Samuel Basallo Scratched With Knee Discomfort Before Yankees
Samuel Basallo was scratched from the Orioles’ lineup Monday night against the Yankees because of left knee discomfort. He had been set to serve as the designated hitter at Camden Yards, and the change came after Sunday’s collision at home plate left him dealing with the issue.
Basallo’s Sunday collision
The discomfort traces back to the seventh inning of Sunday’s game against the Athletics, when Basallo caught a one-hop throw from center fielder Leody Taveras and took a shot at home from Carlos Cortes, who did not slide. Basallo said, “I braced for impact,” then knocked Cortes to his left while keeping the ball for a game-saving play in Baltimore’s 2-1 win.
He stayed in the game after the collision. That made Monday’s scratch the notable turn for an Orioles lineup that was already trying to reset after a rough trip to New York.
Orioles vs. Yankees reset
Baltimore opened a three-game series against the Yankees on Monday night at Camden Yards after being outscored 39-10 during a four-game sweep at Yankee Stadium the previous week. Craig Albernaz said, “It was a punch in the face the last time we played them,” and the lineup change added another wrinkle to a series that already carried urgency from the first pitch.
Basallo’s absence matters because he was scheduled to take the designated hitter spot, leaving the Orioles to adjust without a player who had just helped secure Sunday’s win. The scratch also keeps the focus on a young catcher who handled the contact on one night and then could not answer for the next one.
Helsley, Rogers, and Baltimore
Ryan Helsley remained on the 15-day injured list with right elbow inflammation and said he will not be back this week, even though he is eligible to return. He added that he hopes to resume throwing soon, expects he will need a rehab assignment, and said, “That’s three weeks away, so I would think so,” when asked whether June 1 is realistic.
Trevor Rogers, who has also been on the injured list with the flu, could start Tuesday. Albernaz had not yet announced whether Rogers is ready. For Baltimore, Monday began with Basallo’s knee forcing a lineup change and ended with a roster picture still shifting around the edges as the home series continued.
