{"id":11580992,"date":"2025-07-26T20:50:51","date_gmt":"2025-07-27T00:50:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.baltimoresun.com\/?p=11580992"},"modified":"2025-07-27T14:37:01","modified_gmt":"2025-07-27T18:37:01","slug":"orioles-rockies-biggest-shutout-win-cedric-mullins-trevor-rogers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.baltimoresun.com\/2025\/07\/26\/orioles-rockies-biggest-shutout-win-cedric-mullins-trevor-rogers\/","title":{"rendered":"Orioles and Cedric Mullins both make history in 18-0 win over Rockies"},"content":{"rendered":"

Seven years ago, Cedric Mullins became the first player in Orioles history to record three hits in his MLB debut<\/a> \u2014 an early glimpse of the franchise\u2019s next generation. Now, as his tenure in Baltimore likely nears its end, the center fielder set another record in what could be one of his final games at Camden Yards.<\/p>\n

Mullins hit his 100th career home run in the Orioles’ historic 18-0 win over the Colorado Rockies on Saturday night, becoming just the third player in team history to hit 100 homers and steal 100 bases alongside Brady Anderson and Paul Blair.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s him. That\u2019s what we\u2019ve seen,\u201d interim manager Tony Mansolino said.<\/p>\n

All 12 Orioles who entered the game recorded a hit, and six players had an extra-base hit in a drubbing of the Rockies, MLB’s worst team at 27-77. The 18-run margin is the largest shutout victory for the Orioles since the franchise moved the Baltimore in 1954 and the club’s third-biggest win overall. <\/p>\n

Mullins, who went 2-for-3 with three RBIs, was backed by starting pitcher Trevor Rogers’ gem, Tyler O’Neill’s second consecutive game with a homer and a trio of two-RBI nights from Gunnar Henderson, Coby Mayo and Ryan O’Hearn as Baltimore pounded out 18 hits.<\/p>\n

“Baltimore has taken my family in since the beginning. I got drafted by Baltimore and just one of those things where you just feel welcome,\u201d Mullins said. “The engagement that I have with the fans over the course of the years has been nothing short of awesome. It’s just been fun, really fun, being here.\u201d<\/p>\n

A 13th-round pick in the 2015 draft, Mullins rose through the organization to make his major league debut in 2018, taking over for franchise icon Adam Jones<\/a>. Mullins opened the 2019 season as the team\u2019s starting center fielder but was demoted to Double-A after hitting .094 in 64 at-bats for Baltimore.<\/p>\n

His story wasn’t finished, though. Mullins made the switch to become a full-time left-handed hitter in 2021 and had a career season, becoming the starting center fielder for the American League in the All-Star Game. As top prospects Adley Rutschman, Gunnar Henderson and Jordan Westburg debuted in Baltimore following a painful rebuild, Mullins was the string between two eras of Orioles baseball<\/a>.<\/p>\n

But the outfielder never recaptured the form of his 2021 season, in which he became the first Orioles player with 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases<\/a>. While he\u2019s been a positive Wins Above Replacement player since then, his performance has dwindled.<\/p>\n

Mullins’ expected batting average, hard-hit rate and expected slugging percentage are among the lowest in baseball this season. He has also been the worst defender in MLB, according to Fielding Bible’s Defensive Runs Saved, largely because of his below-average arm. After a hot start, the 30-year-old’s performance \u2014 and trade value<\/a> \u2014 has tanked.<\/p>\n

Baltimore (46-58) isn\u2019t expected to net much for the outfielder by Thursday\u2019s trade deadline. He\u2019s on an expiring contract and has struggled recently, batting just .172 since June and .192 against right-handed pitchers this season.<\/p>\n