Monday night Orioles game thread: vs. Diamondbacks, 6:35

SARASOTA, FL - FEBRUARY 18: (EDITORS NOTE: A special effects camera filter was used for this image.) Dean Kremer #64 of the Baltimore Orioles poses for a photo during the Baltimore Orioles photo day at Ed Smith Stadium on Wednesday, February 18, 2026 in Sarasota, Florida. (Photo by Mike Carlson/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

Ladies and gentlemen: Dean. Is. Back.

After a two-week banishment to Triple-A Norfolk to start the year, Dean Kremer is back in Baltimore and ready to make his Orioles season debut tonight. It ends one of the more bizarre sagas of the Orioles’ early 2026 season, in which Kremer — who hadn’t pitched in the minors since 2021, aside from rehab assignments — was left out in the cold when the O’s set their Opening Day rotation, then made two starts without being called up even after Zach Eflin’s injury. The Orioles had both Brandon Young and Cade Povich make major league starts before summoning Kremer (although, considering those two each delivered excellent outings, maybe that wasn’t such a bad idea).

But now he’s back. Tonight, Kremer will slide into the rotation in Eflin’s place. And poor Povich, who delivered a gem against the Giants yesterday on his birthday, has been demoted back to Norfolk, just as Young was before him. It’s a dog-eat-dog world out there.

Kremer worked 4.2 innings in each of his two starts with the Tides, but his second outing (zero runs) was much improved over his first (three runs). His first major league opponent of the year is not one he’s had success with. He’s faced the Diamondbacks twice, once in 2024 and once in 2025, and gave up 12 runs combined. Ouch. However, no current D’Backs hitter has more than six at-bats against him.

Arizona counters with righty Ryne Nelson, making his second career start against the Orioles. If Pete Alonso is going to continue the momentum of his two-hit day on Sunday, this is the perfect guy to do it against. He has demolished Nelson with four home runs in 11 career at-bats. In other roster news, the O’s placed Ryan Mountcastle on the 60-day IL with a left foot fracture, so the poor guy, who had already had to fight for playing time, is now gone for the next two months at least. The O’s called up utility guy Weston Wilson from Norfolk to take his place.

An Orioles win and a Yankees loss tonight would move the O’s into sole possession of first place in the AL East. That’d be neat! Let’s do it, guys.

Orioles lineup:

SS Gunnar Henderson
LF Taylor Ward
1B Pete Alonso
C Samuel Basallo
DH Dylan Beavers
CF Leody Taveras
RF Colton Cowser
2B Jeremiah Jackson
3B Blaze Alexander

RHP Dean Kremer

Diamondbacks lineup:

2B Ketel Marte
RF Corbin Carroll
SS Geraldo Perdomo
C Adrian Del Castillo
DH José Fernández
1B Ildemaro Vargas
3B Nolan Arenado
CF Alek Thomas
LF Jorge Barrosa

RHP Ryne Nelson