This has been by design, interim manager Tony Mansolino has repeated throughout July.

The few games Coby Mayo played at the beginning of July? Baffling for a fan base hoping to see a top prospect develop in front of their eyes, but a necessary pull-back in playing time, Mansolino thought, as Mayo subtly tweaked parts of his swing.

The results, which continued to be evident in Monday’s 11-4 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays, are making it so Mayo can’t be held off the field anymore.

In the first 21 days of July, Mayo played in five games with two starts. That infrequent playing time led to a 0-for-10 batting line. But over the last seven days, Mayo has played regularly — and the ball has leapt off his bat with force.

Over this past week, during which Mayo has played six games with five starts, he has seven hits in 14 at-bats. His first-career three-hit performance Monday was just one of the many standout offensive nights for Baltimore’s batters, which included a two-double night for catcher Adley Rutschman in his return from the injured list.

But more than just the number of hits is how they are hurtling off Mayo’s bat.

He demolished a solo home run off right-hander Chris Bassitt in the second inning, sending it into the Bird Bath in left field at 108.1 mph. He squared up a single later at a lowly 104.5 mph. Mayo plated a runner with a groundout in the fifth and then snuck his third hit through the left side of the infield in the seventh.

“I’m playing with a little bit more confidence, freedom,” Mayo said. “Not killing myself over one at-bat or a bad pitch or whatever. Just having confidence I’m going to be in there most days, and if I’m not, I’m going to be working in the cage.”

And looking back at his last week shows more of the same. Among his seven hits are two doubles, two homers and five runs batted in. This is what many thought possible for Mayo, if only he received an extended chance in the majors. For much of July, he sat and watched. But there’s no other place for him than the lineup at the moment, considering the way Mayo is swinging.

Mansolino has played coy on what the exact swing changes have been for Mayo — “I don’t know if you guys have figured it out,” Mansolino said this week — but when analyzing Mayo’s stance prior to July to now, it’s clear his right elbow begins lower. His feet are narrower and he’s standing slightly more upright.

“I’m just trying to stay on my backside a little bit longer,” Mayo said Sunday, after another double. “Not try to jump so much at the ball sometimes. I think I get into trouble when I do that, and I think I’m seeing the ball a little bit better. Making better swing decisions. Just a little bit of that contributes a lot.”

The outburst of runs against Bassitt and Toronto’s bullpen included three-hit efforts from Rutschman and Jordan Westburg. Colton Cowser lifted a solo homer and Ramón Laureano throttled a two-run blast. Ryan O’Hearn lashed an RBI double and Cedric Mullins combined a two-run shot with a home run robbery in center field.

With three days until the trade deadline, performances such as these are under a microscope. Laureano’s value will be high, especially with five homers in his last 12 games. And Mullins is escaping a slump at just the right time to elevate interest in his services.

Mullins’ two-run long ball preceded Mayo’s in the second, and he coupled that with a jaw-dropping catch at the center field fence to end the fourth. With a fourth run already home against right-hander Zach Eflin, the deep drive from Nathan Lukes would’ve tied the game.

Instead, Mullins scaled the fence and robbed Lukes of his second homer Monday. He left the field to a standing ovation, and that ovation continued into his next plate appearance in the bottom half of the frame.

“Just watching him from my perspective on the mound, catching that ball was just incredible,” Eflin said. “Because in my mind, I’m like, ‘Oh, there’s another homer. Year of the Homer for me and there’s another two-run shot.’ And Ced just climbs the wall and makes the catch and it just brings back the momentum and fuels the offense for the next half and really just sets the tone for the rest of the game.”

If this is the final home stand of Mullins’ Orioles career, he’s making it memorable. On Saturday, Mullins combined a diving catch in the left-center gap with a three-run homer to the flag court — the 100th of his career.

The offensive eruption covered for a shaky start by Eflin, his second outing since returning from the injured list. He allowed four runs on eight hits in 4 1/3 innings — and he would’ve had two more on his ledger had Mullins not stolen a would-be third homer.

The attention is on Eflin, too, this time of year. He’s an impending free agent. While his performances around two injured list stints have leave much to be desired (5.93 ERA), pitching is at a premium around the deadline.

“I don’t want to speak ahead of anything,” Eflin said. “I don’t know what’s going to happen. I don’t think anybody knows what’s going to happen but if something does happen, I’ll forever appreciate my time here and just how much of a family this clubhouse is.”

That hangs over the Orioles the next few days.

But over the next few months, more attention will be paid to development. That’s the case for Mayo, especially. The 23-year-old has bided his time. Now on the field more frequently, the results are following.

“Just going out there with the work I’m doing in the cage,” Mayo said, “and just happy to see that’s paying off a little bit.”

George Springer update

Toronto outfielder George Springer was hit on the side of his helmet by an errant 96-mph pitch from right-hander Kade Strowd in the ninth inning. He remained on the ground for a few minutes before walking off the field with two trainers.

Strowd crouched behind the mound, clearly upset. Camden Yards was silent before applauding for Springer as he departed.

Blue Jays manager John Schneider told reporters Springer is being evaluated further but is “doing all right” and was alert the entire time he was on the ground.

Mansolino called it “terrifying.”

“We hope he’s OK,” Mansolino continued. “The fact he walked off the field, that’s encouraging.”