Entering the 2026 All-Star Game break, the Orioles were one of several teams vying for one of the three AL Wild Card spots. It was a mixed first-half for the O’s, one defined by Pete Alonso and a solid offense, coupled with improved pitching.
The Offense
| Stat | Number | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Runs Scored | 447 | 12th |
| Home Runs | 112 | t-12th |
| OPS | .722 | t-14th |
| Whiff% | 26.3 | 23rd |
| Hard Hit% | 42.9 | 1st |
The Pitching
| Stat | Number | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Starters’ ERA | 4.36 | 17th |
| Relievers’ ERA | 4.23 | 18th |
| Strikeouts | 766 | 23rd |
| Whiff% | 25.1 | 16th |
| Chase% | 30.6 | 13th |
The Good
Pete Alonso‘s first season in Baltimore has gone just fine.
Alonso led the team in home runs (21), as the Orioles first baseman caught fire after April. Ten of those 21 home runs came once the start of June arrived.
He led a good overall offense for the O’s during the first half. Four Orioles hitters were in double digits in home runs. Aside from Alonso, Gunnar Henderson, Samuel Basallo, and Coby Mayo each had at least 10. Basallo caught fire before the break, as well, which pushed him to 16 in his rookie campaign.
Like Alonso, almost half of Basallo’s home runs (7) came from June 1 onward.
Moving to the pitching staff, it was two tales for Trevor Rogers, who broke out last season with Baltimore. Rogers had trouble with the fastball getting hit early on. But since June 1, the left-hander looked more like the pitcher seen last season. His 1.73 ERA was tied with Dylan Cease for the third-best in the Majors over that span.
Rogers helped lead what was a better rotation for the O’s leading up to the break. Brandon Young posted a 3.48 ERA over 41 innings from June 1 through the break, and among all Orioles starters, his 3.42 ERA was second-best on the team behind Kyle Bradish.
Ryan Helsley, who signed with the O’s over the winter after a difficult run in New York, notched eight saves but missed time over the first half due to injury. But it was another ex-Met, Rico Garcia, who stole the show, as he was one of the best relievers in the league.
The Bad
The Orioles haven’t seen Jackson Holliday hit like a first-overall pick yet. Nor have the Orioles seen Taylor Ward produce as he did with the Angels.
Granted, Ward’s 2026 season has been very good overall. His 17.1% BB% was good for a top-five finish among hitters with 250+ plate appearances in the first half. However, he only had six home runs before the break. Normally, a hitter who flirts with 30+ home runs, Ward was more of a doubles hitter than a home run hitter.
It’s also been a grind for Colton Cowser, who had only four extra-base hits from June 1 through the break. Now, all of those extra-base hits were home runs. But like Holliday, Cowser batted below .200 in that span.
Moving to the pitching staff, Chris Bassitt posted an ERA north of 5.00 and conceded a lot of contact. Bassitt was one of several pitchers added to the Orioles’ rotation this past winter after the O’s lacked depth in that category last season.
Looking Ahead
The Orioles entered the break two games out of an AL Wild Card spot. So, the O’s are very much in it, although Baltimore will have to roll without a now-injured Blaze Alexander, who helped fill out an infield that’s been without Jordan Westburg for all of 2026.
There’s an argument to be made that the Orioles’ window isn’t cracked open. After all, the clock is ticking on making a run to the World Series with Gunner Henderson, who is in his fourth full MLB season.
But, realistically, the O’s will need those pitchers to come through in the second half. The good news is that, thanks to Trevor Rogers’ resurgence, the Orioles have a shot.
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