The Orioles crushed the Blue Jays 16-4 on July 29, 2025, powered by homers from Urías & Henderson. But the real story was a bizarre mid-game trade to Toronto.
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
Just when you think you've seen it all at the ballpark, the Baltimore Orioles deliver a day like Tuesday. It wasn't just the absolute shellacking they put on the Toronto Blue Jays in a 16-4 doubleheader opener; it was the sheer audacity of trading a reliever *to* the Jays between games. Add in the triumphant return of Adley Rutschman, and you have one of the most memorable, bizarre, and ultimately successful days of the 2025 season.
The Orioles didn't just win; they trolled, posting a final score graphic that cheekily spelled out '416'—Toronto's primary area code.
The Orioles' bats were simply on another planet in Game 1. The box score looks like a typo, but the 16-4 final was very real. The O's hung a crooked number on the board with an eight-run sixth inning that buried the Jays for good. The rally was punctuated by back-to-back homers from Tyler O'Neill (a three-run shot) and Ramón Urías, who went deep twice and drove in four. Not to be outdone, Gunnar Henderson continued his stellar season, going 3-for-5 with a homer and 4 RBIs of his own. Even spot-starter Yaramil Hiraldo, recalled just for the doubleheader, gave the team a serviceable 4.2 innings to set the table for the rout.
In one of the strangest moves you'll ever see, the Orioles dealt right-handed reliever Seranthony Domínguez to the Blue Jays *between games* of the doubleheader. Yes, you read that right. Domínguez, who posted a 4.12 ERA for the Birds, packed his bags and walked to the visitor's clubhouse. In return, the O's acquired promising right-handed pitching prospect Juaron Watts-Brown. It's a classic Mike Elias move: sell a solid but replaceable bullpen arm for future potential, even if it means helping a division rival in the short term. The front office is always playing chess.
Perhaps the best news of the day came before the first pitch was even thrown. Catcher Adley Rutschman was officially reinstated from the 10-day IL after recovering from a right wrist sprain. His presence in the lineup and behind the plate is the engine that makes this team go, and getting him back is a massive boost. The move was part of a larger roster shuffle, with pitcher Colin Selby landing on the 15-day IL with a hamstring strain. To fill the doubleheader roster spots, the team recalled Yaramil Hiraldo and Brandon Young, once again dipping into the farm system for reinforcements.
What a day. A blowout win fueled by an offensive eruption, the return of a superstar, and a trade so strange it belongs in a baseball trivia book. With the victory, the Orioles have pushed their winning streak to four games and clawed back to .500 at home. As they headed back out for the nightcap, the message was clear: this team is still fighting, the front office is still building, and you never know what you're going to see when you come to Camden Yards.
