Aug 2, 2017; Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Orioles shortstop Tim Beckham (1) reacts after hitting a RBI triple in the eighth inning against the Kansas City Royals at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Patrick McDermott-USA TODAY Sports (Patrick Mcdermott/Usa Today Sports)

— Jeremy Hellickson made his Baltimore Orioles debut Wednesday night, suddenly inserted into a playoff race as the newest member of a rotation that appears to be finding its footing.

The Orioles acquired Hellickson from the Philadelphia Phillies on Friday with the hope that his veteran arm could help stabilize the team’s rotation. The Orioles’ starting pitching struggles are the main reason they have played inconsistently since mid-May and were on the fringe of the playoff picture before running off four straight wins entering Wednesday’s series finale against the Kansas City Royals at Camden Yards.

In his first start with his new team, Hellickson did his part, holding the Royals scoreless through seven innings to help complete a three-game sweep with a 6-0 win.

Hellickson, 30, hadn’t pitched in 11 days. He was scratched from his previous scheduled start with the Phillies on Friday before the trade became official, then got into a minor car accident on the way to the airport.

He went from a Phillies team sitting in the National League East cellar, 23½ games out of first place entering Wednesday, to an Orioles team that has suddenly shown renewed life and opened the day 3½ games back of the American League’s second wild-card spot held by the Royals. He brought a track record of success in the AL East from his early days with the Tampa Bay Rays and a résumé of durability at his three previous career stops.

Hellickson, who will be a free agent at the end of this season, joined an Orioles rotation that owned a collective 5.73 ERA before Wednesday’s start — worst in the AL and second worst in the majors. But since the club acquired Hellickson, the team’s starting pitchers have allowed just three earned runs over the Orioles’ past five games spanning 35⅔ innings, posting a 0.76 ERA.

Hellickson continued the trend, allowing five hits — all but one were singles — while mixing a five-pitch arsenal that varied in velocity from 74 to 91 mph, trying to pitch to contact.

He retired seven of the first nine batters he faced before heavy showers arrived, forcing him off the mound and delaying the game with two outs in the third. He returned after a 35-minute stoppage and put the first two batters on base before retiring seven of the next eight batters.

He threw 18 of 27 first-pitch strikes, working ahead in the count. But Hellickson didn’t miss many bats, drawing just three swings and misses on the night, letting his defense work behind him. He had just three strikeouts and put 20 balls in play, drawing six groundouts and seven flyouts.

He ran into his most trouble in the sixth, when a leadoff walk to Melky Cabrera and Eric Hosmer’s ensuing double put two runners in scoring position without an out.

But Hellickson escaped the inning just seven pitches later. He induced a first-pitch pop-up from catcher Salvador Perez, struck out Mike Moustakas on three pitches and got an inning-ending groundout to first from Jorge Bonifacio.

It was that kind of efficiency — even when in trouble — that allowed Hellickson to work deep into the game for a strong debut.