Blaze Alexander Is A Top Run Creator In MLB, Yet Never Bats Above 8th In Orioles Shaky Lineup

Alexander is top six in WRC+ since April 28 and getting on base over 41% of the time, but the Orioles won't drop struggling hitters down. to move him up

Jun 14, 2026; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Orioles infielder Blaze Alexander (23) hits a double in the seventh inning against the San Diego Padres at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Sabau-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Mike Elias wants you to believe that he has almost nothing to do with the lineups.

Man, is that guy a hoot! Personality-plus, and so many one liners I can't keep up. All this losing hasn’t dulled his funny bone one bit.

Of course, he loves to gaslight you about pretty much anything and everything, and he keeps hiring puppet skippers with no chops and no voice and no pushback for a reason. So we’re not buying that.

And it’s also odd that his latest overmatched rookie manager, Craig Albernaz, who has no history with Gunnar Henderson or Adley Rutschman dating back to when they were actually performing above average MLB players, would keep genuflecting to them in his suspect lineups given they haven’t ever done anything of note under his watch. Yet there they are, night after night, the way Elias will mandate until they finally get him out of Baltimore.

Because The Elias Way stinks.

In the meantime, though we continue to try to help this losing franchise out. And, so, if they refuse to let Gunnar DH more to help get him going, and insistent on keeping him in the top part of the lineup – HYPER. Well, then maybe they could drop Rutschman, who has 1 homer and 18 RBI and a .570 OPS when serving as DH for the O’s since 6/21/2014 (and he’s done it more than anyone!), since he has one homer in his last 30 games – HYPER.

Whatever they do, could they please, with this upcoming six-game homestand their last chance to make anything of a horrible first half, get more plate appearances for one of the top best all-around hitters in baseball since April 28? In all of their esteemed baseball intellect and analytic advancement, could someone in The Warehouse realize that Blaze Alexander is still their best hitter and find a way to get him out of the bottom of what’s been one of MLB’s worst lineups since June 1?

Is that too much to ask?

Still Blazin’

Alexander three-hit game Sunday, while the rest of the lineup was largely sleepy and anemic, again, hopefully served as a wake-up call, though we kind of doubt it. Entering play Monday, Alexander’s ridiculous form since the end of April would have resulted in way more opportunities to bat – especially given his speed and .415 OBP since April 28, and with the Orioles getting nothing but walks but no real production or base-running threat from Taylor Ward in that spot all season.

Give Alexander a try. Lean into this MVP-worthy run he is on. Please man. Throw us a bone. Try just a little common (baseball) sense over there for a change.

Alexander’s Ranks Since April 28 (161 PAs)

Average: .366 1st (Otto Lopez, .360; Luis Arraez .332)

OBP: .415 – 3rd (Andrew Vaughn .421; Pete Crow-Armstrong .417)

SLG: .531 – T22nd (with Freddie frickin Freeman)

OPS: .946 – 10th

WRC+: 167 – 6th (PCA 184; Yordan Alvarez, Byron Buxton, Junior Caminero , Juan Soto 170)

The closest Oriole to him in WRC+ in that span is Pete Alonso at a very healthy 146, with an .889 OPS.

It’s yet another example of Elias and how pawn-skipper-of-the-moment prioritizing trying to prop up the faces of their long-derailed rebuild rather than try to construct the best lineup possible to win in that moment. It’s also why we’ve gotten so much more of Tyler O’Neill than we ever deserved and why people like Eloy Jimenez got opportunities over Coby Mayo and why they think trying to prove themselves right and look smart is more important than winning (because their job security and saving face and spending the least possible to stay quasi-competitive is all that truly motivates them).

Sad fact is, Elias can’t do none of the above.

So we get their best hitter over a 2 ½-month stretch, over 90 games into the season, having 210 of his 226 plate appearances while batting 8th or 9th in the lineup, and him having twice as many plate appearances (2) hitting fourth in the lineup as he has leading-off. Is it really any surprise this organization is among the dregs of MLB since June 21, 2024?

So, please, you feckless architects of horrible baseball, embrace this run by Alexander. Lean into the fact that his 7% walk rate might skew up if he did get to bat in the top of the order, trying to set the table with those Ted Williams batting average and on-base figures.

And stop clogging up the top half of the order with two chronic under-producers night after night.