Orioles Keep Henderson In Five Spot And Give Holliday Rare Leadoff Role Vs A Lefty

The O's host the Yankees in a key series sticking with some of the lineup tweaks that worked so well in Tampa over the weekend

Aug 16, 2026; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Baltimore Orioles second baseman Jackson Holliday (7) and first baseman Coby Mayo (16) are congratulated by shortstop Gunnar Henderson (2) after they scored during the fifth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Orioles begin what is yet again their biggest series of the season with Gunnar Henderson batting fifth for the fourth time in the last five games, at the same time ex-Oriole Adley Rutschman, the only player O’s baseball exec Mike Elias drafted ahead of Henderson, is being dropped to fifth already on Boston.

Yeah, this rebuild has been strange. And the Orioles are never going to pretend to contend for the American League East this season despite Elias making that their alleged goal. But they have finally found a lineup that can put pressure on starting pitchers and that showed major signs of life at the end of its 10-game road trip in Tampa.

Dropping Henderson to the five spot immediately resulted in a four hit game for him, including a game-deciding homer. A rotating cast of leadoff men have continued to provide a spark – including Pete Alonso getting his first start there ever – and youngster Jackson Holliday has become a staple in the top of the lineup as the offense has begun to surge. Holliday isn’t chasing power nearly as much and continued to deliver key hits up the middle or to the opposite field, making a concerted effort since July to meet the ball closer to the pitcher and standing further from the plate (a complete study is quite revealing).

Holliday getting the chance to lead-off against a tough lefty is a big nod to the gains he has made.

There is reason to believe at least some of this can hold and make this a more formidable group of hitters to deal with, and there is hope Samuel Basallo (on an injury rehab in AA) and Blaze Alexander will be back soon enough. As long as Alonso continues his recent MVP form, they are probably okay.

Alonso brings a streak of multiple hits in four out of five games into Tuesday. He now has a .318/.411/.570 slash in 28 games since the All-Star break and is again serving as DH Tuesday as he has been dealing with a calf strain suffered in Tampa. Henderson, during his last six games (O’s are 4-2) has a .417/.500/.792 slash, looking much more at ease at the plate and no longer visibly pressing.

Orioles Lineup

Here’s how The Birds open their series against Yankees lefty Carlos Rodon, just back from a lengthy injury stint

1. Holliday 2B

2.     Alonso DH

3.     Tyler O’Neill RF

4.     Coby Mayo 1B

5.     Henderson SS

6.     Christian Encarnacion-Strand 3B

7.     Ledo Taveras CF

8.     Christian Franklin LF

9.     Carlos Narvaez C

Shane Baz will start for the Orioles. He has struggled mightily against the Yankees in his career, but has been very good overall since May.

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