Orioles Notebook: Rogers’ Struggles, Akin, Mayo

On Saturday, the Baltimore Orioles and Boston Red Sox met for game two in a best-of-three series between AL East foes. Boston demolished Baltimore, 17-1, exacting their revenge after a seven-run defeat the previous night.

In game one, on Friday, the Orioles swatted six home runs as a team – five of which came against Boston starter Brayan Bello. With that performance fresh in mind, Baltimore anticipated a tougher challenge stringing hits together on Saturday against AL Cy Young runner-up Garrett Crochet.

Crochet dominated Baltimore in the blowout win. The left-hander tossed six shutout innings, striking out seven and walking two. He stymied the Orioles’ offense all game, allowing just one extra-base hit.

“He’s one of the best pitchers in the league and when he’s on, he’s tough,” said Orioles manager Craig Albernaz. “He was relentless in the strike zone and when he’s throwing strikes, especially at the top [of the zone], it really opens up his cutter and his breaking ball.”

Trevor Rogers’ Struggles

Meanwhile, the Orioles’ Cy Young vote-getter last season, Trevor Rogers, struggled again. After surrendering nine earned runs in his previous 9.2 innings, Rogers was chased from the contest early, Rogers allowed three earned runs in just 1.2 innings. He gave up four hits, walked two and struck out two.

“It’s just frustrating on my end that I just can’t really go deep into games right now,” Rogers said in his post-game presser. “I’ve just got to stay within my process, stay disciplined, and [do] what I need to do, and it will turn around.”

“It was just deep counts, and he couldn’t get the two-strike pitch where he wanted it,” Albernaz recalled. “That pitch count was just picking up high that inning.”

Rogers had thrown 47 pitches in the second inning prior to his removal. Albernaz said that he was “uncomfortable” leaving Rogers in any longer than that.

It’s an arduous season, and it’s important to preserve the health of a key starting pitcher in April. He’ll hope to get back on track in his next start, projected for Friday in the Bronx.

The Orioles and Red Sox will battle for a series victory on Sunday, with Kyle Bradish (1-2, 3.96) facing off against Connelly Early (1-1, 2.88).

Keegan Akin‘s Season Debut

Left-handed reliever Keegan Akin is one of the longest-tenured Orioles and had missed the entirety of the season thus far, due to a left groin strain. He was activated from the 15-day injured list prior to Saturday’s game for his first appearance of the 2026 season.

Entering in the eighth inning with his team trailing, 7-1, Akin retired the side in order. With the game still likely out of reach in the ninth, Albernaz decided to give the lefty more work.

That’s where things went south.

All six batters that Akin faced earned a hit and came around to score, most of whom touched the plate circling the bases on an Andruw Monasterio grand slam. That disastrous inning inflated his season ERA to 54.00.

“He looked great his first inning,” Albernaz recalled. “When the grand slam happened, [we brought in] a position player to save the rest of the ‘pen.”

Akin has been a stalwart for the Orioles’ bullpen over the past couple years, appearing in at least 64 games with a sub-3.50 ERA in each of the past two seasons. Baltimore still expects him to be an important part of their bullpen mix moving forward.

“He’s a guy we were counting on going into the season, and obviously, him going down in spring training was tough,” said Albernaz, in his pre-game presser. “It definitely raises the floor of our ‘pen, just like adding [Andrew] Kittredge too. So yeah, we’re excited to have him back.”

An established major league bullpen arm, Akin will look to leave this catastrophic outing in the past and string together some good outings. He will be a free agent after the conclusion of the season.

Coby Mayo is Heating Up

It hasn’t been a banner start to the young career of Coby Mayo, a consensus former top prospect. In 417 career plate appearances, Mayo is slashing .198/.283/.351 with 14 home runs and a 30.5% strikeout rate. The Orioles have had trouble finding consistent at-bats for him in prior seasons.

This year, with Jordan Westburg on the injured list, Mayo has received near-every day playing time at third base. He’d gotten off to a slow start, slugging .185 in his first 62 plate appearances, but is 5-for-18 (.278) with three home runs and seven RBI this week.

Saturday evening against Crochet, Mayo roped a 112.8-mph double and lined out on a well-hit 104.8-mph piece.

“When Coby’s going right, he’s catching the ball out in front,” Albernaz said, of Mayo. “Being able to get that changeup last night [when he homered for a third-straight game], that’s where his swing is and that’s how he maximizes his bat speed.”

That bat speed that Albernaz was alluding to, is well-above average compared to the general populus in the big leagues. Moving the bat through the zone at 74.5 mph, Mayo can pack a serious punch when he gets the barrel to the ball.

“We just want Coby to be Coby. When Coby’s going right, he’s catching that ball out in front, and we just want to keep pushing him in that direction,” Albernaz explained.

Perhaps this recent success will give Mayo a confidence boost moving forward. He’s looking at a runway of at least another month to start at third base, while Westburg continues to rehab the partial UCL tear in his throwing arm.