Bassitt struggles in debut, Orioles fall 5-2

BALTIMORE, MD - MARCH 30: Chris Bassitt #40 of the Baltimore Orioles pitches in the first inning against the Texas Rangers at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on March 30, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images) | Getty Images The Orioles have shied away from drafting pitchers in the first round under Mike Elias. The team recently acquired and extended a former first-round starter in Shane Baz, but Baltimore has opted time and time again to prioritize position players in the draft.

Tonight’s opponent—the Texas Rangers—used top 10 picks on a pair of starters in 2021 and 2022. The Orioles faced the higher of the two draft picks tonight. Former number two overall pick Jack Leiter held Baltimore to two runs over six strong innings.

Leiter made an early mistake against Gunnar Henderson, but he minimized hard contact for the duration of his outing. Baltimore’s offense failed to build on Sunday’s strong offensive performance, and the Birds fell 5-2 in the first of three games at Camden Yards. The Orioles built their rotation through trades and free agency.

Baltimore inked Chris Bassitt to a one-year, $18. 5 million deal, and the 37-year-old made his Oriole debut tonight against Texas. Bassitt took the loss after allowing four earned runs over 4.