3 Orioles using September to make a case for role on 2026 roster

In the past two seasons, the Baltimore Orioles mostly used September to prepare for the postseason after two dominant regular seasons. For many Orioles fans, that felt like it was going to be the pattern for at least the next few years as the Orioles' young core carried them to playoff contention year after year.

This year is a bit different. Instead of using the final weeks of the season to set the rotation up for postseason and figure out who’s going to fill the final spots on the postseason roster, the Orioles are using this year’s final month to figure out which Orioles will have the upper hand when it comes to deciding the 2026 roster. 

3 Orioles using September to make a case for role on 2026 roster

OF Jeremiah Jackson 

You can’t talk about the Orioles’ strong play in the second half without talking about Jackson. The Orioles signed him as a minor league free agent in the offseason, and he’s making the most of his major league opportunity, as he’s posted an .836 OPS with five home runs and 18 RBI in 33 games this year. He’s hit .286 with three home runs in seven games this month. 

He left the Orioles’ game against the Pirates on Wednesday after being hit on the elbow by a Braxton Ashcraft fastball, but it seems like he avoided a serious injury.

While this year has been an abject disaster for the Orioles, their fall out of the postseason picture has given them the runway needed to give players like Jackson a chance to play. And, in the case of Jackson, that decision has looked like a clear win. 

Last offseason, the Orioles rolled the dice on Dylan Carlson in the hopes that he’d find some success as a fourth outfielder (spoiler alert: he didn’t). Jackson has shown that he’s the obvious (and cheap) choice to fill that role next season.

C Samuel Basallo

Just to be clear, there never seemed to be any doubt that Basallo wouldn’t be on the Orioles’ roster next season. He’s the team’s top prospect, plays a premium position, and has a hit tool that’s had scouts salivating for years. But there were still plenty of questions about how he’d be able to handle being an everyday catcher in the major leagues, along with how he’d fit on the roster next to Adley Rutschman. 

Rutschman’s injury gave the Orioles a clear path to recall Basallo, and he’s held his own in his first stint in the majors. Although he’s hitting .206 and has had some… adventures behind the plate, he’s recorded two walk-off hits and is gaining invaluable experience about how to attack major league pitching. 

It doesn’t really matter how Basallo does this year; this is all about building for how he can help the Orioles win next year. 

RHP Shawn Dubin

The Orioles are essentially using the rest of the season as open tryouts for next year’s bullpen, thanks to Felix Bautista’s injury, and Dubin has made the most of his opportunity so far this month. Baltimore acquired Dubin off waivers at the end of August after the Astros designated him for assignment, and he’s thrown 3 2/3 scoreless innings for the Orioles since. 

A small sample size, sure, but he’s looked pretty dominant across that time frame. He picked up holds in back-to-back appearances against the Dodgers, and he’s only allowed two hits in those innings alongside five strikeouts. At the very least, Dubin has proven that he’s worth keeping on the 40-man roster in the offseason.

Dubin is one of three Orioles relievers who haven’t allowed a run this month (alongside Grant Wolfram and Kade Strowd), which is a great sign when it comes to the future of the Orioles’ bullpen.

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