The Orioles placed Samuel Basallo on the injured list with right shoulder inflammation back on July 22. At that time, Baltimore was 50-53. The Birds were only a few games removed from a seven-game win streak that had the potential to save their season. Adley Rutschman, Taylor Ward and Tyler Wells were still on the team.
Basallo returned from the IL on August 19. Plenty of things had changed in Baltimore over the last month, but one thing remained the same—The Orioles were only a few games out of the final wild card spot.
Rutschman’s departure had a profound effect on the roster and the fan base, but the move affected the injured rookie as much as anyone. Basallo shifted from a timeshare situation to being the primary option behind the dish. Baltimore made a clear investment in Basallo’s future by inking him to an eight-year extension in 2025, but it was always difficult to imagine Rutschman leaving before the end of 2027.
Rutschman’s departure had to make Basallo’s stay on the IL even more painful. Now healthy, the 22-year-old has an opportunity to make a sizable impact in his first stretch as the primary option.
Pete Alonso has been just about everything the Orioles could ask for in year one of his five-year, $155 million deal, but the majority of the offense has struggled to turn in consistent performances. The loss of Rutschman and Ward took away two of Baltimore’s best on-base guys, and Gunnar Henderson’s struggles have been felt all season.
Despite all of that, things could still click at the right time. Jackson Holliday is delivering quality at bats at the top of the order. Coby Mayo is destroying left-handed pitching. Dylan Beavers and Tyler O’Neill are making their presence known. Colton Cowser’s pop is still there, and Craig Albernaz has found a way to deploy the right hitters at the right time.
The Orioles still need more from their offense, and Basallo’s big bat can make a world of difference. Listed at 6-foot-4 and 250 lbs, Basallo provides a presence in the heart of the order. He helped steal a valuable win with a late-game homer on Saturday, and he should provide valuable protection to other players in the order.
The team has attempted to ease their franchise player back into action, but the time for that has come and gone. Carlos Narváez has earned praise for his early work with pitchers, but the bat simply isn’t there right now. Basallo provides much needed power and credibility to a lineup that needs to fire on all cylinders if the team hopes to make the playoffs.
It always felt like possessing two plus-hitting catchers was a cheat code. The Orioles forfeited that privilege when they shipped Rutschman to Boston. Narváez is capable of more than he’s shown, but he’s hitting like a backup catcher right now. Designated hitter slots are limited with Alonso entrenched at first base and Mayo emerging as a must-start against lefties. At the same time, this lineup can reach a different gear with Basallo taking the place of Narváez or Yohel Pozo.
Basallo entered last night’s game with a 110 OPS+. That number may not jump off the page, but it’s good for second on the team with Blaze Alexander sidelined and both Rutschman and Ward out of the picture.
Fortunately, multiple players are capable of performing above their season totals. Holliday slashed .368/.500/.421 in July before falling back off over the last two weeks. Henderson entered last night’s game slashing .311/.404/.533 over the last two weeks. Guys like Christian Encarnacion-Strand have stepped up, and Beavers has proven that he’s not afraid of the moment. The offense put its potential on full display with a 13-1 win last night without any help from Basallo (0-5, 4 K).
Some of that may feel like a stretch, but that only strengthens the opportunity for Basallo. The rookie became one of the best hitters on the active roster the day that he was activated. It may feel like an odd time to say this after his struggles last night, but the lineup just looks different with the big guy penciled into the heart of the order.
Basallo will not be defined by his performance if he struggles over the final month of the season, but he has the opportunity to transform the offense with a 30-game hot streak. The Orioles need several things to break right if they hope to play baseball in October, but Basallo emerging as an X-factor could provide the power surge that the team needs.
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