NEW YORK — For how magical this season was for Trevor Rogers, it’s a shame it came to a close in this manner, with a tight strike zone from C.B. Bucknor exacerbating the left-hander’s inability to keep the ball in the yard.

This looked more like the Rogers of previous seasons, not the one who put together one of the best campaigns of any pitcher in history. Even with these six runs off him in three innings, Rogers’ season ERA rose to just 1.81. He has been exceptional in just about every outing. Just about.

The worst start of his season came last, after 17 gems. That doesn’t take away the shine of his accomplishment, which leaves him with the lowest ERA among Orioles pitchers to make at least 18 starts in a season.

“The way his story was when he got traded over here, to then being able to put up a season like this, that’s just hats off to him and just the mental strength that he has to be able to go out there and do that,” shortstop Gunnar Henderson said. “I look forward to him being back here next year and just continuing this, because he’s a dog.”

Rogers’ ERA might have been even lower had the Yankees not gotten to him early and often in their 8-4 victory against the Orioles on Friday night at Yankee Stadium.

As it is, though, Rogers will settle for one scuff mark in his jewel box.

Or three, considering the swings Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Judge put on three of his pitches. Stanton started the surge in the first inning with a two-run home run on an 0-2 fastball left up in the strike zone (a four-pitch walk to Cody Bellinger one batter before included one clear strike Bucknor missed).

A leadoff four-pitch walk for José Caballero in the third, which again featured one missed call, soon led to Judge’s 52nd homer of the year, sailing to straightaway center field at 109.7 mph. And then another walk for Bellinger preceded Stanton’s second two-run shot of the game.

“There were some calls that just didn’t go my way, and they made really good swings on bad pitches on my part,” Rogers said. “Just tip your cap. Not the way I wanted the season to end, but use it as motivation for the offseason.”

The home runs and the lack of command were marked differences from Rogers’ earlier starts. The three homers were the most against him since May 20, 2022. And, although he walked three or more batters in five of his 18 starts, opponents scored one run or no runs in 13 of the outings.

The six-spot against Rogers, then, is but a footnote in a string of excellence — the end of a team-record run of 15 straight games with two earned runs or fewer against him.

“I’ve come a long way in this organization, and I’ve said it a thousand times, very thankful for everything that happened,” Rogers said. “If this is going to be my worst one, then so be it.”

The Orioles handed Rogers a momentary lead in the third inning when Jordan Westburg lashed a line-drive homer to left field off right-hander Will Warren. But it didn’t last once Stanton and Judge strode to the box in the bottom half of that frame.

As eyes turn toward 2026, the Rogers of 17 starts is the one Baltimore will hope to see compared to the Rogers of one. He turned his career around by throwing his fastball with more ride and more frequency, and his improved breaking balls are generating enough whiff from hitters to leave them in between multiple velocities.

“A really good story in a season full of maybe not some of the best stories at certain times,” interim manager Tony Mansolino said. “So he was definitely a guy for us that we could rally around, and he was a player for the city of Baltimore that they could rally around in a lot of ways, and gave us a lot of good vibes and gave the city a lot of good vibes and definitely somebody that is a very bright part of the future here.”

The encouragement for next season doesn’t extend to many other players based purely on 2025 performance. That’s particularly the case for Tyler O’Neill, the outfielder who landed on the injured list three times this year. Before the game, Mansolino emphasized that O’Neill “is a guy this team desperately needs in 2026, to go forward and be the guy he can be.”

When healthy, O’Neill has been productive. His solo homer in the sixth showcased his power potential. But O’Neill has not been healthy enough to be a real difference maker; last season marked just the second time in six full seasons that he played more than 100 games.

“It’s been an unfortunate season,” O’Neill said. “Just kind of the way it is. I’ve been feeling like I’m playing behind a little bit, getting back into a rhythm. Just overall, with the stops and goes and injuries and stuff, just happy to be here and be around these guys and to be playing ball again.”

The lens with which everything will be looked through from now until the end of the weekend is focused on the future. Baltimore has two more games to play before the season is in the books. Those books may grow old on the shelf, because few will want to look back for anything but lessons from what has spiraled into a disappointment.

News and notes

• Henderson became the youngest Orioles player to reach 30 steals in a season. He said having “the green light” to run has added to his comfort being aggressive.
• Outfielder Dylan Beavers was removed from the game after fouling a ball off his leg. Mansolino said X-rays were negative on Beavers’ shin.
• Second baseman Jackson Holliday, who underwent an MRI on his right knee this week, returned to the lineup. So did designated hitter Samuel Basallo, who was plunked by a pitch Wednesday and received X-rays to ensure there was no lasting damage.

This article has been updated.