The Orioles are in such a funk right now that they can’t catch a break or a popup.

Gunnar Henderson and Ramón Urías converged on a ball today in the second inning that should have stranded two runners in scoring position. Kyle Higashioka skied a four-seamer with the count full and Dean Kremer appeared to escape the jam.

A routine play except when a team is scuffling in pretty much every facet of the game.

Henderson and Urías collided, the ball popped out of the third baseman’s glove and the Orioles were down by two runs.

Urías couldn’t backhand Xander Bogaerts’ 102.1 mph grounder down the line in the third inning that was ruled a double and scored Jurickson Profar, another runner crossed in the fourth on Henderson’s throwing error, and the Orioles stayed behind until the finish in a 9-4 loss to the Padres before an announced crowd of 30,008 at Camden Yards.

A normal day at Camden Yards would have led the visiting media to Manny Machado’s locker. He would have been the most interesting story. And eventually, I would have remembered that Connor Norby was making his home debut.

But mostly Manny.

Machado’s arrival in Baltimore, his second in a Padres uniform, is bound to conjure memories of his departure. Rumors surfacing of his pending trade to the Dodgers during the 2018 All-Star game in D.C. For me, a text message from a team official stating that the deal wasn’t done despite reports to the contrary, and he was right.

Machado knew that he was a goner and had a member of the public relations staff summon the beat writers to a private area at Nats Park for goodbyes and a group photo. Away from the other writers who surrounded his locker and got nothing substantial.

I’ll never forget Machado thanking us for understanding that he was “different.” He wasn’t always the easiest player to cover, but he appreciated the relationship that developed.

They are going to be a great 1-2 punch in the Orioles lineup next season and quite possibly for many seasons to come.

A case could be made that the Orioles' two best hitters going into next season are catcher Adley Rutschman and infielder Gunnar Henderson.

And while that talented young duo combined for 602 plate appearances last year, they might get a combined 1,100 or more next season.

Among Orioles with 100 or more plate appearances in 2022 - a list of 14 players - Henderson and Rutschman were first and second on the team in walk rate. They were 1-2 also in on-base percentage and OPS. They were first and third (with Terrin Vavra in the middle) in walk-strikeout ratio.

Both players last year were ranked at one time as the No. 1 prospects in baseball.