There have been times this season when the Orioles have looked like a team with potential — one that, if they hadn’t had all the injuries, would probably be preparing for a playoff run right now.

Then there are times like Wednesday when, despite having a lineup that will largely resemble the one they are expected to use next year, it’s evident that this team’s problems go beyond staying healthy.

While they managed to break up a no-hit bid by the Rays’ pitching staff, their offense couldn’t get much else going in a 6-2 loss.

And to make matters worse, Samuel Basallo, their No. 1 prospect, left the game in the ninth inning after being hit by a pitch in the right wrist by Rays reliever Pete Fairbanks, who then blew a kiss in the direction of the Orioles’ dugout after the game. It was directed at a fan, not the team, he said after the game.

X-rays were negative for a fracture on Basallo’s wrist, the Orioles announced.

“To hit a guy, especially a young guy who’s getting his first taste and looking to make an impression, is not something I would ever want to do,” Fairbanks said. “It’s a tough spot. But, unfortunately, that is part of the game, when you’re throwing a five-ounce ball and they’re trying to hit it, sometimes stuff like that happens. And I feel terrible. I hope that it’s nothing lasting.”

The Orioles have been adamant that they are still fighting every day, regardless of what the standings say. But on Wednesday, for the first seven innings, they performed like a team with nothing left to play for.

Rays starter Shane Baz cruised through his four innings on 49 pitches, striking out three while allowing no hits. Edwin Uceta and Garrett Cleavinger took the fifth and sixth, neither allowing a hit.

It wasn’t until the seventh, with Griffin Jax on the mound, that the Orioles finally broke through. Tyler O’Neill hit a line drive over the jumping Tristan Gray at shortstop, making it safely to first for the Orioles’ first hit of the day. Adley Rutschman followed with a walk, but Ryan Mountcastle grounded into a double play to end the inning.

In the eighth, against former Oriole Bryan Baker, who was traded to the Rays in July, Baltimore’s offense showed more signs of life. Colton Cowser opened the inning with a walk, and Dylan Beavers followed with the Orioles’ second hit of the day. Jordan Westburg then smoked a single that glanced off the glove of second baseman Richie Palacios to score Cowser and Beavers and make it 6-2.

It wasn’t enough to catch the Rays, but at least it was enough not to embarrass themselves by being a no-hit.

“Tough night for us swinging the bats, thought we swung the bats better last night,” interim manager Tony Mansolino said. “Unfortunate part of the game, we don’t get hits, so just wasn’t a good night for us offensively.”

The Orioles managed just three hits, all singles. It’s not unexpected for this team — the Orioles do not have a hitter with more than 20 home runs, and they only have four currently on the roster with more than 10. Last year, the Orioles were second only to the Yankees in homers. They no longer have Anthony Santander, who hit 44 last season and is now on the Blue Jays, but Gunnar Henderson is still a regular in the lineup and only has 16, compared to 37 a year ago.

Tyler Wells, in his fourth and final start of the season after missing 18 months recovering from elbow surgery, pitched four innings, allowing three runs on seven hits. It was not as efficient as his other three starts, when he made it a minimum of five innings, but that was partly aided by poor defense, including a fly ball from Junior Caminero in the third that landed in between Cowser and O’Neill.

“Honestly felt pretty good in the first inning,” Wells said. “Second inning and the first inning both kind of got long on me. So that third and fourth inning just kind of ran out of gas. I’ve been very fortunate to have really good outings so far and you’ve got to take the good with the bad. They just ran up the pitch count, hit mistake pitches and got me out there early. That’s their job, and my job is to go deeper into the game.”

Dietrich Enns followed Wells with two innings, while José Castillo, claimed off waivers earlier this month from the Mariners, pitched 1 2/3, allowing two runs. Yennier Cano pitched the rest of the eighth and the ninth.