Orioles new starting lineup after Jackson Holliday promotion

The Orioles' lineup looks quite a bit different coming out of the All Star break

Toronto Blue Jays v Baltimore Orioles
Toronto Blue Jays v Baltimore Orioles / G Fiume/GettyImages

With the trade deadline finally wrapping up on Tuesday evening and some new injuries surfacing following Wednesday's matinee matchup with the Toronto Blue Jays, let's take a look at some possible lineups for the Orioles to put out for the last couple of months of the 2024 season.

Orioles lineup versus RHP:

LF Colton Cowser
C Adley Rutschman
SS Gunnar Henderson
RF Anthony Santander
DH Ryan O’Hearn
1B Ryan Mountcastle
CF Cedric Mullins
2B Jackson Holliday
3B Ramon Urias

This lineup has changed pretty significantly following second baseman Jordan Westburg fracturing his hand in Wednesday’s game against the Blue Jays. The 2024 All Star took a 95 MPH fastball off of his right hand and will miss most of the rest of the season while recovering.

Losing Westburg will be something rough for the Orioles to overcome, but with IF Coby Mayo still working on his infield defense in AAA, it is only a matter of time until the youngster comes up to fill the void. Mayo is currently batting .300/.375/.612 overall in the minors in 2024, showing that he is ready, he just needs to finish up working on his defense.

Livan Soto is now on the bench for the days for filler for Holliday, or any other fielder on a need basis. So far in AAA, Soto is batting .280 with 3 different teams. It is much more complicated coming up with the lineup against LHP because the roster is so heavy with talented left-handed hitters.

Orioles lineup versus LHP:

SS Gunnar Henderson
C Adley Rutschman
RF Anthony Santander
1B Ryan Mountcastle
DH Eloy Jimenez
CF Colton Cowser
2B Livan Soto/Jackson Holliday
3B Ramon Urias
LF Austin Slater

Yes, this lineup looks incredibly weak, but there are quite a few difficulties for the Orioles outfield, especially after Heston Kjerstad was optioned back to Triple-A on Wednesday afternoon.

The only strong right handed hitting outfielder currently on the roster is Anthony Santander. Yes Eloy Jimenez can play the outfield, but he has played 64 of 65 of his games in a lineup as a DH this year and has always been a poor defender to begin with.

Until the Orioles get healthy, or begin to call up their stronger right-handed hitting prospects, the lineup against left handed pitching will not look incredibly strong. 

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