Coby Mayo’s 2-homer day boosts Orioles — and offers a promising development for 2027

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The path here for Coby Mayo has not been smooth, but then again, it rarely is for a burgeoning major leaguer.

He struggled against big league pitchers in short cameos, hardly given a runway in 2024 before he returned to the minors. With a larger sample in 2025, Mayo struck out almost once per game (84 times in 85 games) and he was a below-average hitter. And for the first portion of 2026, those issues persisted.

The Orioles have benefited from patience. Mayo entered Monday’s series opener against the Cleveland Guardians with a .270 average and .876 on-base-plus-slugging percentage since July. He exited the 6-4 victory at Camden Yards with two more home runs on his ledger, raising his season tally to 21.

And Mayo did that against both a left-hander and right-hander. His surge at the plate has largely been because he is posting historically dominant numbers against southpaws — including a major-league best 16 homers. But for his development to fully materialize, Mayo must hit against righties.

He did in the sixth inning Monday, facing Slade Cecconi with Jackson Holliday on first base. Cecconi spotted a four-seam fastball on the inner edge of the zone. Mayo kept his hands inside the baseball and swatted it for a two-run shot — producing the first multi-homer game of his career.

“The game is very unforgiving, and it’s a very tough league, especially when you’re young and coming up and you have these high expectations,” Mayo said. “People think that you’re just going to hit the ground running and be an All-Star by Year 1 or Year 2, and that’s just not realistic sometimes. Sometimes, it takes longer, and I’m still figuring it out.”

With a postseason bid appearing to be a longshot for the Orioles (70-75), these are the sorts of matchups worth testing. Mayo, who is still just 24, could be an everyday player as soon as next season. Therefore, he should be an everyday player now, considering there is little risk with exposing the former highly ranked prospect to situations in which he may not have such a platoon advantage.

Manager Craig Albernaz said it’s a balance to determine when and how to incorporate Mayo against right-handed pitchers, and generally, in run-scoring situations late in games, Albernaz is more inclined to turn to a pinch hitter who may have better numbers against righties.

“You don’t want to pinch hit too early with a lead,” he said, because that may create a left-handed pocket and burn bench players who could be required late, if the game becomes close.

“It was a good blend today of letting Coby take those down, and when we have those favorable matchups, we like to do it,” Albernaz said. “But also with Coby, even if it’s a tough righty, he’s still dangerous in the box, just staying diligent to approach. But yeah, it’s a delicate balance.”

When Mayo is at his best, his swing is tailored for pull-side power. He showed that off twice Monday as part of an improved overall offensive display.

Mayo’s first homer came in the third inning against left-hander Joey Cantillo. The Orioles added two more runs that inning by not swinging.

Cantillo, who entered with an American League-leading 72 walks, dealt with command issues throughout the day. He issued five walks in 2 1/3 innings, including bases-loaded free passes to Blaze Alexander and Pete Alonso. Dylan Beavers also provided an RBI double in the first inning.

“We had to shrink the zone on him,” Albernaz said of Cantillo. “The guys stuck with their approach and it paid dividends.”

Those were much-needed runs to break out of a season-long six-game losing streak. That rut was powered by an Orioles offense stuck in neutral. Baltimore, which lost all four games to the Boston Red Sox over the weekend, scored one run in its previous 27 innings prior to Beavers’ run-scoring knock.

Left-hander Trevor Rogers did the rest. He provided a season-high 7 1/3 innings with one run against him while striking out six batters and walking none.

“I’ve said in the past, there’s nothing that I hate more than free passes, and I’d much rather give up a hit than a walk, so I’m going to continue to pound the strike zone,” Rogers said.

It was the second straight quality start for Rogers, who struck out 11 batters without a walk in 6 2/3 innings last week against the Colorado Rockies.

Baltimore managed to lose that game to the Rockies to kick off the six-game slide. But with Rogers at one point retiring 16 Guardians in a row and with Mayo lifting two home runs, the Orioles broke their stumble — and covered for the three-run homer from Nathaniel Lowe against right-hander Andrew Kittredge in the ninth.

Kittredge has allowed four runs in his last 1 1/3 innings. The Orioles turned to left-hander Josh Walker to face pinch hitter Patrick Bailey, and Walker recorded the final out to earn the first save of his big league career. In doing so, Walker became the 11th Orioles reliever to notch a save this season.

“I’m just happy we got the win,” Walker said. “That’s all that matters. We’re trying to get every win we can right now in the race we’re in, so it’s good to be there for the team and be able to do my job.”

At this point, it may behoove the Orioles to see what they have in Mayo every day, no matter which pitcher is on the mound.

This season is not over, of course. The Orioles are only three games out of the final wild card spot, and they can make up ground with two more games against the Guardians and six more on the horizon against the Toronto Blue Jays — the two teams Baltimore is chasing.

But these games could mean much for next season, too. Rogers is a pending free agent. His strong performances since June, though, are evidence that Rogers should be part of the Orioles’ plans next year, be it with a qualifying offer or extension. And perhaps Mayo is finding the potential that will make him more than just a dangerous platoon batter.

“Coby, he’s slowly, this year, becoming a real dangerous hitter,” Albernaz said.