Pete Alonso and Adley Rutschman look more like themselves in Orioles’ win over Marlins

MIAMI — Craig Albernaz hasn’t been able to count on much in his first six weeks as Orioles skipper.

His lineup has been inconsistent. His starting pitching hasn’t lived up to expectations. His team’s defense has been among the worst in the league. And even recently his bullpen has faltered.

But lately he’s had two big bats in the middle of his order upon whom he can rely. On Wednesday night, both lifted the offense in a 7-4 win over the Marlins.

Pete Alonso, who came into Wednesday’s game with a .940 on-base plus slugging since April 12, further distanced himself from his frigid start to the season. He laced an 0-2 fastball over the wall in right-center field to give the Orioles a 3-0 first-inning lead.

Adley Rutschman, who played the hero in Tuesday’s streak-snapping victory, continued to look revived and refreshed. He smacked two RBI doubles — one from each side of the plate — scored a run and got on base four times.

While Gunnar Henderson slumps — 0-for-5 on Wednesday with three strikeouts — Alonso and Rutschman are responsible for carrying the load. And for all their combined accolades — seven All-Star appearances, two Silver Sluggers — both have something to prove in 2026.

They’ve proved it so far. The two Orioles who are shining the brightest — or are playing like “the best versions of themselves,” as Albernaz would say — are also the two who needed it the most.

The battles they’re waging are of a different scale. Alonso is trying to wash away a rough first three weeks in a new home. Rutschman is attempting to forget a season and a half of uneven play.

Perhaps we should have expected some minor growing pains from Alonso, who was switching big league organizations for the first time in his career. Baltimore’s early-season struggles have made the $155 million man an easy target, especially after his first 14 games as an Oriole produced a .167 batting average and just one long ball.

After a two-homer series in New York, Alonso has racked up three extra-base hits and five RBIs in the first two games in Miami.

“I’m just happy I’m contributing, starting to feel like my normal self,” he said. “I feel like I’m doing a good job of shutting down traps. I feel really consistent in my swing. Mechanics feel good. And that’s the thing, just taking quality pitches and capitalizing on ones that are in the zone, so I feel pretty good right now.”

“He’s definitely rounding into form,” Albernaz said of his first baseman after Tuesday’s 9-7 win. “The at-bat quality has been steady all season, and now he’s starting to find his groove, starting to find his timing. He’s taking his walks, like we always talk about, and his ability to drive the ball to right field has been coming on as of late. And now you’re seeing the adjustability with the off-speed stuff and finding the left field line.”

Alonso stayed more than an hour after the game to work with teammates in the batting cages.

“I love to work, love to help, and ultimately it’s to help win ballgames,” he said. “I’m here not just to contribute but here to help out as well so, yeah, I just want to do whatever I can in my power to win.”

Rutschman, meanwhile, has been the O’s best hitter, with the caveat that he’s played 14 fewer games than fellow standout Taylor Ward. The struggles that began midway through 2024 and carried through 2025 appear a thing of the past. Rutschman boosted his OPS to .931 on Wednesday.

He’s never posted an OPS over .809 in a big league season.

“The thing with Adley, his at-bat quality is so good,” Albernaz said. “He’s seeing pitches, he’s laying off tough pitches and then he’s getting off his ‘A’ swing. And he’s moving so well in the box right now, he’s able to catch up to velo and make adjustments to the off-speed.”

It’s imperative the Orioles continue to get star-level play from Alonso and Rutschman. But it’s just as important that fill-in starters, such as Brandon Young, keep the team in games while they wait for Trevor Rogers and Dean Kremer to return. Young did just that, settling down after a three-run first inning to complete six innings and register a quality start.

“Didn’t really have a choice,” he said of settling down. “Just had to buckle down, make my pitches, just mentally stay calm and focus and know that I have a job to do and it’s to give the team a chance to win.”

With Rogers set to return from the injured list after the minimum stay, Young needed that performance to make his case to remain in the rotation. Rookie Trey Gibson is back in the minors; Cade Povich starts Thursday.

This article has been updated.