BALTIMORE -- As the Orioles move closer and closer towards a top pick in the 2019 Draft, all that's left to do this season is evaluate the young assets and take stock of the few whose contracts extend past 2018.

Dylan Bundy is a combination of the two. A former first-round Draft pick, Bundy's longed-for ace status -- and three additional years of team control -- proved too valuable to ship away at the July 31 non-waiver Trade Deadline despite rumors. But starts like Wednesday's 16-5 loss to the Mets continue a streak of perplexing outings for the right-hander, doubly disheartening combined with the rough showings by the young relievers that followed at Camden Yards.

Fourteen of the 16 runs allowed to the fourth-worst offense in the Majors came with pitchers 25 years old or younger on the mound. Bundy, 25, allowed seven earned runs in 5 1/3 innings, 24-year-old Tanner Scott pitched only one-third of an inning while allowing three runs and 23-year-old Evan Phillips didn't record an out before Kevin Plawecki hit his first career grand slam. All of this came in what was a nine-run sixth inning for New York.

As the Orioles aim for competitiveness by the 2021 season, each opportunity a young player comes across this season hopefully serves as a learning experience in preparation for the return of meaningful baseball to Baltimore. Scott and recently-acquired Phillips learned the hard way Wednesday.

Bundy -- the face of the Orioles' Major League-level youth -- had his season begin full of promise and high expectations, but he continues to slide. Bundy saw the first runner cross the plate just as the first out was recorded. Six more runs would come on his watch before he exited, seeing his ERA balloon to 4.99.

Some of the youth did, however, impress. Recent call-up Cedric Mullins showed off his speed on several occasions, once scoring from first on what could have been a close play at the plate without his deftness. Mullins, 23, Trey Mancini, 26, and rookie Austin Wynns combined for a 6-for-13 evening.

BALTIMORE -- Five days after designating him for assignment, the Orioles have released Danny Valencia from his contract. The infielder is now a free agent and can sign with any team.

Valencia, a nine-year veteran in his second stint with Baltimore, was one of the most consistent contributors in the lineup once he took over as the everyday third baseman after Tim Beckham went on the disabled list with a left groin strain on April 25. Valencia owned a .292 batting average on June 27, but that began to drop off by the time he lost playing time and consistent at-bats with the return of Beckham and the O's acquisition of infielder Jonathan Villar. 

The Orioles could not find a suitable trade partner for Valencia, but the utility infielder may be an attractive signing as a bench piece for a contender, as he owns a .303 batting average against lefties in 2018 and .312 for his career.

"I'd be surprised if they don't [pick him up]," Orioles manager Buck Showalter said. "There will be some interest now that that's kind of flushed out. I'll be surprised if Danny isn't playing again shortly for somebody."

BALTIMORE -- Whether it be by trades or by injury, the Orioles of August 2018 remain a mere fragment of the roster they threw out on the first day of the season. Six recognizable faces have been dealt. Only one position from the outfield and two from the infield are the same as from Opening Day's walk-off win.

But through the turnover that has already occurred -- and despite the additional renovations imminent -- Chris Davis will remain on the Orioles' roster while the team refocuses and retools for competitiveness over the next three years. Davis won hearts with 53 home runs in 2013, making Tuesday's game-winning solo shot in a 6-3 win over the Mets at Camden Yards -- albeit exciting -- all the more pain-staking.

The Orioles owe Davis $17 million over the next four seasons, and plenty more in deferred payments until 2037. That kind of money has drawn the biggest cheers when he's on his game, but even larger boos when he's off.

"I think it's really about taking it one at-bat at a time. Not getting too high or too low. Not trying to hit a home run, but just going up there and trying to be a hitter," said Davis, whose 2018 average is an MLB-worst .162 among qualified hitters -- 38 percentage points lower than Joey Gallo of the Rangers. "I think it's too easy a lot of times to get caught up in the negative and sometimes even to get caught up in the positive and let your guard down. For me, I want to finish up strong. I want to work on some things and go into the offseason with a head of steam."

Ongoing struggles are what forced Davis to take an eight-game midseason mental reset sanctioned by his manager, Buck Showalter. Davis' skipper certainly knows what his former American League Most Valuable Player Award candidate is capable of, and that's what's made his 2018 so baffling, on top of frustrating.

"Nothing has really changed. The ballpark, the hitting coach, the competition, ballparks. Nothing has changed," Showalter said before Tuesday's win. "That's what's frustrating for all of us -- you can't identify that."

But Davis gave Orioles fans a glimpse of what he was once able to show on a nightly basis, a form he can hopefully regain for the remainder of 2018 and over the next four years. In doing so, Davis was able to secure a victory for Andrew Cashner, who had taken just three wins in 12 quality starts this season.

Video: NYM@BAL: Cashner K's 3 over 7 innings of 2-run ball

"Chris can carry a ballclub for a long time, so seeing him hit that homer tonight was definitely big," said Cashner, who pitched a full seven innings for the third time this season.

"Chris is a guy that can get going and really do a lot of damage for a club for an extended period of time," Showalter added. "Chris will tell you he'd like to have nights like this the rest of the way. And that's what he strives for. But you know how hard that is for anybody, especially a guy who can get real hot and do things like he did tonight."

Tim Beckham and Adam Jones -- both of whom, unlike Davis, could be with another team next season -- added homers of their own for the Orioles.

Video: Jones' solo smash

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Birds build on lead: Showalter said during the O's recent series against the Red Sox that Boston's ability to rack up late runs to demoralize the opponent reminded him of the 2014 American League Championship Series-bound Orioles team. Baltimore showed shades of that relentlesness Tuesday, with a seventh-inning rally capped off by a Renato Nunez RBI single in the seventh and Beckham's two-run shot in the eighth.

Video: Beckham's 2-run HR in the 8th

SOUND SMART
Davis and Jones homered in the same game for the 43rd time on Tuesday. The pair leads active duos in that category, with Mike Trout and Albert Pujols coming in second with 40.

YOU GOTTA SEE THIS
While a sixth-inning groundout from Michael Conforto had only a 10-percent hit probability per Statcast™, Jonathan Villar made it seem like that number was over 80. The recently acquired second baseman sprinted to a Conforto ball that got to the outfield and tumbled over as he made a stellar throw to first for the first out of the sixth inning.

Video: NYM@BAL: Villar makes spinning throw to nab Conforto

"That was a tough play to get something on the throw," Showalter said. "He's got a good clock on the double play. He didn't have to hurry."

HE SAID IT
"I think we are just coming and playing baseball. We understand what the year has been and we are just still trying to make the best of it. We owe it to ourselves to come out and play every day hard and not just lay down from it. We have an obligation to ourselves, to our team, to the city, to the fans. We're going to come play hard. Sometimes the result is not what you want and it hasn't been a lot this year, but that's not going to stop the effort that we're going to bring." -- Jones

• O's to place Jones on bereavement list

UP NEXT
Dylan Bundy will look to get back on track when the O's close out a two-game series against the Mets at Camden Yards on Wednesday. Bundy, who's allowed the most home runs in the Majors (29), was roughed up last time out against the Red Sox for eight runs (seven earned) in five innings. The red-hot Zack Wheeler will start for the Mets, with first pitch scheduled for 7:05 p.m. ET.

BALTIMORE -- Adam Jones is expected to leave the team later this week for a death in the family, and the Orioles outfielder will be placed on the bereavement list. Per MLB's rules, the bereavement list gives teams the option of adding an additional player for the three-day absence.

Jones, in the starting lineup on Tuesday, is expected to play in Tuesday and Wednesday's home games against the Mets, but he will not travel to Cleveland this weekend with the team.

Notes

As expected, Mark Trumbo received an injection in his right knee during Monday's off-day and was back in Tuesday's lineup. The team is trying to manage the issue and avoid putting the designated hitter on the disabled list.

While the July 31 non-waiver Trade Deadline rightfully garners the lion's share of attention when it comes to each year's trade season, there have been numerous deals struck during the month of August that have been impactful down the stretch and in subsequent years. Here's a look at the best August trade each team has ever made:

ANGELS
Acquired: LF Justin Upton from DET
Gave up: RHP Grayson Long and a player to be named or cash
Date: Aug. 31, 2017
The Angels acquired Upton in the midst of their playoff push last season, giving the club a middle-of-the-order bat to slot behind Mike Trout in their lineup. While the Angels ultimately fell short in the American League Wild Card race, Upton posted an .887 OPS with seven home runs in 27 games before deciding to re-sign with the club on a five-year, $106 million deal during the offseason. 

ASTROS
Acquired: 3B Jeff Bagwell from BOS
Gave up: RHP Larry Andersen
Date: Aug. 30, 1990
As impactful as the Astros' trade was last year to land Justin Verlander, the club's 1990 trade netted a player who would don an Astros uniform for all 15 years of his Major League career and end up in the Hall of Fame. Bagwell is the greatest slugger in Astros history, winning the 1991 National League Rookie of the Year Award and the 1994 NL Most Valuable Player Award, being named to four All-Star teams and belting 449 career home runs. The first baseman led a resurgence of baseball in Houston in the 1990s and helped take the franchise to new heights in the early 2000s.

Video: Jeff Bagwell reflects on conversation with Andersen

Andersen was a 16-year-veteran who had a 1.95 ERA in 50 appearances on the season for Houston at the time of the trade. With Bagwell, a third baseman at the time, blocked by future Hall of Famer Wade Boggs at the position, Boston made the deal for a reliever who would appear in 15 games with a 1.23 ERA. That winter, Andersen signed as a free agent with the Padres, and pitched for two seasons with San Diego before his final two seasons with the Phillies.

ATHLETICS
Acquired: SS Stephen Drew from ARI
Gave up: INF Sean Jamieson
Date: Aug. 20, 2012
The A's might have outdone themselves this year with the additions of relievers Fernando Rodney and Shawn Kelley, but their 2012 trade for Drew gave them a significant upgrade at shortstop, which was a vital piece at the time. Drew collected 16 RBIs in 39 regular-season games, then came up with four hits in 19 at-bats during the AL Division Series against the Tigers, including an RBI double in a one-run Game 4 victory that sent the series to a winner-take-all affair.

BLUE JAYS
Acquired: 3B/OF Jose Bautista from PIT
Gave up: C Robinson Diaz
Date: Aug. 21, 2008
The Blue Jays weren't expecting big things from Bautista, but they needed a temporary replacement for the injured Scott Rolen and he fit the bill. Toronto had to part only with a fringe prospect to get the deal done, and his versatility at first base, right field and second base kept Bautista on the team even after Rolen returned. Two years later, Bautista made franchise history by hitting 54 home runs in a single season, and he ultimately turned into one of the best players to ever wear the blue and white.

Video: TEX@TOR Gm5: Bautista hammers go-ahead three-run shot

BRAVES
Acquired: RHP John Smoltz from DET
Gave up: RHP Doyle Alexander
Date: Aug. 12, 1987
The Tigers won each of Alexander's 11 remaining regular-season starts and captured the American League East title in 1987; the 36-year-old would pitch two more seasons for Detroit, including an All-Star campaign in '88. Meanwhile, Smoltz was just a year removed from high school ball, but would end up constructing a Hall of Fame career as he helped the Braves win 14 consecutive division crowns and the 1995 World Series. He also won the NL Cy Young Award in 1996, and was an eight-time All Star, becoming one of the most successful postseason pitchers in baseball history with a 2.67 ERA over 41 appearances, and the 1992 NL Championship Series MVP Award. A year earlier, he tossed a six-hit shutout of the Pirates in Game 7 of the NLCS to send Atlanta to its first World Series.

Video: 1991 NLCS Gm7: Smoltz shuts the door, Braves to WS

BREWERS
Acquired: RHP Don Sutton from HOU
Gave up: Players to be named and cash (OF Kevin Bass and pitchers Frank DiPino and Mike Madden)
Date: Aug. 30, 1982
Bass went on to have a solid 14-year career but the deal was worth it to land Sutton, the future Hall of Famer who represented the final piece of the finest team in Brewers history. Sutton's shining moment for Milwaukee was the '82 regular-season finale in Baltimore, when he allowed two runs in eight innings of a must-win game opposite Orioles ace Jim Palmer. It clinched the American League East and moved the Brewers a step closer to their only World Series appearance to date.

CARDINALS
Acquired: OF Larry Walker from COL
Gave up: RHP Jason Burch, LHP Luis Martinez and LHP Chris Narveson
Date: Aug. 6, 2004
In the penultimate year of Walker's career, he accepted a trade to the Cardinals and then helped the club reach the World Series. After hitting .280/.393/.560 with 11 homers in 44 regular-season games, Walker hit six homers and slugged .707 in his second postseason appearance.

CUBS
Acquired: 1B Randall Simon from PIT
Gave up: OF Ray Sadler
Date: Aug. 17, 2003
The Cubs had made a blockbuster deal at the non-waiver Trade Deadline to get Aramis Ramirez and Kenny Lofton from the Pirates, then added Simon, who batted .282 with six home runs and 21 RBIs in 33 games. Simon provided the spark and the Cubs went 24-16 after he joined the team to win the NL Central. Simon would go on to hit .333 (8-for-24) with three doubles and a homer in the postseason.

D-BACKS
Acquired: RHP Livan Hernandez and cash from WAS
Gave up: LHP Matt Chico; RHP Garrett Mock
Date: Aug. 7, 2006
While Hernandez didn't pitch the D-backs to the postseason in 2006, he did stick around to be a valuable contributor and staff leader the following year when the D-backs won the NL West and swept the Cubs in the NLDS before losing to the Rockies in the NLCS.

DODGERS
Acquired: 1B Adrian Gonzalez, RHP Josh Beckett, OF Carl Crawford, INF Nick Punto and cash from BOS
Gave up: INF Ivan De Jesus, 1B James Loney, RHP Allen Webster, RHP Rubby De La Rosa and OF Jerry Sands
Date: Aug. 25, 2012
The word "blockbuster" is overused, but it should be defined by this nine-player trade. Guggenheim's new Dodgers ownership made a credibility statement that the tight-fisted ways of the McCourt era were over. The Dodgers never won a World Series because of it, but the veterans helped the club compete while buying time for young talent to mature. None of the prospects dealt away panned out, but Boston won a World Series anyway and dumped $262 million in salary.

GIANTS
Acquired: RHP Rick Reuschel from PIT
Gave up: RHPs Jeff Robinson and Scott Medvin
Date: Aug. 21, 1987
Reuschel stabilized the Giants' starting rotation, going 5-3 down the stretch to help San Francisco win the NL West for the first time since 1971. "Big Daddy" also finished 36-19 in the next two seasons and was the staff ace when the Giants reached the World Series in 1989.

INDIANS
Acquired: SP Mike Clevinger from LAA
Gave up: RP Vinnie Pestano
Date: Aug. 7, 2014
The Angels wanted a reliever for the stretch run, so they added Pestano and dealt Clevinger (a prospect with mechanical flaws and in the early stages of a Tommy John surgery comeback). Clevinger was a project, but he went to work with the Indians, rebuilt his delivery, broke into the Majors in '16 and is now fixture in one of baseball's best rotations. Pestano hasn't pitched in the Majors since '15, and Clevinger has a 3.59 ERA in 67 career appearances for Cleveland (54 starts).

Video: CLE@BAL: Clevinger dominates O's with two-hit shutout

MARINERS
Acquired: LF Vince Coleman from KC
Gave up: RHP Jim Converse
Date: Aug. 15, 1995
The Mariners immediately inserted the veteran speedster as their leadoff hitter for the final month and a half of their magical 1995 season, and he provided a huge spark. When Coleman was acquired by general manager Woody Woodward, Seattle was 51-50 and 12 1/2 games back in the AL West. It wound up winning the division and earning the first playoff berth in franchise history as the 33-year-old posted a .290/.335/.395 line with 16 stolen bases and 27 runs in 40 games.

MARLINS
Acquired: 1B/OF Jeff Conine from BAL
Gave up: RHP Denny Bautista, RHP Don Levinski
Date: Aug. 31, 2003
Pursuing the lone NL Wild Card spot at the time, the Marlins acquired Conine minutes before the midnight waiver deadline, with the deal completed while the veteran was on the Orioles' team plane. The Marlins were desperate for an established veteran the day after All-Star Mike Lowell broke his left hand. Conine hit five home runs and drove in 15 runs in September, and made an impact in the playoffs during the Marlins' World Series championship season.

Video: 2003 NLCS Gm5: Jeff Conine hits a solo home run

METS
Acquired: 2B Jeff Kent and a player to be named (OF Ryan Thompson) from TOR
Gave up: RHP David Cone
Date: Aug. 27, 1992
With the Mets well out of NL East contention and Cone set to become a free agent after the season, the team shipped him to the Blue Jays for Kent -- then just 24 years old. Although Kent would not develop into a National League MVP until after the Mets parted ways with him, he hit 67 of his 377 career homers over parts of five seasons in New York. Cone, meanwhile, went on to post a 2.55 ERA in eight appearances (seven starts) down the stretch for Toronto, helping the franchise win its first World Series title with a 3.22 ERA in four postseason starts.

NATIONALS
Acquired: Catcher Kurt Suzuki and cash considerations from OAK
Gave up: catcher David Freitas
Date: Aug. 3, 2012
On their way to their first postseason berth in club history, the Nats made the upgrade behind the dish for a veteran behind the plate. Suzuki would go on to bat .267/.321/.404 in 43 games with Washington down the stretch and served as the starting catcher in the postseason before he struggled at the start of the 2013 season and was traded back to Oakland.

ORIOLES
Acquired: OF Tito Landrum from STL
Gave up: Landrum was the player to be named from a deal made on June 14, 1983, in which the Orioles sent Floyd Rayford to St. Louis.
Date: Aug. 31, 1983
Landrum hit the game-winning home run for the Orioles in the final game of the 1983 ALCS in Chicago. He was such an unlikely hero that teammate John Lowenstein joked that he was not sure of Landrum's first name.

PADRES
Acquired: Brian Giles from PIT
Gave up: Jason Bay, Oliver Perez and LHP Cory Stewart
Date: Aug. 26, 2003
On the whole, this trade turned out pretty even. But there's no denying Giles' impact on the back-to-back NL West champion Padres teams in 2005 and '06. In parts of seven seasons with San Diego, Giles batted .279/.380/.435 with 83 homers. Bay would go on to have an 11-year MLB career over which he hit 222 homers, including 139 for Pittsburgh. Still, the trade helped San Diego get to the postseason in back-to-back years, and was worth the price.

PHILLIES
Acquired: RHP Jamie Moyer from SEA
Gave up: RHP Andrew Baldwin and RHP Andy Barb
Date: Aug. 19, 2006
The Phillies held a fire sale before July 31, 2006, trading Bobby Abreu, Cory Lidle, David Bell and Rheal Cormier, and designating Ryan Franklin for assignment. But afterward, the Phillies started to play well and acquired Moyer for an unexpected postseason run. They fell short in 2006, but Moyer helped the Phillies win the NL East in 2007 and the World Series in 2008.

PIRATES
Acquired: OF Jason Bay, LHP Oliver Perez and LHP Cory Stewart from SD
Gave up: OF Brian Giles
Date: Aug. 26, 2003
The deal worked out well for both sides, as Giles continued to produce in San Diego and finished ninth in NL MVP voting in 2005. But Bay was worth the price, winning the 2004 NL Rookie of the Year Award before earning two All-Star nods with Pittsburgh. Perez was also dominant in 2004 (12-10, 2.98 ERA, 239 strikeouts), and he's still pitching in the Majors as a reliever. 

Video: CHC@PIT: Bay records eight RBIs including grand slam

RANGERS
Acquired: RHP John Burkett from FLA
Gave up: RHP Rick Helling and RHP Ryan Dempster
Date: Aug. 8, 1996
This is the trade that put the Rangers over the top on their way to the first division title in franchise history. Burkett, reinforcing the rotation, threw a shutout against the Blue Jays in his first start and his biggest victory came on Sept. 21. The Rangers had lost five in a row and nine of 10 as their lead was down to one game. But Burkett pitched the Rangers to a 7-1 victory over the Angels in Anaheim to stop their skid for one of the biggest regular-season wins in franchise history. Dempster and Helling -- both prospects at the time -- went on to distinguished careers, but the price was worth it for Texas.

RAYS
Acquired: RHP Chad Bradford from BAL
Gave up: Cash
Date: Aug. 7, 2008
Bradford arrived to give the Rays a different look to their bullpen. The submariner of "Moneyball" fame appeared in 21 games and pitched to a 1.42 ERA. He made seven postseason appearances for the Rays, logging a 1.13 ERA in eight innings.

RED SOX
Acquired: INF Ivan DeJesus, 1B James Loney, RHP Allen Webster, RHP Rubby De La Rosa, and OF/1B Jerry Sands from LAD
Gave up: 1B Adrian Gonzalez, RHP Josh Beckett, OF Carl Crawford, INF Nick Punto.and cash
Date: Aug. 25, 2012
On paper, the Red Sox gave up three former All-Stars and received little in return. In reality, the club shed more than $250 million in guaranteed salary for players who were no longer performing at their prime levels. This trade is widely credited as one of the reasons for the Sox winning the World Series in 2013. General manager Ben Cherington used the newfound payroll flexibility to re-tool with free agents Mike Napoli, Shane Victorino, Koji Uehara, Ryan Dempster and David Ross. Those players fit perfectly on the field and in the clubhouse.

REDS
Acquired: 1B/manager Pete Rose from MON
Gave up: INF Tom Lawless
Date: Aug. 16, 1984
In a stunning move, the Reds brought back a hometown favorite in Rose to take on the rare role of player-manager. The deal immediately energized the Cincinnati fan base after losing seasons from 1982-84. Not only did Rose the player break Ty Cobb's all-time hits record in 1985 to great fanfare, Rose the manager was at the helm for a contender that had four straight second-place finishes from 1985-88. That helped create the foundation for the 1990 World Series title season.

ROCKIES
Acquired:RHP Jose Contreras from CWS
Gave up: Minor League RHP Brandon Hynick
Date: Aug. 31, 2009
Contreras went 1-0 with a 1.59 ERA in seven games, including two starts, and was one of two key veteran August pickups. The Rockies also picked up Jason Giambi, who had been released earlier in the month by the Athletics. Giambi hit .292 in 19 games as he and Contreras helped push the Rockies into the postseason as the NL Wild Card team.

ROYALS
Acquired: OF Josh Willingham from MIN
Gave up: Right-hander Jason Adam
Date: Aug. 11, 2014
It wasn't a blockbuster deal, but Willingham will be forever in Royals lore. He singled (his last big league hit) to spark a ninth-inning rally in the 2014 AL Wild Card game that tied the score. The Royals went on to win the game, the first off 11 straight playoff wins that year, and eventually advance to Game 7 of the 2014 World Series.

TIGERS
Acquired: OF Delmon Young from MIN
Gave up: LHP Cole Nelson, RHP Lester Oliveros
Date: Aug. 15, 2011
Young homered three times in the Tigers' 2011 ALDS win over the Yankees, then hit two more in the ALCS vs. Texas. A year later, he was named MVP of the ALCS after going 6-for-17 with two homers and six RBIs. He went 5-for-14 with a solo homer in the 2012 World Series against the Giants.

TWINS
Acquired: RHP Bert Blyleven from CLE
Gave up: INF Jay Bell, LHP Curt Wardle, OF Jim Weaver and a player to be named (RHP Rich Yett on Sept. 18, 1985)
Date: Aug. 1, 1985
The Twins reacquired future Hall of Famer Bert Blyleven in an August trade, as he had previously pitched in Minnesota from 1970-76. Blyleven made 120 starts with the Twins after the trade, including helping the franchise to its first World Series title in 1987. Bell went on to a solid 18-year career, but the Twins had Greg Gagne entrenched at shortstop at the time of the trade.

WHITE SOX
Acquired: 1B Ted Kluszewski from PIT
Gave up: Minor League IF Robert Sagers and RF/1B Harry Simpson
Date: Aug. 25, 1959
Nearing the end of his career, Kluszewski hit .297 with two home runs and 10 RBIs over 112 plate appearances and 31 games in the regular season for the AL champs. But the Big Klu hit .391 with three homers and 10 RBIs during a six-game World Series loss to the Dodgers.

YANKEES
Acquired: 3B Charlie Hayes from PIT
Gave up: RHP Chris Corn
Date: Aug. 30, 1996
Hayes rejoined the Yankees just in time for the birth of a dynasty, batting .284 in 20 games for his new team to supplement a fatigued Wade Boggs' production at the hot corner. Hayes was on the field to secure the final out of the World Series, a foul pop behind third base off the bat of the Braves' Mark Lemke. Corn never advanced past Double-A.

Video: WS1996 Gm6: Sterling, Kay call Yanks World Series win

ST. PETERSBURG -- The Orioles, who traded six players last month, already have a lot of new names and faces. But at the end of this month, Baltimore -- along with the other 29 teams -- will give its fans a chance to get to know the players a little better. The O's unveiled their Players' Weekend jerseys on Thursday afternoon, revealing the nicknames Baltimore will display when it hosts the Yankees from Aug. 24-26.

Some of the names chosen by the guys currently on the club's 25-man roster are self-explanatory, like "Cale" for O's catcher Caleb Joseph. Others need a little introduction.

:: Players' Weekend presented by Valspar Stain ::

Adam Jones will wear La Gente, which loosely translates to "the man" or a group. Miguel Castro will honor his hometown by wearing "Villa Hermosa," the capital and largest city of the Mexican state of Tabasco.

Mike Wright Jr. will don "Bird," a shortening of the Big Bird nickname he got in his younger days for being so tall and having an impressive head of hair. Trey Mancini will go with "Boomer," his college nickname from Notre Dame, while pitcher Yefry Ramirez's "El Varon" translates into "The Man."

Video: Get ready, 2018 Players' Weekend is August 24-26

Once again, righty Mychal Givens will pay tribute to his Dominican heritage by shortening middle name, Antonio, and donning "Tony" on his jersey.

• Shop for Players' Weekend gear
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Orioles manager Buck Showalter, who did not participate last year, will finally get "Buck" on the back of his jersey.

Game-worn Players' Weekend jerseys will be auctioned at MLB.com/auctions. All proceeds will be donated to the MLB-MLBPA Youth Development Foundation, a joint effort established in July 2015 by MLB and the MLBPA with an initial commitment of $30 million focused on improving the caliber, effectiveness and availability of amateur baseball and softball programs across the United States and Canada.

Here are the nicknames the Orioles will wear on their backs while sporting colorful, non-traditional uniforms featuring alternate designs inspired by youth-league uniforms:

Orioles
Pedro Araujo: "EL MONTRO"
Tim Beckham: "SWAGGY"
Richard Bleier: "DICKIE B."
Dylan Bundy: "DILLY"
Cody Carroll: "CC"
Andrew Cashner: "CASH"
Miguel Castro: "VILLA HERMOSA"
Alex Cobb: "COBB"
Chris Davis: "CRUSH"
Paul Fry: "PAPA FRITA"
Craig Gentry: "GENT"
Mychal Givens: "TONY"
Donnie Hart: "D. HART"
David Hess: "HESSER"
Adam Jones: "LA GENTE"
Caleb Joseph: "CALE"
Trey Mancini: "BOOMER"
Jhan Marinez: "LA ELECTRICIDAD"
Renato Nunez: "TATO"
Jace Peterson: "PETEY"
Evan Phillips: "PHILLY"
Yefry Ramirez: "EL VARÓN"
Joey Rickard: "J-RICK"
Tanner Scott: "SCOTTIE"
Mark Trumbo: "TRUM"
Danny Valencia: "SLUGGER"
Jonathan Villar: "VILLI"
Steve Wilkerson: "BREEZE"
Mike Wright Jr.: "BIRD"
Austin Wynns "WINNIE"
Gabriel Ynoa: "EL TIGUERE"

Do you see any more big moves before the end of the year?
-- Ryan S., Norfolk, Va.

Probably not. The promotion of Cedric Mullins, the Orioles' ninth-ranked prospect, was probably the last bit of "bigger" news this year, though I do the club will end up calling up more guys (even if it's only for September's roster expansion). We know big changes are coming this offseason. It's not overstating things to call this an organization in flux, as both manager Buck Showalter and executive vice president of baseball operations Dan Duquette have contracts that run out this season. At this point in the year, with a month and a half to go, it's almost a certainty that ownership will wait for this season to play out and then make a decision about which way to go.

I know it's early, but what do you think of Mullins? And what are the chances we sign Adam Jones to hold down right field?
-- Martin G., Columbia, Md.

Mullins obviously had an impressive debut, becoming the first Oriole to collect three hits in his first game. So his offense has clearly been as advertised. But the little things -- the ability to bunt, his respect for veterans, speed -- are also there. There's a lot of expectations with this 23-year-old, as the O's hope Mullins can man center field for years to come. It's started off well, but really you need to give it this season (and beyond) before you can really draw a conclusion one way or another. We've seen countless guys come up and perform well in short stints before big league pitchers figure them out. I'm not saying that will happen here, I'm just saying it's impossible to say what Mullins will do after a few days.

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Clearly, Jones would like to stay. But there are some mixed messages right now as the organization starts a rebuild, and Duquette has referenced wanting to see younger players. Ultimately, it's going to come down to what kind of offer the Orioles make to keep Jones. Yes, he has ties in the area and has made a serious impact in the community. But it still has to fit into Baltimore's on-field plans and a reduced payroll for next season.

What are the club's realistic expectations for Chris Davis? And what can be done about that contract?
-- Tim R., Astoria, N.Y.

There's not a whole lot of leverage involved with Davis' contract, which is how the Orioles got into this mess. Ownership thought they were buying a big bat who could stabilize the lineup for years to come, but obviously that hasn't worked out at all. They tried benching him and letting him work stuff out on the side. That worked briefly, but nothing seems to do the trick long term. The O's are likely going to have to eat that record contract. So there aren't many other options for Baltimore -- the club has to play Davis and acknowledge that his pricey contract will very much factor into this rebuild.

When will Mark Trumbo return to the starting lineup? I know games don't really matter, but he's been our hottest hitter.
-- Michael F., Richmond, Va.

Trumbo did pinch-hit in the ninth inning of Sunday's game, but I know what you mean. The plan was for him to get an injection into that cranky right knee, with the hope that he could return for the Mets series this week. No one is 100 percent this time of year, but the Orioles are hoping they can get Trumbo back to where he's OK playing on that knee. This is something that's hampered him before and just needs to be managed.

What other players may fans expect to come up soon?
-- John B., Washington

Ryan Mountcastle and D.J. Stewart are two names that have circulated a lot, though the team may wait until September callups. Mullins was the big name, but when you look at the Orioles' current roster, there are already a ton of unproven guys. Still, I know people in the organization would like a look at Moutcastle and Stewart, and I'd be surprised if we don't see them at some point before this season ends.

BALTIMORE -- Nearly four months ago to the day, with afternoon temperatures in the 40s and a strong New England spring wind, Alex Cobb took the mound at Fenway Park for his season debut and got shelled.

The O's starter -- the shiny new righty who was signed to a four-year deal in late March -- couldn't get out of the fourth inning and departed with his team trailing by seven runs after serving up 10 hits and a walk.

Cobb faced that same Red Sox lineup on Sunday, but that's where the similarities ended. The 30-year-old, who has quietly put together a terrific past month, went seven strong innings in the 4-1 series-sweeping loss at Camden Yards, providing a bright spot in an otherwise forgettable fifth consecutive defeat.

"Outstanding. He was great. He's been that way for a while now," manager Buck Showalter said of Cobb, who has quality starts in five of his past six outings. "He's been solid. When you think about [it], in time of need, with our bullpen situation, that was as good as you can expect. Especially the last out. Alex has really got a feel for the split now. I think that was a byproduct of [his early struggles]. It took him a while to get a feel for it.

Video: BOS@BAL: Showlater on Sale's outing, loss to Red Sox

"I don't want to say it was all around [missing] Spring Training, but it's been a three-pitch mix and different speeds, and it's really allowed him to finish up against left-handed hitters."

Cobb's resurgence, which centers around the use of his changeup, is something Baltimore can take solace in as it begins a rebuild. Signed for his prowess in the American League East, Cobb tied his season high in innings Sunday and held the Red Sox to two runs (one earned) in his fourth consecutive quality start.

"Through all of this whole season, there were obviously a lot of challenges early on, but every single day I've come and tried to give everything I have to getting better and progressing. It's just something that has taken some time," said Cobb, who believes there's still another level to reach.

"It's not a one-thing-clicked [situation]. It's every day, letting the mind and body sync up, figuring out the right arm path and taking all the information every single day that you put out there. Whether playing catch or throwing a bullpen [session], you're always getting information back with what the ball is doing. You try to take that and build on it each day and get back to form."

Video: BOS@BAL: Cobb, Showalter, Nunez on loss to Red Sox

Cobb was a victim of the Orioles' suspect defense, with an unearned run in the fourth on Adam Jones' bobble in right field, but he never wavered as he went toe-to-toe with Sox ace Chris Sale. Sale made his return from the disabled list on a limited pitch count, and the O's struck out 12 times over Sale's five innings, recording just one hit -- Renato Nunez's single in the third inning.

"Sale took it to a different level," Showalter said. "The first fastball he threw today was 98 [mph], the second one was 99. He was throwing a changeup at 88, 90. Doesn't seem fair."

Video: BOS@BAL: Red Sox take 2-0 lead on double, error

Former Oriole Steve Pearce homered off of Cobb in the first for his only earned run. Cobb issued two walks (one intentional) and struck out seven in the 106-pitch outing.

"It's the toughest lineup in baseball over there. If you start trying to worry about the pitcher, too, I'd have my hands fuller than they already are," Cobb said of opposing Sale.

"I was able to watch from behind, and it's just stuff you never see on a big league field like that. It's very impressive what he's able to do with the ball, and I fell on the wrong day to pitch against him."

Video: BOS@BAL: Mancini cuts the deficit with a sac fly

Trey Mancini put the Orioles on the board with a sacrifice fly off reliever Matt Barnes to cut the lead to one in the eighth, but that was as close as they'd get.

"We're gonna grind it out until the end of this season, no matter what our record is, no matter if we're going to the playoffs or not," Orioles shortstop Tim Beckham said. "We all have pride in here. So that's what we're intent to feeling. We have pride. We're gonna play to win no matter what our record is, no matter how many games we have left."

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Close, but no cigar: The O's put runners on second and third with one out in the eighth on Barnes' wild pitch before Mancini came through to make it 2-1. But Barnes hunkered down and struck out Beckham to keep the Sox's lead intact.

Video: BOS@BAL: Barnes K's Beckham, strands tying run in 8th

FEEL-GOOD STORY
Prior to the game, the Orioles honored the Mamie Johnson Little League team from Washington D.C., at Camden Yards. The team made history as the first predominantly African-American team to reach the Mid-Atlantic Regional Tournament earlier this month. Jones helped fund their trip.

Video: BOS@BAL: Mamie Johnson LL throws out first pitch

HE SAID IT
"What you talk about is how close the games were. I was telling [bench coach] John [Russell], they get the tack-on run late. That's what we did when we were real competitive. Those are the type of things you have to do. Obviously, they are more than just a good offensive club. The point I would make is you see what our record is and see what their record is, and all four games, there were moments where we were very close to winning the game. But that's what happens at this level, it's a small separator. And there's some experience factor, too." --Showalter, on the four-game sweep

UP NEXT
The Orioles will enjoy an off-day at home on Monday before Andrew Cashner takes the mound for a two-game series against the Mets at Camden Yards. The O's took the first two in New York earlier this year, and they will face lefty Jason Vargas in Tuesday's 7:05 p.m. ET opener.

Over the weekend, the Giants retired the No. 25 worn by Barry Bonds and the Tigers retired Jack Morris' No. 47. Bonds became the 12th Giant and Morris the seventh Tiger so honored (along with Jackie Robinson's No. 42 for both teams, of course). Bonds played for the Giants for 15 seasons and Morris pitched for the Tigers for 14 years and was just inducted into the Hall of Fame: It was a no-brainer for the Tigers once he was in.

This whole exercise got us thinking: Which active players might end up with their own jerseys retired? Who potentially has that immortality in their future? Thus, this week at The Thirty, in honor of Bonds and Morris, we take a look at the most likely active player to someday have their number retired for every team. Note the wording there, by the way: The player has to be active, but he does not have to be actively playing for the team that will retire his number at this specific moment.

Now, some of these teams have a rule that they won't retire anyone's number who wasn't elected to the Hall of Fame. In this case, if there is no obvious Hall of Fame candidate, when necessary, we'll pick the player most likely to be inducted into the team's Hall of Fame. But the general principle remains: Who's the active player most likely to go down in history for each specific franchise? Here's our list.

AMERICAN LEAGUE EAST

Blue Jays
19: Jose Bautista
This is probably the last year for Bautista, who is peddling his wares for the Mets, his second team this season. This jersey retirement probably won't end up happening, so they may just have to do a statue of his bat flip.

Video: MLB Tonight uses Statcast™ on Bautista's bat flip

Orioles
10: Adam Jones
Jones may be traded in August, but he'll be forever an Oriole. He's Captain America for crying out loud.

Rays
3: Evan Longoria
He's the best player in franchise history by a wide, wide margin.

Red Sox
15: Dustin Pedroia
Pedroia is already one of the franchise's 10 best players by WAR (per Baseball Reference) in history, and if he ever gets healthy again, he'll pass David Ortiz (whose No. 34 is already retired) in a matter of weeks. Also, those two World Series championships don't hurt.

Video: 2007 WS Gm1: Dustin Pedroia leads off with homer
Yankees
99: Aaron Judge
It's obviously early, but it's not like anyone else is clamoring for the number.

AL CENTRAL

Indians
12: Francisco Lindor
This is a tough call: Corey Kluber (28) is right there, too, but Lindor could be here for decades to come as a franchise icon.

Royals
13: Salvador Perez
Anybody else get the feeling that come 2028 we're going to be having the same Hall of Fame arguments about Perez that we're having about Yadier Molina right now?

Video: Perez receives World Series MVP Award in presentation

Tigers
24: Miguel Cabrera
Cabrera will end up having been a Tiger for 16 years by the time his contract is over … and heck, maybe even longer.

Video: WS2012 Gm3: Miggy receives trophy for Triple Crown

Twins
7: Joe Mauer
Remember, Kent Hrbek has a statue outside Target Field. If he has a statue, they should probably just name the stadium after Mauer.

White Sox
49: Chris Sale
Probably pushing it here, but if he ends up spending longer than seven years -- the amount of time he spent with the White Sox -- with any other team, we'll be surprised.

AL WEST

Angels
27: Mike Trout
Sorry, Vlad.

Astros
27: Jose Altuve
The jersey might be retired before the player is.

Video: Watch Jose Altuve's top 10 moments of the 2017 season

Athletics
26: Matt Chapman
Without question the toughest call on the board, but we'll just imagine a theoretical future where he turns into Brooks Robinson and plays with the A's for the next 15 years.

Mariners
51: Ichiro Suzuki
He's not technically retired yet, remember.

Video: A look at Ichiro's first and last hits in the Majors

Rangers
29: Adrian Beltre
If only he could have won one of those World Series…

NATIONAL LEAGUE EAST

Braves
5: Freddie Freeman
He's still only 28 years old. The guy the Braves didn't trade years ago may end up being an Atlanta lifer … and perhaps someday a champion.

Marlins
27: Giancarlo Stanton
He's the Marlins' all-time leader in bWAR, by a significant margin. But by the time he retires, will anyone remember he ever played here?

Video: Stanton caps off historic 2017 with NL MVP Award

Mets
5: David Wright
Oh, what could have been.

Nationals
31: Max Scherzer
He's under contract with the Nationals through 2021, which gives him a lot of time to win some more Cy Young Awards.

Video: BOS@WSH: Scherzer records 1,000th K with Nationals

Phillies
26: Chase Utley
We've got five years to debate his Hall of Fame case. OK, probably 10, at least.

NL CENTRAL

Brewers
8: Ryan Braun
Is this crazy? This is probably crazy. But we might feel a lot differently about Braun's offense in 20 years than we do now.

Cardinals
5: Albert Pujols
Molina might end up having his jersey retired as well, but the Cardinals haven't given out No. 5 since Pujols left and surely won't ever again.

Video: WS2011 Gm3: Pujols' trio of homers ties Series record

Cubs
17: Kris Bryant
Incredibly tough call between Bryant and Anthony Rizzo here, but we'll go with the guy with the MVP Award and maybe some more coming.

Video: Bryant continues magical year with NL MVP Award

Pirates
22: Andrew McCutchen
Still pretty strange that his old team has a better record than his new one does.

Reds
19: Joey Votto
At this point, Votto will probably retire a Red, and maybe as the best Red since the Big Red Machine.

NL WEST

D-backs
44: Paul Goldschmidt
Goldschmidt might have gotten started too late in his career to have much of a shot at the Hall of Fame, but he'll be beloved in Phoenix forever.

Dodgers
22: Clayton Kershaw
We'll see what happens this offseason, but 11 years of brilliance so far is plenty.

Video: Kershaw sets Dodgers, MLB record with strikeout mark

Giants
28: Buster Posey
Barely edging out Madison Bumgarner, if just because Posey is less likely to ever play anywhere else.

Padres
23: Fernando Tatis Jr.
Heck, why not?

Rockies
28: Nolan Arenado
The question, as with many Rockies: How long will he remain a Rockie?

Video: Must C Cycle: Arenado gets cycle with walk-off homer

BALTIMORE-- Nights like these will be a regular part of the process. Series like this, against a first-place Red Sox team, will serve as the ultimate barometer for where Baltimore hopes it will be on the other side of at least a three-year rebuild.

Games like this, the second of a doubleheader and third of four games total in a 48-hour span, will serve as a reminder when the O's are again playing in meaningful August games and it is them -- not the Red Sox -- hitting late-game homers and making double-digit runs hold up.

The learning process, a phrase manager Buck Showalter has used near nightly since Baltimore went into full-bore rebuild mode last month, can be a cruel one. And on Saturday night, the O's were dealt another lesson from the best team in baseball in a 6-4 loss.

• Roberts, Manfra join Orioles Hall of Fame

"I don't need the Red Sox to show me [what needs to be done]. We showed them that quite a few times," Showalter said, a reference to his club's three postseason trips in a five-year stretch.

"We'd like to do that again. That's what we're planning on doing. But they're a good team, a lot of pieces. ... They're a good team but I don't need them having a really good year so far to tell us what we have to do. It's not an example. It's something that we know because we did it, too."

The defeat, which dropped the Orioles to 35-83, nearly mirrors that of a Boston club (84-35) that has won every which way since touching down in Baltimore early Friday morning. The four-game series -- which saw a 20-minute weather delay before Saturday's nightcap -- also kicks off a stretch of 11 of 16 games in which the Orioles will play three of the American League's top teams.

The Orioles, energized by Cedric Mullins' debut, scored 12 runs in Friday's loss but couldn't pitch. They got a commendable spot start from Jimmy Yacabonis in Saturday's 5-0 loss in Game 1, but couldn't hit. And in the nightcap, they watched a bullpen that gave away leads in all three games in their prior series against the Rays continue to show its inexperience.

"You can't give them any chance to stay in the game," said Trey Mancini, who went 3-for-3 with his 17th homer in the ninth inning. "Like early on, we had a chance to put a couple more across and didn't do it."

Staked to an early two-run lead, things started to really unravel for the Orioles in the sixth after reliever Cody Carroll issued two walks to start the bottom half of the inning. Steve Pearce would eventually come around to score on Carroll's wild pitch to give Boston a 3-2 lead.

J.D. Martinez tallied his third multi-homer game this season -- all of which have been against the O's -- with a go-ahead, two-run shot off Mike Wright Jr. in the eighth, his MLB-leading 37th. Boston added another run in the ninth to pad its lead.

Joey Rickard homered in the sixth for Baltimore, which got a solid five innings out of starter Yefry Ramirez. Ramirez -- coming off a start in Texas in which he surrendered five runs and couldn't get out of the second inning -- held Boston to two runs on three hits, including Martinez's first homer in the fourth.

Video: BOS@BAL: Rickard drives a solo homer to left field

While he's done a respectable job, Ramirez -- auditioning for a role next season -- is hoping to stretch out his starts.

"I think what it's going to take [to go deeper] is to force the hitters to swing early on me," Ramirez said through an interpreter, "to swing on the first pitch, and to try to pitch more for contact rather than striking out every single one."

Video: BOS@BAL: Ramirez rings up Pearce in the 1st

MOMENT THAT MATTERED
Close but no cigar: After leaving two men on with two outs in the seventh inning, the O's did it again in the eighth. In that frame, both runners advanced to second and third on William Cuevas' wild pitch, but Cuevas got Jace Peterson to go down swinging to escape the jam.

SOUND SMART
Chris Davis became the 18th player in franchise history to reach the 1,000 games played mark.

HE SAID IT
"Thought about the seventh inning, the strike zone got away from the umpire, too. It really affected a lot of things. Some comments he made I'll follow up with the league office. That didn't necessarily beat us, but made it a lot tougher. When you're having a tough year like we are, unfortunately some of those things work out that way. But we had some opportunities with some people on base that we didn't cash in on." -- Showalter

UP NEXT
Alex Cobb is coming off a terrific seven-inning outing against the Rays on Tuesday night and will get the start in Sunday's series finale. The righty has quality starts in three of his last four outings, allowing one earned run three times in that stretch. Cobb will be opposed by Red Sox lefty Chris Sale in the 1:05 p.m. ET matchup.