BALTIMORE — Cedric Mullins played the hits throughout this encore of a homestand. Leaping and diving grabs in center field and timely knocks became commonplace again.

“He’s one of the best center fielders in the big leagues,” pitcher Dean Kremer said. “It’s a big comfort for us.”

On Wednesday, Mullins even laid down a bunt single reminiscent of what ignited his career five years ago and added one more home run robbery in the Superman style he’s replicated dozens of times.

“He makes it look so easy, man,” first baseman Ryan O’Hearn said. “Ced means a lot to the organization, a lot to the team. He’s been here the longest. Been through a total rebuild and kind of seen all sides of it, which makes whatever happens the next few days tough.”

Those next few days are, of course, in reference to the looming trade deadline. O’Hearn, who acknowledged occasionally Googling his name in recent days to indulge in rumors, has slugged plenty of home runs to Camden Yards’ right field flag court over his years with the club. The 32-year-old All-Star did so again in Baltimore’s series finale against the Blue Jays, a 9-8 loss that spoiled what would have been the Orioles’ first four-game sweep in more than a year.

Mullins and O’Hearn, integral again in a game that won’t change the course of this season, played potentially their final games in Baltimore this week. They’re two of the club’s most speculated trade candidates with just over 24 hours until the deadline.

“In terms of that, it’s just good timing, I guess,” the 30-year-old Mullins said. “In terms of my legacy here, I just wanted to leave it all out there. I try to play hard every single day, regardless of the results. I feel like I did that today.”

So it was fitting that the Orioles’ bullpen, the unit most torn apart this month, was responsible for giving the game away. Grant Wolfram, Yennier Cano, Kade Strowd and Andrew Kittredge allowed six runs over the final four innings, five of those off Cano in the seventh.

“I think he’s just got to figure out his pitch mix to left-handed hitters, especially with the three-batter rule,” interim manager Tony Mansolino said. “With where we’re at with the bullpen, he’s gonna get exposed to plenty of left-handed hitters. He’s gonna get an opportunity to figure it out. There’s gonna be a lot of opportunity down there kind of as we stand right now.”

Kremer turned the ball over after allowing three runs in five innings on six hits and five strikeouts, enough to be in line for the win after Jordan Westburg’s go-ahead home run in the bottom half of Kremer’s final inning. But, ideally, Mansolino would have loved more length. His bullpen is a shell of what it was just weeks ago. For the second consecutive night, the interim manager turned to an inexperienced arm to hold a late lead.

It worked Tuesday. It didn’t Wednesday. Wolfram allowed one run, while Mullins’ two-run homer thievery prevented more. Then Cano collapsed.

The Orioles (50-59) still took three of four against the American League East-leading Blue Jays (64-46), who entered this series winners of 18 of their past 23 games to pull ahead in the division race. Baltimore outscored them 38-19 across the four contests.

Adley Rutschman started the game with a sacrifice fly that scored Jackson Holliday and moved Gunnar Henderson to third. O’Hearn cleared the bases to punctuate a three-run first inning. But Blue Jays starter José Berríos silenced Baltimore’s bats from there, retiring 10 of the next 12 Orioles hitters.

If O’Hearn, Mullins and other veterans are to depart in the near future, it’ll be the Orioles’ young core’s turn to become larger presences in the clubhouse and on the field. Mansolino said as much before Wednesday’s game. “As veterans leave, they have to take this thing over,” the interim manager said. Henderson and Rutschman are at the center of that.

So is Westburg, whose two-run homer in the fifth ended the dry spell and broke the 3-3 tie.

That group that Mansolino called to duty nearly erased the damage from Cano’s implosion. Henderson drove in Holliday. Rutschman doubled in Westburg. Colton Cowser walked to score Henderson for the third run of the seventh inning.

Baltimore was halted there. Ramón Laureano, another potential trade chip, struck out with the bases loaded. Seranthony Domínguez pitched a scoreless eighth for his new team. Jeff Hoffman, who voiced eagerness to pitch against the team that backed out of signing him because of a failed physical, completed his 25th save of the season.

For all of Mullins, O’Hearn and others’ heroics, Wednesday’s loss was a reminder that this team will look different in two days. It already looks different from just a few weeks ago, when the bullpen still had pieces who could have held down a victory.

“Yeah, a little bit. Hard not to,” said O’Hearn when asked if Wednesday carried additional emotion. “Just trying to soak it in and enjoy the game with my teammates.”

Postgame analysis

Everyone approaches this time of year differently. Much of the Orioles’ young core is unfamiliar with being deadline sellers, with this being the first time the club has operated that way after making the playoffs two years in a row.

While some players seek out rumors, others stay off their phones as best they can. “We’re probably going to lose a couple guys,” Kremer acknowledged.

Mullins and O’Hearn took different paths to this point. If their performances Wednesday are their last with the Orioles, they’ll leave as perhaps the two most respected players in Baltimore’s clubhouse who were anchors during this turbulent season. Mansolino, tasked with steadying this spiraling team two months ago, is running right into those awkward conversations.

“We’ve done well with all the guys going in and out of the building right now, with the trades and injuries,” Mansolino said before Wednesday’s game. “It’s a weird thing, you know? I think you just try to get out there and laugh and talk to guys and depressurize the room. Acknowledge what’s actually happening right now, that guys are leaving, guys that we love. It’s acknowledged that more guys that we love are going to probably be out the door here in the next 36 hours or so.”

“I think everyone in this clubhouse is going to have a big sigh of relief when it’s over, kind of regardless of what goes down,” Mullins said. “It’s just be able to refocus on what’s important, which is going out there and playing hard for some wins. I know guys are ready for it to pass.”

On deck

Up next, before any games, is the Thursday 6 p.m. trade deadline. The Orioles could look vastly different by the time they get to Chicago for their weekend series against the Cubs. The three-game set begins Friday, and all games begin at 2:20 p.m. Baltimore has not announced probable starting pitchers.

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