July 16: Baltimore officially placed Alexander on the 10-day disabled list, which resumes on July 13. The first baseman Christian Encarnacion-Strand recalled from Triple-A Norfolk to take his place on the active roster. Encarnacion-Strand was acquired from Cincinnati in April and has been in Triple-A all season.
July 12: The Orioles’ 8-2 victory today came at a painful cost Blaze Alexanderas the third baseman left the game with an undisplaced fracture in his left hand. The injury came there Lucas Erceg he hit Alexander with a pitch in the bottom of the seventh, and both benches emptied after Alexander had special words for Erceg after the at-bat.
O’s manager Craig Albernaz shared a diagnosis of Alexander’s condition in his postgame comments to the media (including MASNsports), and Alexander will receive further tests during the All-Star break to determine the severity of the fracture and a potential recovery timeline. Such injuries usually result in at least a month on the injured list, and Alexander’s season could end if surgery is required.
The brutal news spoiled a banner day for Alexander, who had scored two runs and went 2-for-2 with a walk in three plate appearances before HBP. Alexander is now hitting .312/.368/.439 with four home runs over 246 PA, good for an impressive 123 wRC+.
A .396 BABIP played a big role in Alexander’s offensive production, as he hit just .237/.322/.366 in 451 PA careers for the Diamondbacks before the February trade that brought the rookie to Baltimore. Not much went right for the Orioles in the first half, however Alexander was the standout.
Despite his unpredictable offense, Alexander’s versatile defense has helped fill the O’s holes on the diamond. He got a fair bit of playing time at second base, shortstop, and all three outfield spots, though Alexander played third base, and he was in regular shape at the hot corner as the Orioles looked to keep his belt in the lineup.
Tonight’s win over Kansas City improved Baltimore’s record to 46-51, and the O’s head into the break on a four-game winning streak. Like the rest of the American League, the Orioles are always in the playoff picture, as they are only two games out of the wild card spot. It remains to be seen if the O’s can continue and begin to look more like full-time players as the deadline approaches, though their chances will pass without Alexander’s production.
If the Orioles are buyers, now they could be looking to find another reliever, if Alexander faces an extended absence. Coby Mayo will likely occupy most of the third base season for now, as the former shortstop is still trying to prove himself in his third MLB season.
