Christian Encarnacion-Strand

I know, isn't that crazy? He hit 40 homers in a season for the Yankees.

CES, Christian Encarnacion Strand, three for seven, three runs, three RBIs, his 11th home run.

He has two more homers than Vlad Jr. and less than 200 at-bats.

Let that sink in, okay? All right, he's also batting .274, which is pretty darn good.

He likes to make contact.

Encarnacion Strand has raw power, but struggles with consistency.

In a winner-take-all game, you want veterans who know how to work a count, but there's no one else on the roster.

So we hope Barrero puts the ball in play and hopes for an error or a wild pitch.

Uh, the O's went one for two with runners in scoring position.

Christian Encarnación Strand, he is the Orioles starting DH and number five batter, went two for three with a solo homer and a two-run single.

Encarnación Strand for the O's at the Major League level in this regular season, two hundred eight plate appearances, OPS of eight thirty-five.

He has forced his way into being in the mix to be on this team next season.

I give him a lot of credit.

And for Kobe Mayo, who really has taken that leap forward this season and started to hit righties too, not just a lefty killer over the last couple of weeks, over the last month or two, really.

He has been a lot more neutral and somebody who has – forced his way into this infield group that going into next year with Christian Encarnacion-Strand and Jordan Westberg and Blaze Alexander plus Jackson Holliday at second base, how is this puzzle going to be put together? Do we see Kobe Mayle get moved to the outfield? Do we see Blaze Alexander become an everyday outfielder? Does Jackson Holiday get traded or also move to the outfield.

Something is going to have to give in this group.

Christian Encarnacion Estrella, do they sell high on him after the season that he had? We'll see.

And if I was going to get something, I mean, I, and I, I say this, with love for Jake Fraley because I think Jake Fraley is going to have a lot better year next year too, whether it's in right field for Cincinnati or somewhere else.

But I think if you can find a bopper to put in the middle of the lineup, Encarnacion Strand should be one.

Ellie's going to hit some more homers.

Spence will have a better year.

We saw Gunnar Henderson step up, but he's playing SS with Jose Barrero potentially filling in elsewhere.

Christian Encarnacion-Strand and Kobe Mayo are sharing time at third base.

Dylan Beavers, Colton Couser, and Reese Hines are handling the outfield corners.

So you're relying on a collection of role players to maintain launch angle consistency against a Blue Jays team that has Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who is listed as day-to-day himself.