BALTIMORE -- Every loss hits the Orioles hard, so in that sense, the vibes in the home clubhouse at Camden Yards after Wednesday’s 9-8 defeat vs. the Blue Jays were familiar. But it also felt a bit different -- especially when Cedric Mullins and Ryan O'Hearn each stood in front of his locker and addressed the Baltimore media for potentially the last time.
Thursday’s off-day features the 6 p.m. ET Trade Deadline, with Mullins and O’Hearn serving as two of the bigger chips for the selling O’s (50-59). There’s a good chance neither will be in the visiting clubhouse at Wrigley Field in Chicago on Friday when the Orioles return to action.
So Wednesday might have been it for both Mullins and O’Hearn -- each of whom is on an expiring contract -- in Baltimore. And if this was a farewell, what a way for them to go out.
O’Hearn, a first-time All-Star this year, slugged a two-run homer onto the right-field flag court in the first inning, the 32-year-old’s 13th home run of the season. Later, Mullins made yet another incredible catch, scaling the center-field wall to take away a homer from Ali Sánchez in the sixth.
With the looming Deadline, everybody in the ballpark enjoyed those moments just a bit more.
“No doubt,” interim manager Tony Mansolino said.
For most players, the type of catch Mullins made would easily rank as the best of their career. But the 30-year-old -- who is the longest-tenured O’s player as a 2015 13th-round Draft pick -- has made so many incredible grabs during his eight seasons with Baltimore that he could fill a lengthy highlight reel.
It showcases exactly the type of player Mullins is -- maximum effort, at all times.
“In terms of my legacy here, I just wanted to leave it all out there,” Mullins said. “I try to play hard every single day, regardless of the results.”
Mullins’ potential farewell wasn’t a one-day event. He made two incredible catches earlier in the homestand -- a diving catch in the left-center-field gap during Saturday’s 18-0 win over Colorado and a homer-robbing snag off the bat of Nathan Lukes in Monday’s 11-4 win over Toronto.
Many Orioles pitchers have either tipped their cap or shown stunned reactions out toward center field in recent years.
“There's not a play that he takes off, there's not a ball that he thinks he can't catch,” right-hander Dean Kremer said. “Having him back there -- he's one of the best center fielders in the big leagues -- it's a big comfort for us, because we know that if a ball is potentially down, it may not be.”
Baltimore’s Deadline sale already began with deals that sent away a trio of relievers -- Bryan Baker (to the Rays on July 10), Gregory Soto (to the Mets last Friday) and Seranthony Domínguez (to the Blue Jays on Tuesday).
Those pitchers were key parts of Baltimore’s bullpen. But Mullins and O’Hearn (who broke out during his first season with the O’s in 2023) have become pillars of a franchise that won the American League East in '23, then returned to the postseason as an AL Wild Card team in '24.
“Ced means a lot to the organization, a lot to the team. He's been here the longest,” O’Hearn said. “Been through a total rebuild and kind of seen all sides of it, which makes whatever happens the next few days tough. But a lot of love for Ced, and I've enjoyed going to battle with him every day."
Mullins expressed the same sentiment toward O’Hearn.
“He’s been huge. He’s been a big voice in the clubhouse. One of our DJs on the road,” Mullins said. “He definitely brings a quality vibe to the clubhouse every single day. Yeah, he’s going to be missed, 100 percent.”
Soon, Mullins and O’Hearn will likely learn they’ve been traded. Others, such as corner outfielder Ramón Laureano, reliever Andrew Kittredge and a trio of starters (Zach Eflin, Charlie Morton and Tomoyuki Sugano) could be on the move as well.
That’s a lot of experienced voices that may no longer be in the O's dugout/bullpen by Friday.
“It will be difficult, and it will be weird,” Mansolino said. “But it’s just more responsibility on the core group of players here. The responsibility goes on Gunnar [Henderson], Adley [Rutschman], [Colton] Cowser, [Jordan] Westburg, Jackson [Holliday], [Kyle] Bradish, all these guys. The core group, it’s their responsibility, and it’s their team.
“So, as veterans leave, they have to take this thing over. And in some ways, they already are starting to. But it’s up to them. This is theirs.”