Baltimore Orioles utility man Blaze Alexander suffered an injury.
The Baltimore Orioles are starting to stack wins after a slow start to the 2026 season. Baltimore took Monday's series opener against the Los Angeles Angels and now sit just four games back of .500. If they can keep winning, this team has a real chance to make the playoffs, especially in a wide open American League.
Even though the season has been disappointing overall, there have been plenty of bright spots from the additions the Orioles made this offseason to bolster the 40-man roster. That includes utility infielder Blaze Alexander, who is having by far the best season of his career.
Across 67 games, the 27-year-old has posted a .310 batting average, .360 on-base percentage, .805 OPS, three home runs and 23 RBIs. He has been huge for Baltimore given all the injuries the team has dealt with and has been a reliable option at third base throughout the year. He has done his best replicating the production of Jordan Westburg, who is out for the season.
However, Alexander is now dealing with an injury of his own. During Monday's game, he logged just one plate appearance before exiting. He fouled a ball off his right knee and left the game with a muscle contusion. Leody Taveras entered in his place at third base, marking the first time in Taveras' career he has played the position.
After the game, manager Craig Albernaz commented on Alexander's condition. "It just locked up on him. I think if we had more time, we probably could have worked it out for him, but in that moment with the inning being over, we had to make a quick decision. So yeah, it'll be muscle contusion, day to day," Albernaz said (Andy Kostka of The Baltimore Banner).
Alexander is in his first season with the Orioles and third overall in the big leagues. He was drafted in the 2018 MLB Draft by the Diamondbacks and spent the first two seasons of his career there before being dealt to Baltimore this past offseason in exchange for relief pitcher Kade Strowd and two other minor leaguers. Given the value Alexander has provided, it has been a clear win so far for the Orioles.
This is not the first injury Alexander has dealt with in Baltimore, as he also spent some time managing calf tightness before the season began.
With Albernaz ruling it day-to-day, the Orioles will hope that remains the case and that the condition does not worsen. Alexander will look to slot back into the starting nine Tuesday for another game against the Angels.
