hander Slade Cecconi registered a quality start with two runs over six innings and the bullpen closed it out with three hitless frames.

Instant analysis

Holliday’s sixth-inning blast broke a tie with Mullins and Ramón Laureano for the most home runs on the Orioles this season. The 21-year-old has a chance to join Curt Blefary (1965) and Boog Powell (1963) as the youngest players in Orioles history to lead the team in homers.

It’s an impressive feat for the burgeoning star who still has plenty of room to grow in the power department as his body matures. However, it’s also a sign of the times that the Orioles’ leadoff hitter, who entered play Wednesday with just a .415 slugging percentage, is atop the team leaderboard in long balls.

Gunnar Henderson (11) still hasn’t rediscovered his power stroke of a year ago when he launched 37 homers. Tyler O’Neill (3) has been hurt too much and ineffective even when he’s been on the field. Westburg (10) and Adley Rutschman (8) have dealt with injuries and extended slumps as well.

After finishing two home runs shy of the New York Yankees for the MLB lead last season, the Orioles now sit all the way down at 12th with 117 on the year.

On deck

The Orioles will send Charlie Morton to the mound Thursday as they look to avoid the sweep. Left-hander Logan Allen is slated to start for Cleveland.

Around the horn

— Catcher Maverick Handley went to see a wrist specialist this week and right-hander Scott Blewett got a second opinion on his injured elbow. Both of them received good news with Mansolino describing their ailments as “not serious.” Blewett will report to the Orioles’ spring training complex in Florida to resume throwing in the next couple of days.

— First baseman Ryan Mountcastle will report to Triple-A Norfolk on Thursday to begin his rehabilitation assignment. The Orioles are hopeful he’ll be ready to return when first eligible July 30, though they might wait until after the trade deadline to activate him when their roster has settled.

— The Orioles officially reinstated Eflin from the 15-day injured list ahead of Wednesday’s game and sent right-hander Brandon Young back to Triple-A in a corresponding move after he started against Cleveland in a 6-3 loss Tuesday. Handley was also moved from the 7-day concussion IL to the 10-day IL after he cleared concussion protocols.

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