The Orioles placed closer Ryan Helsley on the 15-day injured list today with right elbow discomfort, as expected, and also recalled reliever Anthony Nunez and infielder/outfielder Jeremiah Jackson from Triple-A Norfolk.

Catcher Chadwick Tromp was designated for assignment to make room on the 40-man roster. The three-catcher alignment is nixed.

Helsley warmed for the ninth inning Wednesday and sat down due to the discomfort in his right elbow that initially forced him onto the 15-day injured list on April 29. He missed seven weeks.

After signing a two-year, $28 million contract with an opt-out clause, Helsley has made 17 appearances and posted a 4.11 ERA and 1.435 WHIP with eight saves. He’s walked nine and struck out 21 in 15 1/3 innings.

Helsley surrendered two home runs on his first two pitches after his reinstatement from the IL in Seattle. He allowed two earned runs and three total in two-thirds of an inning in Los Angeles in his next appearance.

The next two outings were clean before Helsley surrendered an unearned run and took the loss in the 10th inning Saturday against the Nationals. The automatic runner scored.

Manager Craig Albernaz wanted to use Helsley Wednesday with the team having an off-day Thursday, but that plan fell apart.

The Orioles signed Helsley because Félix Bautista underwent surgery last August to repair the labrum and rotator cuff in his right shoulder. Bautista is throwing bullpen sessions in Sarasota and might be ready to pitch sometime in the second half.

Nunez began the year with the club and was optioned June 16 to make room for Helsley. He posted a 4.98 ERA in 32 appearances. He had a 2.35 ERA through April, but it was 10.03 in May with an 1.800 WHIP in 13 games.

Nunez pitched in five games with Norfolk and allowed five runs with nine strikeouts in six innings.

Jackson was optioned June 28 but is eligible to return because he’s replacing an injured player.

Adley Ruschman is batting second tonight as the designated hitter and Taylor Ward stays in the third spot, as the Orioles begin a three-game series in Cincinnati.

Dylan Beavers is in right field, Colton Cowser is in center, and Blaze Alexander is the third baseman.

Rutschman has hit safely in five of six career games at Great American Ball Park, slashing .360/.407/.560 (9-for-25) with two doubles, a home run, four RBIs, two walks and four runs scored.

Left-hander Trevor Rogers has posted a 4.99 ERA in 15 starts. He’s allowed only three runs in his last three appearances over 19 1/3 innings and he had a 2.05 ERA last month in five games.

Rogers has faced the Reds twice in his career, both in Cincinnati, and allowed eight runs and 10 hits in 9 1/3 innings.

The Orioles are five games back for the last Wild Card. They’re 1 ½ out of third place and 1 ½ ahead of last place.

They’ve registered a .306 average, .382 on-base percentage and .529 slugging percentage with runners in scoring position since June 19 – all of it ranking sixth in the majors – after going 1-for-13 in Seattle.

The Orioles are 28-2 when scoring six runs or more, the fourth-best mark in the majors.

Leody Taveras is the eighth player to total 15 extra-base hits and 10 stolen bases before the All-Star break in his first season with the Orioles. He joins Luis Aparicio in 1963, Reggie Jackson in 1976, Pat Kelly in 1977, Roberto Alomar in 1996, Albert Belle in 1999, Chris Singleton in 2002 and Corey Patterson in 2006.

Reds right-hander Brady Singer has registered a 5.12 ERA and 1.539 WHIP in 16 starts. He allowed four earned runs over four starts before facing the Pirates Sunday in Pittsburgh and surrendering five runs and nine hits in 4 1/3 innings.

Left-handers are hitting .307/.362/.548 against Singer this season and right-handers are hitting .273/.343/.496. He has a 3.25 ERA in seven home starts and a 6.75 ERA in nine road games.

Singer has made two career starts against the Orioles and allowed one run in 12 innings.

Pete Alonso is 3-for-5 with a double against Singer.

The Reds are 40-46 and in last place in the National League Central. They’ve lost seven of their last 10 games. They also have the major’s worst record since May 1 at 20-35.

Cincinnati has hit 64 home runs in that span, compared to 87 allowed, and the negative-23 differential is second worst in the majors. The Reds’ .228 average this season is 29th in the majors. Their 4.59 ERA is 23rd, while the Orioles are 22nd at 4.39.

Manager Terry Francona has 138 wins against the Orioles with four teams, second all-time behind Al Lopez’s 148.

With his next win against the American League East, Francona (537) will tie Buck Showalter 538) for the sixth most by any manager versus the division since 1969.

The Reds also are starting right-hander Hunter Greene, making his season debut, and left-hander Nick Lodolo in the series.

Something to remember for Saturday: The Reds have won 111 games on the Fourth of July, second most in history behind the Cubs’ 125. The Orioles are 74-97.

For the Orioles
Gunnar Henderson SS
Adley Rutschman DH
Taylor Ward LF
Pete Alonso 1B
Samuel Basallo C
Dylan Beavers RF
Colton Cowser CF
Blaze Alexander 3B
Jackson Holliday 2B

Trevor Rogers LHP

For the Reds
Elly De La Cruz SS
Sal Stewart 3B
Spencer Steer 1B
Eugenio Suárez DH
Noelvi Marte RF
JJ Bleday LF
Tyler Stephenson C
Matt McLain CF
Edwin Arroyo 2B

Brady Singer RHP