CLEVELAND -- Alex Cobb has been honest, almost brutally so, this season as the righty slogged through the first three months of the season with one dismal start after another.

It was the most mystifying stretch of his career, a late signing snowballing into missing most of Spring Training. Another alarming storyline in an Orioles season brimming with disappointments.

But as the O's eye the future, Cobb -- signed for three years beyond this one -- continues to make good on his early-season promise to figure things out. The righty, armed with a 3.12 ERA in eight games entering Saturday, turned in his best one yet. Cobb held the Indians to two runs in a complete-game effort, pitching past the seventh inning for the first time all season in the O's 4-2 win over the Indians.

"It was tough early on in the season, dealing with just the failures, not only as a team but me personally, and feeling like I really contributed poorly to the first half," said Cobb, who was 2-12 with a 6.41 ERA in 17 starts before the All-Star break.

"You try to pick yourself up and build on some positives and make a run with that, and really show that you can contribute, you should be here. That's been my focus since I got here, really."

Video: BAL@CLE: Cobb snatches a sharp comebacker

Backed by homers from Jonathan Villar and Cedric Mullins -- the latter of which was his first career big league blast -- Cobb was on cruise control for most of the afternoon. The righty allowed just one hit through the first five innings and was able to get a huge double play with runners on the corners in the seventh. With a triumphant skip and fist bump after getting Melky Cabrera to bounce to second, Cobb breezed through a 1-2-3 eighth, diving for a ball in the ninth en route to his first complete game since 2013 with Tampa Bay.

"If that doesn't fire you up," catcher Austin Wynns said of watching Cobb lunge for a ball in that final frame, "It's like, he's a dog, like he is an animal out there. He is a different person. Pitchers just need to have that sense of, like … this is my game, I'm doing it, and I was with him the whole way, same page. And that's why we had a day like today."

Villar put Baltimore on the board, sending a full-count offering from Adam Plutko into the soldout seats at Progressive Field for a three-run homer in the third.

Video: BAL@CLE: Villar drills a 3-run home run to right

Mullins delivered his first career homer with a one-out solo shot in the bottom of the eighth inning off Indians reliever Neil Ramirez.

But the afternoon belonged to Cobb, who showed off his fielding prowess and held the first-place Indians to five hits in his fifth consecutive quality start. The righty, who has four career complete games, now has an impressive 2.03 second-half ERA and has quickly become a bright spot for last-place Baltimore.

"Alex seemed to dial up what was needed," manager Buck Showalter said. "You could tell from the first inning. He took a lot of the crowd out, I thought. That's a really hard lineup to do that."

Video: BAL@CLE: Cobb gets key DP, works out of trouble

Cobb, who has been working with a faster tempo over his last few outings, gave a lot of credit to the rookie Wynns.

"He's grown so much since he first got up here. He's learned me as a pitcher and what I like to do, and he's helped me navigate through lineups and starting to get a lot more confidence back there in his pitch calling, and trusting his eyes too," Cobb said. "I told him after the [complete] game, that's his. It's nice to see when you have young guys come up, grow and be able to contribute as quickly as he has."

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Lindor caught stealing: Both of the Indians runs came in the sixth inning and it looked like Cleveland was poised to finally thwart Cobb. But Francisco Lindor tried to swipe second base with two outs and Wynns threw him out, quashing any hopes of a Tribe rally and putting the momentum back in the visitors' dugout.

"He's their best runner almost, and then [Cobb] held him really well, he held him," Wynns said. "He paused and held it for like five seconds almost and then he threw it. It was him, he set it up for me. I was just trying to get it there and it's him, just slapped it on. It was perfect."

Video: BAL@CLE: Wynns nabs Lindor at second

SOUND SMART
Villar is batting .271 with two doubles, three homers, nine RBIs and seven runs scored in 15 games with Baltimore.

HE SAID IT
"Oh, it was awesome. The seeds getting thrown in my face. I never had that happen before. I think one got me in the eye a little bit, but it was fun to be able to get the first one out of the way." -- Mullins, on his first career homer

Video: BAL@CLE: Mullins drills his 1st career homer

"Alex, the split has been big for him. He made a lot of tough pitches, especially in this ballpark against this lineup. [On] Jim Thome night, I kept waiting for Thome to come out on deck." -- Showalter, on Cobb

UP NEXT
The Orioles will send Yefry Ramirez to the mound for Sunday's series finale in Cleveland. Ramirez allowed two runs in five innings in his most recent start against the Red Sox last Saturday. He'll be opposed by Indians righty Mike Clevinger. First pitch is scheduled for 1:10 p.m. ET.

Ever since Babe Ruth launched Major League Baseball into the live-ball era with his awe-inspiring home runs, wowed fans have been asking: "How far did that ball go?"

Teams had their own methods for estimating home run distance for nearly a century. But now, the launch of Statcast™ has given us a whole new tool to answer the question, thanks to the tracking technology at every MLB ballpark.

Here is a look at the longest homers hit by each of the 30 MLB clubs since Statcast™ began tracking home run distances at the start of the 2015 season.

American League East

Blue Jays: Josh Donaldson, April 23, 2015, vs. BAL; Sept. 17, 2017, at MIN
Distance: 481 feet (Watch them: HR No. 1; HR No. 2)
Both of these big flies were demolished. The first, with a 112.5-mph exit velocity, Donaldson launched into the second deck at the Rogers Centre. He hit the second even harder, at 113.5 mph, reaching the upper tank at Minnesota's Target Field. Full Blue Jays leaderboard

Orioles: Jonathan Schoop, Aug. 26, 2015, at KC
Distance: 484 feet (Watch it)
The Orioles have had their share of big sluggers in recent years, but it's Schoop who holds this title. One of baseball's best sluggers at second base, he jumped on this Johnny Cueto pitch that tailed in off the inside corner and kept it just fair down the left-field line at Kauffman Stadium. Full Orioles leaderboard

Rays: J.P. Arencibia, Sept. 7, 2015, at DET; C.J. Cron, Aug. 18, 2018, at BOS
Distance: 464 feet (Watch them: Arencibia's; Cron's)
Arencibia played only 24 games for Tampa Bay -- all in 2015, his final MLB season -- but he had no shortage of power. The opposing pitcher for this home run, the Tigers' Randy Wolf, was also in his final season. Nonetheless, they combined for an entry in the Rays' Statcast™ record book.

Arencibia got company when Cron showed off some light-tower power at Fenway Park in the dog days of August 2018. Cron crushed a 112.9 mph, 33-degree, 464-foot moonshot off David Price way over the Green Monster and over Lansdowne Street. Full Rays leaderboard

Red Sox: Hanley Ramirez, April 29, 2017, vs. CHC
Distance: 469 feet (Watch it)
Before this, Ramirez was tied with David Ortiz for the longest Red Sox homer, at 468 feet. But here, facing former Boston hurler John Lackey at Fenway Park, he took that honor all for himself. Ramirez drilled a center-cut two-seamer way over the Green Monster for a monstrous solo shot. Full Red Sox leaderboard

Yankees: Aaron Judge, June 11, 2017, vs. BAL
Distance: 495 feet (Watch it)
Judge became a sensation in 2017 because of feats like this one. The AL Rookie of the Year cleared the left-field bleachers at Yankee Stadium with a 118.6 mph, 495-foot homer. It was the longest homer of 2017 and tied Judge for the second-longest big fly in Statcast™ history. Full Yankees leaderboard

AL Central

Indians: Mike Napoli, Sept. 9, 2016 vs. MIN
Distance: 463 feet (Watch it)
The Party at Napoli's reached the highest deck at Target Field on this September night, as this blast helped the first baseman reach a career-high 93 RBIs on the season. Napoli had also hit a 464-foot ball in foul territory the night before at Progressive Field.

"That's good for bragging rights," Napoli's teammate, Rajai Davis, told MLB.com. "That's an awesome, great feeling. I don't think I've ever hit the ball that far in batting practice. He's doing it in games. That's awesome. We can all admire that." Full Indians leaderboard

Royals: Brandon Moss, July 1, 2017, vs. MIN
Distance: 477 feet (Watch it)
Moss left his mark during his lone season in Kansas City, golfing this pitch to help spur a four-run comeback for the home side against the rival Twins. Moss would retire the following spring, but his power clearly remained in his bat until the end. Full Royals leaderboard

Tigers: J.D. Martinez, July 21, 2015, vs. SEA
Distance: 467 feet (Watch it)
Not to be outdone by Nelson Cruz's 455-foot shot in the top half of the third inning, Martinez one-upped Seattle's slugger in the bottom half with this impressive blast to straightaway center at cavernous Comerica Park. The dinger impressed just about everyone in the ballpark, except perhaps the slugger who hit it.

"It all means the same to me," Martinez told MLB.com about his big fly. "I don't care. People get caught up on [distance]. To me, I really pay no mind. I just hit it, and I just hope it gets out." Full Tigers leaderboard

Twins: Kennys Vargas, June 20, 2017, vs. CWS
Distance: 483 feet (Watch it)
There really wasn't any doubt about this homer as soon as Vargas' bat met this pitch from White Sox starter Derek Holland with a scorching 114.1-mph exit velocity. Vargas' shot climbed high above the bullpen in left-center at Target Field for one of four 450-plus foot homers the first baseman hit in less than 800 at-bats in a Twins uniform. Full Twins leaderboard

Video: CWS@MIN: Vargas crushes a 483-foot home run

White Sox: Avisail Garcia, April 3, 2018, vs. TOR
Distance: 481 feet (Watch it)
Garcia was coming off a terrific 2017 campaign in which he finished second in the AL batting race with a .330 average, but he showed he could be much more than a slap hitter with this prodigious blast at Rogers Centre. Blue Jays starter J.A. Happ's slider caught too much of the plate, and Garcia punished it with a blistering 116.7-mph exit velocity.

"It was a pretty impressive blast, just from standing in the dugout and watching it," White Sox manager Rick Renteria told MLB.com. "Anybody who is a fan of baseball must have been impressed by that shot." Full White Sox leaderboard

AL West

Angels: Mike Trout, July 8, 2015, vs. COL
Distance: 477 feet (Watch it)
Trout's second homer of the night travelled deep to straightaway center field, landing halfway up the bleachers at Coors Field. Better yet, Trout's solo blast tied the ballgame and led to an eventual 3-2 win for the Angels. Full Angels leaderboard

Astros: George Springer, May 31, 2017, vs. MIN
Distance: 473 feet (Watch it)
Springer's blast capped a two-homer day against the Twins, part of a massive series for the eventual World Series champions in which they set a franchise record for runs scored in a three-game series.

"That's all I've got," Springer said of the homer. "That's about all I can hit it." Full Astros leaderboard

Athletics: Matt Olson, Sept. 15, 2017, vs. PHI
Distance: 483 feet (Watch it)
Olson's sky-high blast at Citizens Bank Park came at the peak of an incredibly powerful rookie season in which he crushed 24 homers in just 189 at-bats for Oakland. Phillies starter Mark Leiter Jr. knew he was in trouble as soon as Olson connected; all there was left to do was wait and see where the slugger's blast would eventually land. Full A's leaderboard

Mariners: Nelson Cruz, Sept. 24, 2016, vs. MIN
Distance: 493 feet (Watch it)
Few players in the game can crush a baseball like Cruz, and the Boomstick found the third deck at Target Field with this neck-craning blast. Cruz's shot remains among the longest homer hit outside the thin air of Coors Field, and it came one night after he had launched a different 454-foot homer for Seattle. Full Mariners leaderboard

Video: SEA@MIN: Cruz crushes 493-ft homer

Rangers: Nomar Mazara, May 25, 2016, vs. LAA
Distance: 491 feet (Watch it)
The rookie Mazara raised his profile substantially with this towering drive to the upper deck at Globe Life Park, turning on and punishing an offspeed pitch from Angels starter Hector Santiago.

"That was loud," said Rangers catcher Bobby Wilson of Mazara's dinger. "You need earplugs for that one." Full Rangers leaderboard

National League East

Braves: Freddie Freeman, June 13, 2015, vs. NYM
Distance: 464 feet (Watch it)
Atlanta's most consistent slugger got a hold of this first-inning fastball from Mets ace Jacob deGrom, pulling it high and deep onto the right-center-field bridge at Citi Field. Full Braves leaderboard

Marlins: Giancarlo Stanton, Aug. 6, 2016, vs. COL
Distance: 504 feet (Watch it)
This is it -- the longest home run since Statcast™ started tracking in 2015, and the only one projected at more than 500 feet. The 504-foot distance may have been aided by the thin air at Coors Field, but Stanton has shown plenty of times that he doesn't need any help to clear the fence. Full Marlins leaderboard

Video: Must C Crushed: Stanton connects on 504-foot home run

Mets: Yoenis Cespedes, April 24, 2018 vs. STL
Distance: 463 feet (Watch it)
Cespedes was off to a tough start to the 2018 season, batting .195 with an MLB-most 37 strikeouts entering this Tuesday night matchup in St. Louis. But with a pair of runners on in the fifth, New York's big slugger proved his power was still very much intact. Cespedes tied up the Cardinals with this moonshot that landed next to the "Big Mac Land" seating section in left field, surpassing Justin Ruggiano's 461-foot homer from Aug. 23, 2016, which also came at Busch Stadium. Full Mets leaderboard

Nationals: Michael A. Taylor, Aug. 20, 2015, vs. COL
Distance: 493 feet (Watch it)
Rockies starter Yohan Flande was cruising against the Nationals until Taylor gave his club a humongous game-tying lift on this blast to left-center. Taylor's dinger may have received an assist from the friendly Coors Field environment, but his 110.1-mph exit velocity was no joke. Taylor's ideal 26-degree launch angle also helped this ball go a long way. Full Nationals leaderboard

Phillies: Maikel Franco, July 10, 2016, vs. COL
Distance: 471 feet (Watch it)
Rockies reliever Jason Motte attempted to go up and in on Franco with a fastball, but the Phillies third baseman was ready for the challenge. Franco turned quickly on the pitch, pulling it into the high altitude at Coors Field for a long line-drive homer. Full Phillies leaderboard

NL Central

Brewers: Domingo Santana, July 26, 2017, vs. WSH
Distance: 476 feet (Watch it)
Nationals Park has housed plenty of its own sluggers, from Bryce Harper to Anthony Rendon to Ryan Zimmerman. But it was the visiting Santana who etched his name atop the ballpark's list of longest home runs on this summer evening. Santana turned on an inside fastball from Gio Gonzalez and crushed it over the visitors' bullpen, high into the left-field concourse. Full Brewers leaderboard

Cardinals: Marcell Ozuna, April 3, 2018, vs. MIL
Distance: 479 feet (Watch it)
Ozuna's first Cardinals home run also established him atop his new team's home run distance leaderboard. Facing Brewers starter Chase Anderson, Ozuna connected with a 117.2-mph exit velocity and sent Anderson's offering deep to left-center -- also setting a new Statcast™ mark for the longest homer at Miller Park. Full Cardinals leaderboard

Cubs: Kris Bryant, Sept. 6, 2015, vs. ARI
Distance: 495 feet (Watch it)
Wrigley Field can become a launching pad when the wind blows out toward the bleachers, but even as a rookie, Bryant proved he didn't need much help launching prolific blasts. This one bounced off the new scoreboard in left field -- fittingly right next to Bryant's own picture -- to further build Bryant's prestige with the North Siders. Full Cubs leaderboard

Video: ARI@CHC: Statcast™ on Bryant's blast off scoreboard

Pirates: Pedro Alvarez, Oct. 4, 2015, vs. CIN
Distance: 479 feet (Watch it)
Pittsburgh's hulking slugger decided the right-field seats at PNC Park weren't enough on the final day of the 2015 regular season, instead clearing the bleachers completely and depositing this ball into the Allegheny River. Alvarez simply demolished the pitch, connecting with a 115.4-mph exit velocity and uppercutting with an ideal 29-degree launch angle. Full Pirates leaderboard

Reds: Eugenio Suarez, June 2, 2016, vs. COL
Distance: 465 feet (Watch it)
Listed at just 5-foot-11 and 213 pounds, Suarez struck a blow for undersized infielders with this massive shot to left-center at Coors Field. This was actually Suarez's second homer of the game, capping an impressive evening for the third baseman. Full Reds leaderboard

NL West

D-backs: Jake Lamb, April 29, 2017, vs. COL
Distance: 481 feet (Watch it)
In the days before the humidor, balls flew out of Chase Field. What's surprising about Lamb's blast isn't where it was hit, but the opposing pitcher he victimized. The Rockies' Tyler Anderson is a left-hander, and southpaws overall had been extremely effective against Lamb. But in this at-bat, the platoon disadvantage didn't bother Lamb at all. Full D-backs leaderboard

Dodgers: Joc Pederson, June 2, 2015, at COL
Distance: 477 feet (Watch it)
Considering the Rockies are in their division, it's no surprise that the Dodgers hit their longest homer at Coors Field: a majestic blast by Pederson way up into the center-field bleachers. It came in a series in which Pederson crushed four home runs -- one in each game. Full Dodgers leaderboard

Giants: Brandon Belt, May 22, 2015, at COL
Distance: 475 feet (Watch it)
Another NL West club, another entry from the friendly environment of Coors Field. Belt jumped on a hanging changeup and launched it far into the third deck in right field. This type of blast has been a rarity for the Giants, who hit the second-fewest homers of 420-plus feet (74) from 2015-17, ahead of only the Braves. Full Giants leaderboard

Padres: Franchy Cordero, April 20, 2018 at ARI
Distance: 489 feet (Watch it)
Franchy absolutely crushed this one. The D-backs' Matt Koch grooved Cordero a fastball, and Cordero hammered it 116.3 mph all the way up the scoreboard in dead center at Chase Field, instantly establishing a new longest home run of the 2018 season and a Padres Statcast™ record. He obliterated the team's previous best of 465 feet, which had been set by Melvin Upton Jr. in June of 2016. Cordero's blast is also the longest hit at Chase Field since Statcast™'s introduction in 2015, and the 10th-longest hit by anyone in baseball since 2015. Full Padres leaderboard

Video: SD@ARI: Cordero crushes 489-ft. HR at 116.3 mph

Rockies: Mark Reynolds, July 21, 2016, vs. ATL
Distance: 484 feet (Watch it)
Yes, the Rockies' longest home run came at home. Reynolds, the powerful veteran, got ahead in the count 2-0 against a rookie left-hander, Hunter Cervenka, who fired a fastball over the middle of the plate. Reynolds demolished it at 108.8 mph, sending a drive most of the way up the bleachers beyond the left-center-field wall. Full Rockies leaderboard

CLEVELAND -- If there is a slogan for the 2018 Orioles, whose rebuilding efforts began in full force with the trading of six players in July, it would be something to the effect of, "Auditions Welcome." Hardly a game goes by without manager Buck Showalter referencing the opportunity for a roster chock-full of unproven players. Now may not be the time for winning. But it certainly can be a time to shine.

And on Friday at Progressive Field, rookie David Hess did just that. Hess, pitching as much for the game's results as for a chance to remain in the rotation, turned in six solid innings in a series-opening 2-1 loss to the Indians.

"He was close there to [letting the game] get away from him," Showalter said. "But you look for separators in all players -- position players, what separates them -- and David, tonight, it was just his will."

The 25-year-old Hess, who has struggled to find his footing after an impressive first five starts, registered his first quality start since June 7. He held an Indians club running away with the American League Central to five hits. And he showed his moxie, working out of jams caused by his four walks and a talented lineup eager to pounce on an unproven pitcher.

Video: BAL@CLE: Villar robs Cabrera with barehanded stop

Hess, who surrendered a first-inning two-run homer to Jose Ramirez -- now tied for the Major League lead with Boston's J.D. Martinez -- kept Cleveland off the board the rest of the night. One of Hess' biggest outs came to end the third inning, a bases-loaded strikeout of Yonder Alonso that kept the game in reach.

"Going forward, that's something that gives you a lot of confidence, not only to throw that pitch but for that pitch to be called to begin with," Hess said of the slider that retired Alonso. "So for [catcher] Caleb [Joseph] to have that trust in me, in that pitch, that means a lot. Going forward, I think that will show itself."

Indians starter Carlos Carrasco had a similar situation in the fourth, striking out Joey Rickard amid a dominating seven-inning outing. It continued a theme, as the O's bats couldn't touch Carrasco, who allowed three hits and retired 10 straight Orioles to end his evening in impressive fashion.

"He did a great job of hanging in there, keeping us off-balance, mixing up his pitches, and I think we were able to scratch together a few hits but weren't really able to get a run across there until late," Chris Davis, who had a second-inning single, said of Carrasco. "I'm proud of the way the guys battled, proud of the way David hung in there and really showed what he was made of. I think this time of year for us, obviously, not playing for the postseason, but really learning a lot about some of these younger guys. Seeing those guys get a chance to compete at this level and really learn on the fly, it's a lot of fun."

Baltimore did not record an extra-base hit, and didn't score until the eighth, when Trey Mancini drove in the club's lone run, charged to Andrew Miller. The loss dropped the Orioles to 50 games under .500 for the first time since finishing the 1988 season 54-107.

Video: BAL@CLE: Mancini knocks in Joseph on single to center

"Right now, there's really no question that opportunities are there," Hess said. "It's a good opportunity to go out and show what I can do. With the group of guys we have going forward, we are trying to come together as a team and really find ways to win. Any time I have an opportunity to contribute to that, it really does mean a lot to be able to do that. Really just going forward, that's what we are looking at."

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Tough Cookie: The Orioles' best chance to score off Carrasco came in the fourth. After Mark Trumbo's one-out single, Renato Nunez walked with two outs and Tim Beckham punched a ball into left field to load the bases. But Carrasco, who wouldn't allow a hit the rest of the evening, struck out Rickard on a 1-2 curveball to quash the threat.

"I thought at the time, with the pitch count we had him at, that we might [get Carrasco out of the game], but getting to their bullpen is no treat, either," Showalter said. "They've got so many weapons down there and they added to it. That's why they're in first place. They're one of the best clubs in baseball and they've got a great guy in [manager] Terry [Francona] who knows how to use the weapons. So, you get in a close game like that, you've got to get a hit."

Video: BAL@CLE: Carrasco K's Rickard to strand bases loaded

Rickard also struck out with the tying run on second to end the game.

HE SAID IT
"It's not good. We know that it's not good. We know that every night we go out there, we've got to find something to play for and really find something to hang our hats on. For this club right now, as young as we are, having some new faces in here, that's got to be our focus to go out and learn and try to find something to build on to carry momentum into the offseason." -- Davis, on the Orioles being 50 games under .500

MITEL REPLAY OF THE DAY
The Orioles challenged the call that Francisco Lindor was safe at first base in the fifth inning on a ground ball up the middle fielded by second baseman Jonathan Villar, who ranged to his right and quickly threw across his body to first. After a replay review, the call was overturned for the first out of the inning.

Video: BAL@CLE: Villar nabs Lindor after review in the 5th

UP NEXT
Alex Cobb (3-15, 5.31 ERA) will look to continue his second-half resurgence on Saturday afternoon at Progressive Field in Cleveland. Seven of the righty's past 10 outings have been quality starts. He'll take the mound opposite Indians righty Adam Plutko (4-2, 4.75 ERA) in the 4:05 p.m. ET start.

CLEVELAND -- It's been a whirlwind week for Orioles rookie Cedric Mullins. And on Friday in Cleveland, the 23-year-old saw his name atop the O's order for the first time. He also got a special visit pregame from Indians great and leadoff hitter extraordinaire Kenny Lofton.

"It's a good spot for him," manager Buck Showalter said. "And I thought he might spend some time with Kenny Lofton today."

Jokes aside, Lofton -- who was teammates with current Baltimore first-base coach Wayne Kirby for several years -- was a terrific leadoff hitter in his own right. And it was evident the visit was a cool moment for Mullins.

"You could tell he would have stayed there all day," Showalter said "Cedric, he takes it in."

Mullins, who became the first Orioles rookie to record three hits in his big league debut on Aug. 10, enters the weekend series against the Indians with eight hits in his first 20 at-bats. The youngster, who has enviable speed and has taken over the role of everyday center fielder, will now take on more responsibility on the offensive side of things.

"He's got a chance to be [a good leadoff hitter]. There's a lot of roads to cross," Showalter said. "You could read four or five different reports of what everybody says he's going to become. I just want to know they are going to be what they can be, and I feel comfortable Cedric will be what he can be. He's got a lot of the old-school characteristics you look for in leadoff hitters."

The Orioles placed outfielder Adam Jones on the bereavement list, the club announced Friday.

In additional moves, the club reinstated outfielder Craig Gentry from the 10-day disabled list (left rib fracture) and recalled right-hander Ryan Meisinger from Triple-A Norfolk.

Jones is slashing .285/.317/438 with 13 homers and 49 RBIs in 114 games this season. 

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
• 2018 Players' Weekend nicknames
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• All you need to know about Players' Weekend

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"

Here's MLB Pipeline's roundup of the top prospect performances in the Minor Leagues on Friday.

Pitching at his second level this season, Wyatt Marks is already producing similar results.

Marks, the A's No. 26 prospect, allowed one earned run on three hits while striking out 10 over six-plus innings a no-decision as Class A Advanced Stockton fell to Visalia, 3-2.

:: Complete prospect coverage ::

Making his third start for the Ports since his promotion on Aug. 2, Marks struck out three of the first four batters before Pavin Smith (D-backs No. 4) tagged him for one-out double in the second inning. He rebounded to retire nine straight batters, and wrapped up his outing by striking out five of the final eight he faced. Marks threw 90 pitches in the outing, 60 for strikes.

A four-pitch walk to leadoff the seventh inning spelled the end of Marks' night, and he was ultimately charged with an earned run after Stockton reliever Trey Cochran-Gill served up a game-tying, two-run homer to the first batter he faced.

Marks owns a 2.12 ERA with 21 strikeouts in 19 innings and has completed at least six innings twice in three starts with the Ports.

The 23-year-old right-hander was promoted to Stockton after posting a 3.23 ERA with a .227 opponents' average and a Midwest League-leading 138 strikeouts in 117 innings with Class A Beloit.

Other top prospect performances from Friday's action:

• No. 10 overall prospect Royce Lewis (Twins' No. 1) hit a solo home run in the eighth inning that proved the difference in Class A Advanced Fort Myers' 3-2 win over Clearwater. He reached base three times out of the leadoff spot, going 2-for-3 with a walk to go along with his 14th home run of the season. The 19-year-old shortstop continues to have a remarkable first full season, hitting .316/.380/.498 with 46 extra-base hits, 74 RBIs, 82 runs scored and 28 steals.

• No. 22 overall prospect Luis Urias (Padres' No. 4) recorded his fourth straight multihit game for Triple-A El Paso with a 3-for-5 performance that included a double. The 21-year-old second baseman -- who started at the hot corner on Friday -- is hitting .647 (11-for-17) with five extra-base hits in that span, during which he's improved his season average from .270 to .285.

• No. 37 overall prospect Keibert Ruiz (Dodgers' No. 2) homered for the third time in as many games and finished 2-for-3 in Double-A Tulsa's win over San Antonio in Game 1 of a doubleheader. The multihit performance was Ruiz's fifth during his six-game hitting streak, a stretch during which the 20-year-old switch-hitter has improved his average from .237 to .259. The homer, a solo shot with two outs in the first, was Ruiz's 12th of the year.

Ruiz goes yard

Right-hander Dustin May (Dodgers' No. 4, No. 80 overall) pitched well in his third Double-A start, allowing just one hit over 4 2/3 scoreless frames. He issued two walks and struck out six before departing after 86 pitches (58 strikes). The 20-year-old sports a 3.39 ERA with 107 strikeouts and 22 walks in 114 innings (20 starts) this season across two levels.

• No. 58 overall prospect Matt Manning (Tigers' No. 3) racked up eight strikeouts over five innings in another strong outing for Class A Advanced Lakeland. Throwing 60 of his 94 pitches for strikes, Manning allowed one run on three hits and generated another six outs on the ground. In eight starts since his promotion to the Florida State League, the 20-year-old right-hander has compiled a 2.78 ERA with 56 strikeouts in 45 1/3 innings. Overall, Manning has fanned 131 batters in 101 innings across two levels.

• No. 78 overall prospect Monte Harrison (Marlins' No. 1) hit a solo home run and a double as he recorded his fourth multihit performance in five games for Double-A Jacksonville. The 23-year-old outfielder is approaching his second straight 20-20 campaign, as he's now up to 18 home runs and 24 steals on the season after totaling 21 and 27, respectively, in 2017. He's also enjoying his best month of the season, sporting a .263/.311/.561 line and five home runs through 13 games in August.

Harrison hits a homer for Jacksonville

• Dodgers No. 24 prospect Cristian Santana continued his recent power surge by connecting on his fourth home run in six games for Class A Advanced Rancho Cucamonga. The home run was Santana's lone hit in the contest but it extended his hitting streak to 11 games -- a stretch during which he's lifted his batting average from .242 to .260. The 21-year-old corner infielder leads the California League in both home runs (23) and RBIs (100).

• Mets No. 6 prospect David Peterson allowed two hits over five innings as he recorded his second straight scoreless start for Class A Advanced St. Lucie. The 2017 first-round pick issued three walks but also struck out five and induced seven ground-ball outs. After some initial struggles following a midseason promotion to the Florida State League, Peterson has rebounded to post a 1.06 ERA with 20 strikeouts in 17 innings over his last three starts.

• Orioles No. 4 prospect Austin Hays fell a triple short of the cycle but still collected a season-high four hits to help lead Double-A Bowie past Erie, 6-4. The 23-year-old outfielder hit pair of doubles as well as his eighth home run to finish 4-for-4 with three RBIs and three runs scored. He's hit .364 with two homers, four doubles and 11 RBIs in eight games since returning from the disabled list.

Hays hits a two-run homer

• Pirates No. 23 prospect Mason Martin homered and finished with a career-high five RBIs as Rookie-level Bristol outslugged Burlington, 14-9. Martin's homer, a three-run shot in the third inning, was his 13th of the year, and he also tallied a double as well as a pair of run-scoring singles in the 4-for-6 performance.

• Red Sox No. 7 prospect Darwinzon Hernandez fired six innings of one-hit ball as Class A Advanced Salem blanked Down East, 5-0. He issued a pair of walks and struck out nine. The 21-year-old left-hander has been a force since the calendar flipped to July, going 6-0 in his last eight starts, with a 1.29 ERA and 60 strikeouts in 42 innings. During that stretch, Hernandez has lowered his ERA from 5.19 to 3.56.

Hernandez picks up his ninth strikeout

From the epic power of Giancarlo Stanton to the impenetrable defense of Jackie Bradley Jr., there are exciting things going on in the American League East on a daily basis.

Fans are probably well aware of the exploits of those two players. But each team has a player with a standout tool.

The success of Blue Jays rookie lefty Ryan Borucki, backed by a signature pitch, bears watching. There are also players who have a skill that is more projectable, like Rays first baseman Jake Bauers.

Though it's been a tough season for the Orioles, Alex Cobb is starting to improve as he further distances himself from Tommy John surgery. Of late, his best pitch has been tough to hit.

Here is a look at the most game-changing tool for each team.

Blue Jays
The player and his tool: Borucki's sinker.

Why it matters: The left-hander is off to one of the best starts by a Blue Jays rookie pitcher. He has allowed two earned runs or fewer in six of his nine starts, and he's the only Toronto pitcher this season to go at least eight innings without allowing an earned run. Borucki uses his sinker more than 60 percent of the time and it's his ability to keep the ball on the ground that has led to so much early success. In a season that has become about laying a foundation for the future, Borucki remains one of the most interesting Blue Jays players to keep an eye on.

Signature moment this season: Borucki picked up the first Major League victory after tossing eight innings and allowing just one unearned run against the Mariners on Aug. 3. Even though the game was in Seattle, Borucki was treated to a standing ovation as he walked off the field from the thousands of Blue Jays fans who made the drive down from Western Canada. A Gatorade shower quickly followed on the field as part of the celebration, giving Borucki a signature moment that he will never forget.

Video: TOR@SEA: Borucki tosses 8 innings to earn 1st MLB win

Orioles
The player and his tool: Cobb's changeup.

Why it matters: Cobb was a two-pitch pitcher early on this season, and it showed in his short starts and difficulty containing the opposition. The righty has finally grown comfortable going to that changeup early and often.

Signature moment this season: Cobb retired 10 straight on Aug. 7, holding Tampa Bay to just two hits over his final six innings in a seven-inning gem.

Video: BAL@TB: Cobb fans 3 over 7 innings of 1-run ball

Rays
The player and his tool: Bauers' power

Why it matters: The Rays have had a difficult time gathering players with power. Bauers is 22, and he could become a mainstay for years to come, bringing along his powerful left-handed swing that should develop further.

Signature moment this season: On June 24, Bauers led off the 12th against Chasen Shreve of the Yankees and connected for his second home run of the season, which gave the Rays a 7-6 walk-off win.

Video: Must C Clutch: Bauers seals sweep with walk-off homer

Red Sox
The player and his tool: Bradley's defense.

Why it matters: Bradley tracks down anything and everything in center field, giving Boston's pitchers the confidence to challenge hitters. Bradley seems to get a good jump on every fly ball or line drive, and he also has plus speed and a plus arm. There are few players more fun to watch play the outfield than Bradley.

Video: Must C Catch: Bradley Jr.'s incredible diving catch

Signature moment this season: Bradley provided one of the most thrilling catches in MLB this season in a July 29 home game against the Twins. Bobby Wilson led off with a drive that seemed sure to be a double to the gap in left-center field. But Bradley got a good read on the liner and sprinted there in time for a sprawling, tumbling catch on the warning track. Upon landing, Bradley's contorted body tumbled into the base of the scoreboard on the Green Monster. Not only did he hang on to the baseball, he also avoided injury. The Twins also fell victim to Bradley's cannon arm on June 19, when he made a 103.4-mph throw to the plate to nail Robbie Grossman.

Video: BOS@MIN: Bradley Jr. launches hardest throw of '18

Yankees
The player and his tool: Stanton's power

Why it matters: Stanton's power merits a perfect 80 rating on the scouting scale, and he continues to generate adoring stares from his teammates, who frequently huddle around the batting cage to witness his impressive batting-practice displays.

As Stanton adjusts to the AL and playing in New York, his light-tower power is a consistent concern for opposing pitchers, who know that the reigning National League MVP Award winner is likely to punish any pitch carelessly left over the plate. With Aaron Judge on the disabled list, Stanton's presence has become crucial for a club that once promised to wield an embarrassment of outfield riches.

Signature moment this season: Stanton enjoyed his first "Yankee moment" on June 20, pouncing on an 0-2 Ryan Cook slider for a walk-off home run to defeat the Mariners at Yankee Stadium. It was the final blow of a comeback from a 5-0 deficit.

Video: SEA@NYY: Stanton wins game with walk-off home run

The marvel of the 30-30 club is predicated on the rare combination of speed and power it takes to swipe 30 bases and bash 30 homers in the same season. The feat has been pulled off just 60 times in baseball history, though there are a few players who could join the club in 2018, starting with Cleveland's Jose Ramirez, who has already surpassed 30 homers and has 27 steals through Wednesday's action.

• 40-40 club: 40 steals, 40 homers in a season

Here is a team-by-team breakdown of the 30-30 club, ranked in order from the team with the most 30-30 seasons to least -- there are actually eight teams that have never had someone pull off the feat. (Note: We list franchises together, even if the club moved.) 

Giants: 7
Barry Bonds, 1997 (40 HR, 37 SB)
Barry Bonds, 1996 (42 HR, 40 SB)
Barry Bonds, 1995 (33 HR, 31 SB)
Bobby Bonds, 1973 (39 HR, 43 SB)
Bobby Bonds, 1969 (32 HR, 45 SB)
Willie Mays, 1957 (35 HR, 38 SB)
Willie Mays, 1956 (36 HR, 40 SB)
Mays posted the first two 30-30 seasons in National League history, and narrowly missed the mark in 1958 (29 HR, 31 SB) and '59 (34-27). In the twilight of his career, he saw teammate Bobby Bonds accomplish the feat twice with the Giants (en route to finishing his career with five). The younger Bonds later matched his father with his third, fourth and fifth 30-30 seasons in the late '90s -- no other hitter has notched three straight such campaigns. Remarkably, both of the Bonds came within four homers or steals of another 30-30 campaign three times each.

Mets: 5
David Wright, 2007 (30 HR, 34 SB)
Howard Johnson, 1991 (38 HR, 30 SB)
Howard Johnson, 1989 (36 HR, 41 SB)
Howard Johnson, 1987 (36 HR, 32 SB)
Darryl Strawberry, 1987 (39 HR, 36 SB)
It's surprising to see Strawberry's name on this list only once -- though it should come as no surprise that he also came close in 1984 (26 HR, 27 SB), '85 (29-26), '86 (27-28) and '88 (39-29). Johnson, his teammate for nine seasons, wasn't even an All-Star in '87, when the Mets became one of only two teams ever with two 30-30 players in a season. Only Mike Cameron came close until Wright's career-best '07 campaign.

Video: NYM@CHC: Strawberry swipes bag, joins 30/30 club

Braves: 4
Ron Gant, 1991 (32 HR, 34 SB)
Ron Gant, 1990 (32 HR, 33 SB)
Dale Murphy, 1983 (36 HR, 30 SB)
Hank Aaron, 1963 * (44 HR, 31 SB)
* Milwaukee Braves
Aaron's 30-30 season was just the fourth in history, and he came close again in 1968 (29 HR, 28 SB). Gant came close again when he had 36 homers and 26 steals in 1993. In Chipper Jones' NL MVP Award-winning year of 1999, he slugged 45 homers and swiped 25 bags, which is Atlanta's closest call since then.

Rangers: 4
Ian Kinsler, 2011 (32 HR, 30 SB)
Ian Kinsler, 2009 (31 HR, 31 SB)
Alfonso Soriano, 2005 (36 HR, 30 SB)
Bobby Bonds, 1978 (31 HR, 43 SB)
Bonds posted the last of his then-unheard-of five 30-30 seasons in 1978, starting the year with the White Sox before posting the majority of his homers (29) and steals (37) in 130 games with the Rangers. His five 30-30 campaigns was matched only by his son, Barry, though Soriano also came close with four. The consistent Kinsler's only 30-30 campaigns came in the only two 30-steal seasons of his career.

Video: TEX@LAA: Kinsler joins 30-30 club with steal of third

Astros: 3
Carlos Beltran, 2004 (38 HR, 42 SB)
Jeff Bagwell, 1999 (42 HR, 30 SB)
Jeff Bagwell, 1997 (43 HR, 31 SB)
Beltran actually split his memorable 2004 season between Kansas City and Houston, coming over via trade just ahead of the non-waiver Trade Deadline. Beltran swiped a career-high 42 bases that year, including 28 in just 90 games with the Astros. Bagwell, who was never overly touted for his speed, quietly swiped 61 of his career 202 over the 1997 and '99 seasons. 

Video: HOU@CIN: Bagwell is first Astro to join 30-30 club

Brewers: 3
Ryan Braun, 2012 (41 HR, 30 SB)
Ryan Braun, 2011 (33 HR, 33 SB)
Tommy Harper, 1970 (31 HR, 38 SB)
Coming off a 73-steal campaign with the expansion Seattle Pilots in 1969, Harper knocked a career-high 31 homers in '70 for the first 30-30 season in the American League since Ken Williams of the St. Louis Browns in '22. Braun's two 30-30 seasons were the only 30-steal campaigns of his career, for which he won the NL MVP Award in 2011.

Video: MIL@CIN: Braun homers twice to join 30-30 club

Dodgers: 3
Matt Kemp, 2011 (39 HR, 40 SB)
Raul Mondesi, 1999 (33 HR, 36 SB)
Raul Mondesi, 1997 (30 HR, 32 SB)
Davey Lopes, Pedro Guerrero and Kirk Gibson all came close, but Mondesi finally became the first Dodger in the 30-30 club with the only 30-steal campaigns of his 13-year career in 1997 and '99. Kemp flirted with the feat in 2009 (26 HR, 34 SB) before achieving it in '11 with a league-leading 39 homers and 126 RBIs to go with a career-best 40 steals. He lost the NL MVP Award to Braun, a fellow 30-30 club member in '11.

Video: COL@LAD: Kemp joins 30-30 club with homer in seventh

Nationals: 3
Alfonso Soriano, 2006 (46 HR, 41 SB)
Vladimir Guerrero, 2002 * (39 HR, 40 SB)
Vladimir Guerrero, 2001 * (34 HR, 37 SB)
* Montreal Expos
Guerrero had two 30-steal seasons in his 16-year career, and he made the most of both with a pair of 30-30 campaigns, narrowly missing the fourth 40-40 season in history in 2002. Four years later, following the franchise's move to the nation's capital, Soriano recorded the most homers ever in a 30-30 campaign (his fourth) and registered the fourth and final 40-40 season to date.

Phillies: 3
Jimmy Rollins, 2007 (30 HR, 41 SB)
Bobby Abreu, 2004 (30 HR, 40 SB)
Bobby Abreu, 2001 (31 HR, 36 SB)
Abreu's 2001 and '04 campaigns were the finest of his career, representing the two highest homer and steal totals of his 18 seasons in the Major Leagues. Rollins was always a threat on the basepaths, but his power only began to emerge later in his career, culminating in a career-high 30 homers, 41 steals and league-leading triple (20) and run (139) totals in his 2007 NL MVP Award-winning campaign.

Reds: 3
Brandon Phillips, 2007 (30 HR, 32 SB)
Barry Larkin, 1996 (33 HR, 36 SB)
Eric Davis, 1987 (37 HR, 50 SB)
In 1987, Davis joined the 30-30 club in style, becoming the first player to do so with 50 steals (only Barry Bonds has joined him since) -- and he only played in 129 games. A season earlier, he was only three homers shy of an astonishing 30-80 season. Davis and Rickey Henderson remain the only members of the 20-80 club. Larkin's 33 homers in '96 were by far a career high, as were Phillips' 30 long balls in 2007.

Video: HOU@CIN: Phillips joins 30-30 club with 30th homer

Rockies: 3
Larry Walker, 1997 (49 HR, 33 SB)
Dante Bichette, 1996 (31 HR, 31 SB)
Ellis Burks, 1996 (40 HR, 32 SB)
The 1996 Blake Street Bombers were the second team in history ('87 Mets) with two 30-30 hitters in the same season. Bichette wasn't so much of a surprise -- he'd posted double-digit homers and steals in the three previous years. But Burks raised some eyebrows with his 30-30 campaign, as he'd stolen a combined 36 bases in the previous six seasons. Walker's 49 homers and 33 steals were both career highs as he won the NL MVP Award in '97.

Yankees: 3
Alfonso Soriano, 2003 (38 HR, 35 SB)
Alfonso Soriano, 2002 (39 HR, 41 SB)
Bobby Bonds, 1975 (32 HR, 30 SB)
Though Mickey Mantle (31 HR, 21 SB) came reasonably close in 1959, Bonds became the first Yankee in the 30-30 club in '75. Rickey Henderson had a pair of 20-80 campaigns, including a 28-homer, 87-steal season in '86, but it was Soriano that ultimately joined Bonds with the first two of his four 30-30 seasons. Since then, Curtis Granderson came closest, with 41 homers and 25 steals in 2011.

Video: NYY@BAL: Soriano clubs 30th homer to join 30-30 club

Angels: 2
Mike Trout, 2012 (30 HR, 48 SB)
Bobby Bonds, 1977 (37 HR, 41 SB)
Trout took the Majors by storm during his rookie season in 2012, compiling a 30-30 year that hasn't been matched since. Some argue that had it not been for Miguel Cabrera winning the first Triple Crown in 45 years that Trout would've won the AL MVP Award that season. Bonds spent parts of just two seasons in Anaheim, and he made his second count. 

Video: LAA@TEX: Trout becomes youngest member of 30/30 club

Blue Jays: 2
Jose Cruz, 2001 (34 HR, 32 SB)
Shawn Green, 1998 (35 HR, 35 SB)
The 1998 Jays missed the playoffs despite Green posting the first 30-30 season in team history and Jose Canseco coming a steal shy (46 HR, 29 SB) of joining him. The 35 steals were a career high for Green, who hadn't posted more than 16 homers or steals in a season to that point. Cruz more than doubled his previous career high in steals for his 30-30 campaign.

Cubs: 2
Sammy Sosa, 1995 (36 HR, 34 SB)
Sammy Sosa, 1993 (33 HR, 36 SB)
Sosa began his career with decent power and great speed before morphing into the feared slugger that he became in his prime. During his transition, his power and speed came together for a pair of 30-30 campaigns, including his first All-Star season in 1995. Ryne Sandberg had come close in '90 (40 HR, 25 SB), and Corey Patterson came close most recently (24-32) in 2004.

Video: PIT@CHC: Sosa joins 30/30 club for second time

Indians: 2
Grady Sizemore, 2008 (33 HR, 38 SB)
Joe Carter, 1987 (32 HR, 31 SB)
Carter's only 30-steal season of his 16-year career gained him entry to the 30-30 club in 1987 after he came a homer and a steal shy a year earlier. He threatened again a season later (27 HR, 27 SB). Before injuries derailed a promising career, Sizemore was a perennial 30-30 threat, finally achieving the feat in 2008 with career bests in both homers and steals.

Video: Sizemore's leadoff homer gets him into the 30-30 club

Marlins: 2
Hanley Ramirez, 2008 (33 HR, 35 SB)
Preston Wilson, 2000 (31 HR, 36 SB)
Ramirez burst onto the scene with a pair of 50-steal seasons to start his career, but as his power numbers increased, his stolen-base numbers dwindled, and though he came close in 2007 (29 HR, 51 SB), his only 30-30 season came a year later. Wilson swiped 87 bags in four full seasons with the Marlins, and a career-high total of 36 came in '00.

Video: Hanley Ramirez joins the 30-30 club

Pirates: 2
Barry Bonds, 1992 (34 HR, 39 SB)
Barry Bonds, 1990 (33 HR, 52 SB)
Bonds' 52 steals in 1990 were the most in a 30-30 campaign, putting him in an elite group -- he and the Reds' Eric Davis (in '87) are the only members of the 30-50 club. Needless to say, he won the first of his seven NL MVP Awards that year, and he repeated the feat two years later, winning another MVP Award in his walk year before joining the Giants in free agency. More recently, Jason Bay, Nate McLouth and Andrew McCutchen have come close.

Video: PHI@PIT: Bonds hits 30th homer to join 30-30 club

Athletics: 1
Jose Canseco, 1988 (42 HR, 40 SB)
Forget 30-30 -- how about 40-40? Canseco's memorable 1988 campaign saw him lead the Majors with 42 homers and 124 RBIs en route to the AL MVP Award, and he became not only the first in franchise history to 30-30, but he also became the first in baseball history to 40-40. Only three others have matched the feat since.

Video: OAK@MIL: Canseco becomes first player to go 40/40

Mariners: 1
Alex Rodriguez, 1998 (42 HR, 46 SB)
Many don't associate Rodriguez with speed anymore, but he stole double-digit bases in 13 of his first 14 full seasons in the Major Leagues. A-Rod posted lofty homer and RBI totals as a 22-year-old shortstop in 1998, and he also ran wild that season, swiping a career-high 46 bags (but also being caught 13 times), posting one of only four 40-40 seasons in history.

Orioles: 1
Ken Williams, 1922 * (39 HR, 37 SB)
* St. Louis Browns
The idea of a 30-30 season before the end of the dead ball era in 1920 was far-fetched, but with the emergence of sluggers like Babe Ruth and Rogers Hornsby, it became at least a possibility -- though Ruth wasn't exactly known for his speed. Williams had both the power and speed tools, though, and in '22, with Ruth suspended for 60 games to open the season, Williams led the league in homers and swiped 37 bags for the first 30-30 campaign in baseball history.

Red Sox: 1
Jacoby Ellsbury, 2011 (32 HR, 39 SB)
For as long as the storied Red Sox franchise has been around, it took until Ellsbury's tremendous 2011 campaign, the only season of his career with more than 16 homers, for Boston to finally have a hitter join the 30-30 club. Carl Yastrzemski (40 HR, 23 SB) came close in 1970, as did Nomar Garciaparra (30 HR, 22 SB) in '97, and Mookie Betts is on pace to join Ellsbury in 2018, boasting 27 homers and 24 steals with over a month remaining in the season.

Video: BOS@NYY: Ellsbury homers to become part of 30-30 club

Cardinals: 0
Closest call: Ray Lankford, 1998 (31 HR, 26 SB)
For all of their rich history, the Cardinals perhaps suprisingly haven't had a player compile a 30-30 season. Lankford was perhaps the closest to accomplish the feat, coming just four stolen bases shy in 1998. 

D-backs: 0
Closest call: Paul Goldschmidt, 2016 (24 HR, 32 SB)
A perennial threat on the bases -- in spite of his size, stature and position -- Goldschmidt stole a career-high 32 bases in 2016, but he did so in a year where he had a power drought, at least by his standards, which is why he's included here. Goldschmidt had clubbed 30 homers in three of his six full seasons entering '18. In an era where clubs are becoming more apprehensive on the basepaths, the D-backs remain one of the most aggressive. Perhaps they won't be without a member for long. 

Padres: 0
Closest call: Wil Myers, 2016 (28 HR, 28 SB)
Myers came just two homers and two stolen bases shy of becoming the first player in Friars history to join the coveted club during his All-Star season in 2016. 

Rays: 0
Closest call: Melvin Upton Jr., 2012 (28 HR, 31 SB)
Upton put together one of his best seasons in 2012, coming just two homers shy of becoming the first Rays player to join the 30-30 club. Upton's 31 stolen bases that year were impressive, but three times in his career he exceeded 40. His 28 homers in '12 were a personal high, and he clubbed them in the final year before he hit free agency. That offseason, Upton signed a massive multiyear contract with the Braves. 

Royals: 0
Closest call: Carlos Beltran, 2002 (29 HR, 35 SB)
There can't be a more credible close call here than an actual member of the 30-30 club, and despite coming just one homer shy in 2002, he went on to join the club two seasons later, in a year he was traded from the Royals to the Astros. 

Tigers: 0
Closest call: Kirk Gibson, 1985 (29 HR, 30 SB)
Gibson clubbed a career-high 29 in 1985, coming just one deep fly shy of being the lone Tiger in the franchise's rich history in the 30-30 club. 

Twins: 0
Closest call: Corey Koskie, 2001 (26 HR, 27 SB)
No Twins player has come all that close to joining the 30-30 club other than Koskie, who put together his best offensive year in 2001 but didn't reach either of the baselines.

White Sox: 0
Closest call: Magglio Ordonez, 2001 (31 HR, 25 SB)
The six-time All-Star had one of his best seasons in 2001, leading the team with 25 steals. No White Sox player has come all that more close to joining the club, though, before or since. 

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.

"We know what Dylan is capable of, he just hasn't been able to get there really, it's been off and on, since the leg injury," Orioles manager Buck Showalter said of a midseason disabled list stint for Bundy. "… It's almost like at times he would rather have some issues physically. But when you don't, which at this point we don't think [he does], you have to look at a lot of different reasons."

Video: NYM@BAL: Showalter on Bundy, tough 6th inning in loss

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. Balancing Major League exposure with the struggles has been a difficult task thus far for the young hurlers.

"It's a challenge, but for a lot of guys, if it doesn't break you, you learned from it and get hardened to it," Showalter said. " … Everybody talks about them being young and bulletproof, but at some point you get beat down."

• Orioles release Valencia

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, seeing his ERA balloon to 4.99 on the year.

"This game, I couldn't really see too much [of what went wrong]," Bundy said. "I looked at the pitches on video and most of them were right where I wanted them to go. I've just got to keep looking at video and find out where I'm going wrong."

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.

Video: NYM@BAL: Wynns rips an RBI double in the 8th inning

SOUND SMART
The Orioles allowed three triples to the Mets. The last team to record three triples against Baltimore was the Yankees on May 19, 2011.

YOU GOTTA SEE THIS
Villar hits Eutaw Street: The fourth homer hit out to Eutaw Street in 2018 came off the bat of Jonathan Villar in the eighth inning Wednesday. Villar unloaded on a 2-2 changeup from Tim Peterson and sent it 418 feet to right, according to Statcast™, to temporarily cut the deficit to 14-5 and record the 42nd ball ever hit to Eutaw by an Oriole.

Video: NYM@BAL: Villar crushes a 2-run home run to right

HE SAID IT
"I never witnessed that. And that was definitely tough. Let's try to never do that again. We were all around the zone. Just couldn't locate, bottom line. Just couldn't locate." -- Wynns, on the sixth-inning struggles

UP NEXT
After an off-day Thursday, David Hess will take the mound Friday to open up a three-game series in Cleveland. The young righty, who will be opposed by Carlos Carrasco, returned to form his last time out with 5 2/3 innings of three-run ball. First pitch is set for 7:10 p.m. ET.