BALTIMORE -- The Orioles' first four-game winning streak of the season didn't come without a significant "gut punch," as manager Craig Albernaz put it.
Blaze Alexander sustained a non-displaced fracture in his left hand during the seventh inning of Baltimore's 8-2 win over Kansas City at Camden Yards on Sunday afternoon. The 27-year-old utility man was hit by a 95.5 mph four-seam fastball from right-hander Lucas Erceg -- an incident that sparked a benches-clearing fracas in the aftermath -- and imaging revealed the fracture.
"You know it hurts, but he has a good attitude about it," Albernaz said. "Blaze will be around and see where he's at rehab-wise and go from there."
It is too soon to know how much time Alexander will miss. He will meet with a doctor during the All-Star break this week, Albernaz said, and more information will come after that. But there's reason to believe Alexander will return before the end of the season.
Still, it's a tremendous loss for the O's (46-51), who have had an up-and-down first half. But Alexander's play has been one of the club's most consistent assets.
After getting traded from the D-backs to the Orioles on Feb. 5, Alexander is hitting .312 with 12 doubles, two triples, four home runs, 29 RBIs and an .807 OPS in 82 games. His defensive versatility has also been on display, having made starts at third base (34), second (11), shortstop (seven), center field (six), left field (four) and right field (two).
So, Baltimore will clearly be missing quite a bit for however long Alexander is sidelined.
"Blaze has been doing it this year. I mean, offensively, defensively, what he brings not just from performance, but energy every single day," first baseman Pete Alonso said. "Losing him -- not just his skill set, but also losing the performance night in, night out -- yeah, it's a tough one. I've had broken hands before, so I know that's kind of not an easy pill to swallow. It's really frustrating, but I hope he has a really quick and speedy recovery."
"It's tough. It's kind of a reminder to just not take any days for granted," right-hander Shane Baz added. "It's nothing he did wrong. There's nothing he can control there. It's just bad luck. It sucks, but I think everyone believes that we have the pieces to step up and pick him up for this time. It's super unfortunate."
While Jackson Holliday and Jeremiah Jackson will continue to split time at second base, Coby Mayo may have to play more third base while Alexander is on the injured list. Mayo is hitting .193 with a .659 OPS in 74 games this season, but the 24-year-old infielder is mashing against left-handed pitching (a .288 average with nine home runs and a 1.092 OPS) while struggling against righties (a .147 average with three homers and a .446 OPS).
The Orioles have five outfielders on their 26-man roster, so they'll likely recall an infielder to fill Alexander's spot. Among the options could be Christian Encarnacion-Strand (who has 17 home runs for Triple-A Norfolk), José Barrero and Luis Vázquez.