Orioles test Luis De León in MLB debut, take 4-2 loss to Rockies

Matt Weyrich, The Baltimore Sun on Sep 1, 2026

Published in Baseball

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DENVER — Craig Albernaz wasn’t going to throw Luis De León into the fire.

The Orioles manager said before Tuesday’s game that he didn’t want to “ambush” the 23-year-old pitching prospect after the club called him up for the first time in his career that afternoon. De León was only a few weeks into his temporary new role as a reliever, and he had been shaky in his first few outings out of the bullpen for Triple-A Norfolk.

Well, there De León was anyway in the seventh inning with the score tied to make his MLB debut. Albernaz had some success with other relievers in their debuts this year, notably Cam Sanders and Cameron Weston, but the move backfired against the Colorado Rockies on Tuesday as De León allowed a go-ahead, two-run home run to first baseman TJ Rumfield in an eventual 4-2 loss that broke up their four-game winning streak.

Colorado was gifted a leadoff baserunner in the inning when Jackson Holliday, who had just tied the game with a solo homer the previous frame, dropped a popup off the bat of right fielder Mickey Moniak. De León responded with his first career strikeout — retiring All-Star Hunter Goodman swinging — but a slider over the plate to Rumfield was deposited into the Rockies’ bullpen for the decisive runs of the game.

The Orioles (69-70) missed the opportunity to move back over .500 for the first time since April 14 when they were 9-8. They fell 1 1/2 games behind the Cleveland Guardians for the third wild-card spot in the American League with the loss.

Kyle Bradish received a no-decision after he allowed two runs on six hits and two walks with four strikeouts over five innings. Colorado scored both its runs against him in the second on a solo shot by second baseman Adael Amador — just the third of his career — and center fielder Jake McCarthy’s RBI single.

Baltimore’s offense, once again quiet despite playing at the hitter-friendly Coors Field, scattered seven hits, stranding eight baserunners and going 0 for 3 with runners in scoring position. The club’s only other run of the night came in the third when Gunnar Henderson grounded into a double play, but Pete Alonso got caught in a rundown long enough for Carlos Narváez to score from third.

In addition to De León making his MLB debut, Heston Kjerstad also made his first big league appearance since June 6, 2025. He flew out in his lone plate appearance as a pinch hitter.