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Baltimore Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman came up clutch for his team during Wednesday's game against the Toronto Blue Jays. The switch-hitting smacked a two-run walkoff home run in the ninth to give the O's the win. This marked his second career walkoff blast and his third home run in his last four games. Rutschman continues to prove why he's arguably the best catcher in baseball right now. His OPS has jumped from .781 to .859 over the last three games.
Baltimore Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said that outfielder Austin Hays (calf) still has lingering effects from his left-calf injury, which is why he didn't start on Wednesday against the visiting Toronto Blue Jays and was pinch-run for in the walk-off win. The 28-year-old didn't start on Wednesday, but he came off the bench as a pinch-hitter and hit a double before he was pulled for a pinch-runner. Hays just came off the injured list on Monday but apparently isn't healthy enough to serve as anything more than a pinch-hitter off the bench. Even if he were fully healthy after his stay on the IL, Hays would most likely be a bench player for the Orioles anyway given his slow start and with rookie Colton Cowser impressing offensively. Hays entered Wednesday's contest hitting .111 (5-for-45) on the year with no homers, two RBI and four runs scored.
Baltimore Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said that outfielder Anthony Santander (knee) bruised his knee early in Wednesday's game against the visiting Toronto Blue Jays during a collision with the outfield wall. The injury got worse on Santander's double and slide in the eighth inning, which is why he was pulled from the contest in the ninth. For now fantasy managers should consider the 29-year-old as day-to-day. Santander went 2-for-4 with a strikeout in the 3-2 walk-off win to raise his season average to a weak .220 and his OPS to .745. The Orioles have a scheduled off day on Thursday before they start a series on Friday at Camden Yards against the visiting Seattle Mariners. Fantasy managers will want to check back then to see if Santander is back in action. Santander came into Wednesday's game slashing .212/.293/.438 with seven home runs and 25 RBI for the O's.
Baltimore Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson is hitting in the cleanup spot on Wednesday as he faces the visiting Toronto Blue Jays and left-hander Yusei Kikuchi. This will be the first time in 2024 that Henderson has hit anywhere in the lineup besides leadoff. The 22-year-old left-handed hitter got off to a hot start in April but has been a bit quiet so far in May. On the year as a whole, he's hitting .264 (42-for-159) with 12 home runs, 27 RBI, six stolen bases and 30 runs scored in 40 games in just his third MLB season. Since the calendar flipped to May, he's gone just 8-for-42 (.191) with two homers and three RBI. Henderson is hitting .317 (19-for-60) with four of his 12 homers against southpaws this year, so don't sit him just because he's cooled off and is facing a left-hander on Wednesday. Third baseman Jordan Westburg is hitting leadoff for the O's.
Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Corbin Burnes threw six one-run innings while recording only two strikeouts and allowing two walks. He picked up a no-decision in the 3-2 extra-inning loss to the Toronto Blue Jays, as the only run support the Orioles could manage were a pair of solo shots off the bat of catcher Adley Rutschman. He was pulled after six innings with only 85 pitches thrown, his lowest since his Opening Day gem against the Los Angeles Angels. Burnes' next matchup on Sunday against the Seattle Mariners should garner a higher strikeout total on Sunday as the Mariners hitters lead the league in that category this season.