When the Orioles acquired Blaze Alexander, Jordan Westburg was reportedly only suffering from mild oblique discomfort. The team did not yet know that the former All Star would undergo Tommy John surgery and miss the duration of the season. Jackson Holliday, primed for a breakout year, suffered a broken hamate bone the day after Baltimore made the trade.
Mike Elias missed on plenty of things in 2026, but he was right to trust his instinct that the team needed more infield depth. Alexander was out of minor-league options, so he was always going to make the team, but many projected the 27-year-old to beat out Jeremiah Jackson for a utility spot. Instead, Alexander broke camp as the team's starting second baseman.
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As it turned out, Alexander needed some time to adjust to his new role. Craig Albernaz still leaned on his defensively versatility—Alexander appeared at second base, shortstop, third base, and all three outfield positions by the end of April—but he received at bats like an everyday player. The former Diamondback slashed a disappointing .177/.250/.210 over his first 25 games in Baltimore.
Briefly, fans wondered if Arizona had gotten the best of Baltimore. The Orioles sent right-handed reliever Kade Strowd and two prospects to the Diamondbacks, and the O's could have used a reliever with Strowd's 1.71 ERA from 2025.
That notion changed in a hurry. Alexander broke out in the month of May with a .365/.403/.508 line over 25 games. The team struggled to find its footing, but Alexander kept his foot on the gas. He slashed .359/.417/.547 over 23 games in June and carried a .375/.429/.531 line through nine games in July.
Alexander's strong play helped get the Orioles somewhat back on track. They entered the All Star break riding their first four-game win streak of the season, and a playoff run still felt somewhat obtainable at 46-51. Unfortunately, Orioles fans cannot have nice things.
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Royals reliever Lucas Erceg fired a quick-pitch fastball inside to Alexander. The ball struck Alexander and caused a non-displaced fracture in his left hand. The benches cleared, but no punches were thrown. Even after securing an elusive fourth consecutive victory, the 2026 Orioles took another gut punch.
Alexander remained out of the lineup until the end of August, but the team managed to tread water in his absence. Coby Mayo steadied his defense at third base while emerging as one of the league's best hitters against left-handed pitching. Holliday heated up with a .368/.500/.421 slash line in the month of July. The lineup suffered when Adley Rutschman and Samuel Basallo went down with injuries, but the team avoided a complete collapse after the trade deadline.
Alexander returned on August 28. The O's completed a sweep of the Athletics and returned to .500 when Colton Cowser made a game-saving catch against the Rockies. With Alexander back, and the Orioles sitting at 69-69, the postseason felt completely obtainable.
Of course, that's not how things worked out. Baltimore suffered a letdown in Colorado before melting down against the Red Sox. Alexander, to his credit, attempted to generate a spark in the Boston series, but his teammates simply were not up to the task. The Sox essentially ended Baltimore's playoff dreams with a four-game sweep. Alexander hit the injured list a few days later with back spasms and missed the remainder of the season.
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Alexander ranked as high as Arizona's 11th best prospect in 2023, and he posted 1.7 WAR with the Snakes in 2025. Baltimore enticed the Diamondbacks to part ways by offering Strowd, Wellington Aracena, and José Mejía. Aracena was ranked Baltimore's 26th best prospect at the time.
In a surprising turn of events, Strowd made only two appearances for the Diamondbacks last season. He posted a 6.02 and 1.748 over 46.1 innings at Triple-A Reno. Aracena went 2-5 with a 4.83 ERA before posting a 6.91 ERA over six starts at Double-A. Mejía slashed .251/.367/.373 between Low and High A.
Alexander is still out of minor-league options, but he's under team control until 2031. Baltimore's infield faces plenty of questions with Westburg's health, Holliday's bat, and Mayo's glove. There's definitely room for Alexander on the roster, and he'll continue to earn everyday at bats if he swings it like he did last season.
The path to playing time could be easier in the outfield, but Alexander's glove plays better in the dirt. The Orioles need to get better defensively next season, and Alexander has yet to play like a plus defender in the outfield. Gunnar Henderson remains entrenched at short, and the O's would love to see Holliday and Westburg lock up their positions. Will the Orioles look to get Alexander extra reps in the outfield next spring?
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Either way, his defensive versatility balances out the lack of options. It took a little time, but Alexander emerged as one of Baltimore's best hitters in the first half. It's probably not fair to expect the same results next season, but there's plenty to like with Alexander in 2027 and beyond.
