BALTIMORE -- The final line was familiar: seven innings, one run allowed and a win.
It was another routine day at the office on Sunday afternoon for Trevor Rogers, who continued one of the best stretches by a pitcher in Orioles history and remained one of the hottest hurlers across Major League Baseball.
Rogers’ latest gem came during Baltimore’s 3-2 win over Houston at Camden Yards, and it marked the third consecutive outing in which the 27-year-old left-hander tossed exactly seven innings of one-run ball. His ERA improved from 1.41 to 1.40 -- the best by a starting pitcher through his first 13 starts of a season in O’s history (since 1954).
Best ERA through 13 starts in a season, Orioles history
1. Trevor Rogers -- 1.40 in 2025
2. Hoyt Wilhelm -- 1.50 in 1959
3. Jim Palmer -- 1.55 in 1975
“It’s phenomenal,” said left-hander Keegan Akin, who closed the victory with a five-out save. “I don’t know if you can really put it into words, really. It’s six, seven, eight innings almost every time he takes the mound. Pitches quick, uses his defense. He’s a pro.”
At times on Sunday, it felt like Rogers wasn’t quite as sharp as everyone has grown accustomed to seeing over the past two-plus months. The Astros had runners on base in five of the first six innings, including men on third in the first, third and fourth. Jeremy Peña knocked a one-out RBI single in the third for Houston’s lone run off him.
But Rogers maintained his run of consistency while also racking up a season-high nine strikeouts during the 93-pitch outing (59 strikes). It was one shy of his career high of 10 K’s, which he has done three times (all for the Marlins across the 2020 and ‘21 seasons).
Rogers credited pitching coach Drew French for helping to successfully settle things down in the third, the lefty’s most strenuous inning.
“Frenchie just does a really good job of reiterating, if I start nibbling around the strike zone, just kind of refocusing and locking back in,” Rogers said. “Really just attacking the strike zone, just simple stuff like that. Really just committing to my mindset after that tough jam in the third inning or so. Really just going along with what the game is showing me and making adjustments as I need to.”
Over five August starts, Rogers has posted a 1.29 ERA. He has allowed exactly one run in each. And Baltimore is 4-1 in those games -- the lone loss being a 1-0 defeat to the Cubs at Wrigley Field on Aug. 1, when Rogers took an eight-inning complete-game loss.
In fact, Rogers hasn’t allowed more than one earned run in any of his past six starts. How rare of a stretch is that? Well, he’s only the second pitcher in Orioles history to allow fewer than two earned runs and toss six innings or more in six straight starts -- the first was Palmer, who had a streak of eight such outings in 1978.
“I'm always trying to go deep into games. It's not my focus, but that's a goal every time out,” Rogers said. “The fact that I can go deep into games and give some relief to the bullpen to keep them fresh going forward, it's just icing on the cake for me.”
Amid a disappointing season for the O’s (60-70), Rogers’ resurgence continues to be one of the biggest bright spots. It has been a remarkable turnaround after the southpaw had a 7.11 ERA in four starts after being traded from Miami to Baltimore at the 2024 Trade Deadline -- a stretch that got him optioned to Triple-A Norfolk, where he then began the ‘25 season.
Rogers returned to his 2021 All-Star form -- or perhaps a form even better -- after putting in the necessary work in Norfolk. Infielder Luis Vázquez was among those to witness it.
“I saw him pitch down in Triple-A and I never had the chance to play behind him, but I always wanted to,” said Vázquez, who belted his first big league homer on Sunday. “And now, I’ve had the chance to do so twice in a row -- in Boston [on Monday] and now here. Honestly, I just tip my cap to him. He’s done an incredible job lately on the mound.”
The performance against the American League West-leading Astros only reaffirmed what everybody has seen of late -- Rogers is on a roll that may not stop anytime soon, and it could be a sign his future will be even better than his past.
“Super gritty, and just kind of shows even on days when he might not have his best stuff, he’s able to navigate seven innings, one run, playoff team, veteran team, [Carlos] Correa, [Jose] Altuve and the crew,” interim manager Tony Mansolino said. “Just proud of him.”