Orioles Struggle to Make Contact Against Guardians

Baltimore's hitters struck out 16 times in Saturday's loss, raising concerns about their ability to consistently put the ball in play.

Apr. 19, 2026 at 8:33am

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A fractured, multi-perspective painting in a cubist style, breaking down a baseball game into sharp, overlapping geometric planes of color and abstract shapes, conveying the raw energy and motion of the sport.A fragmented, cubist-inspired illustration captures the raw energy and motion of a high-stakes baseball matchup.Cleveland Today

The Baltimore Orioles' offense struggled mightily in Saturday's 4-2 loss to the Cleveland Guardians, striking out a stunning 16 times while managing just four hits, two of which were home runs. Orioles manager Craig Albernaz attributed the team's struggles to the dominance of Guardians starter Gavin Williams, who struck out 11 batters in seven innings of work. The Orioles' marquee offseason acquisition, Pete Alonso, and top prospect Colton Cowser both struck out in all four of their at-bats, continuing their early-season slumps.

Why it matters

The Orioles' inability to make consistent contact is a concerning trend, as it puts added pressure on their power hitters to produce runs. With Alonso and Cowser struggling, the Orioles will need to find ways to generate offense through more well-rounded approaches at the plate in order to compete in the tough American League East division.

The details

The Orioles' offensive woes were on full display on Saturday, as they managed just four hits and struck out 16 times against Guardians starter Gavin Williams. Williams, who leads the majors with 40 strikeouts, dominated the Orioles' hitters, particularly Pete Alonso and Colton Cowser, who both struck out in all four of their at-bats. Orioles manager Craig Albernaz attributed the team's struggles to Williams' ability to locate his breaking ball effectively, making it difficult for the hitters to make adjustments.

  • The Orioles and Guardians are in the midst of a four-game series, with the Guardians having won two of the first three games.
  • On Saturday, the Guardians defeated the Orioles by a score of 4-2.

The players

Gavin Williams

The Guardians' right-handed starting pitcher, who struck out 11 batters in seven innings of work on Saturday.

Pete Alonso

The Orioles' marquee offseason acquisition, who signed a five-year, $155 million contract but is off to a slow start, batting .208 with 26 strikeouts in 78 at-bats.

Colton Cowser

The Orioles' top prospect, who was the fifth overall pick in the 2021 draft but is struggling to adjust to big-league pitching, batting .178 with 16 strikeouts in 45 at-bats.

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What they’re saying

“That's not the biggest goal for me. I'm just trying to help the team win games. It's cool, but I don't think it's necessary to have to punch that many people out. I'm just trying to win games.”

— Gavin Williams, Guardians starting pitcher

“They couldn't see the breaking ball early enough to either make an adjustment or hold off on it.”

— Craig Albernaz, Orioles manager

“Colton, he's our guy, and he has to figure it out how he wants to approach guys and what he's trying to feel. But with Colton at the plate, he's dangerous. He's a guy where, if he's not feeling great, he can still get one pitch and do damage on, and that's something where we feel very confident in.”

— Craig Albernaz, Orioles manager

“That's impressive for me, too. Last year, I was struggling at hitting. Now I'm able to help the team with my at-bats and to see more pitches is pretty cool.”

— Brayan Rocchio, Guardians infielder

What’s next

The Orioles and Guardians will wrap up their four-game series on Sunday, with left-hander Joey Cantillo taking the mound for Cleveland and left-hander Trevor Rogers starting for Baltimore.

The takeaway

The Orioles' inability to make consistent contact is a concerning trend that could hinder their ability to compete in the tough AL East. With their marquee offseason acquisition and top prospect struggling, the team will need to find ways to generate offense through more well-rounded approaches at the plate.