McDermott adapting to new relief role

McDermott adapting to new relief role

The Orioles sent Dean Kremer for an MRI on his right elbow/forearm at 1:20 p.m. and could have an update on his condition following tonight’s game. Otherwise, the club will provide more information Sunday morning.

Kremer was removed last night after three scoreless and hitless innings due to forearm discomfort. Afterward, interim manager Tony Mansolino said Kremer described it as “mild” and that the club’s level of concern was “pretty low.”

Chayce McDermott is on the 24-hour medical taxi squad in case Kremer is forced onto the injured list for the first time this season. Kremer would be the 29th different player to occupy it.

McDermott switched to a short relief role with Triple-A Norfolk and allowed one run in his last 11 appearances. He worked more than one inning in only one of those games.

Prior to that stretch, McDermott was scored upon in 10 consecutive appearances after the Orioles optioned him. He allowed 37 earned runs and walked 33 batters in 35 2/3 innings.

McDermott on taxi squad, tonight's Orioles lineup

Trevor Rogers

The Orioles have brought pitcher Chayce McDermott to Baltimore and put him on the 24-hour medical taxi squad.

McDermott is here in case Dean Kremer’s forearm soreness necessitates a stay on the injured list.

Samuel Basallo is catching again tonight after his walk-off home run with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning – which also was his first homer at Camden Yards.

Jeremiah Jackson stays in right field, Emmanuel Rivera remains at third base and Coby Mayo stays at first base. Dylan Beavers is the left fielder.

Trevor Rogers has a 1.39 ERA, the lowest by any Orioles starter in his first 14 games. He’s allowed one run in seven innings in each of his last four outings, and one run in each of his last six.

Former Orioles manager Davey Johnson dies at 82

Davey Johnson Orioles

Davey Johnson never lacked confidence or brought into question who was in charge during his tenure as a major league manager.

Asked one day in Baltimore to predict an outcome involving his team, Johnson grinned and said, “I always bet on me.” It became one of his most famous quotes.

Johnson informed the media in 1996 of his plans to shift future Hall of Famer and baseball Iron Man Cal Ripken Jr. from shortstop to third base. Ripken found out about it after reporters gathered at his locker.

The move lasted six games. Manny Alexander failed his audition, Ripken went back to short – unhappy with the way Johnson handled it but never complaining about it publicly – and the Orioles made the playoffs.

They signed shortstop Mike Bordick as a free agent over the winter, Ripken returned to third and the Orioles went wire-to-wire to win the division.

Ripken recalls brawl that almost ended The Streak

Cal Ripken Jr.

A record that the baseball world viewed as unbreakable almost stayed intact because of a brawl on June 6, 1993 at Camden Yards – two years and three months before Cal Ripken Jr. played in his 2,131st consecutive game to pass Lou Gehrig.

The delay lasted 20 minutes after benches and bullpens emptied. Orioles starter Mike Mussina hit Bill Haselman after the Mariners catcher homered earlier in the day, but the trouble really began when Seattle starter Chris Bosio threw behind Mark McLemore and Harold Reynolds. Plate umpire Durwood Merrill didn’t issue any warnings.

Tempers already were getting hot when Mussina drilled Haselman on the shoulder. Catcher Jeff Tackett chased Haselman, trying to get to him before he reached the mound. Tackett was credited with the tackle, which created a dogpile. Bosio fractured his collarbone for a second time. Bullpen coach Elrod Hendricks squared off against Tino Martinez. It was bedlam.

Seven players were ejected and suspended: Haselman, Bosio, Norm Charlton and Mackey Sasser from the Mariners, and Alan Mills, David Segui and Rick Sutcliffe from the Orioles. Mussina was spared, which led to Seattle manager Lou Piniella being tossed.

Tackett suffered a black eye and required stitches to close a gash on his cheek. Reliever Mark Williamson had a swollen, bloody nose after being slammed to the ground.

Basallo hits walk-off homer and Kremer leaves with forearm injury in Orioles' 2-1 win, Haas hired as special assistant

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“Leading off for the Dodgers, pitcher Shohei Ohtani.”

That's where the oddities began. The Orioles prepped for the wrong Dodgers starter. Their starter left with an injury. Their rookie catcher came within a strike of sending the game to extra innings before hitting a walk-off home run that spun the night into something worth celebrating.

And boy, did they celebrate. 

Samuel Basallo went left-on-left against Tanner Scott and cleared the fence in center to give the Orioles a 2-1 win over the Dodgers before an announced crowd of 25,481 at Camden Yards. The count was 1-2 when Basallo barreled a 98.7 mph fastball and drove it 433 feet at 109.3 mph. Teammates mobbed him at home plate.

"He’s gonna be a big-time hitter," said interim manager Tony Mansolino.

Orioles surprised to get Ohtani, injury updates, Ripken on 2,131

Gary Sanchez

Orioles interim manager Tony Mansolino was heading back indoors around 3:30 p.m. when he found out that the Dodgers weren’t starting Tyler Glasnow tonight at Camden Yards.

“My watch just buzzed me when I was walking in from early BP,” he said.

“I thought somebody was messing with me, but apparently not.”

No, it was true. The Dodgers scratched Glasnow with back tightness and are pushing him to early next week.

Mansolino kept the same lineup as the Orioles suddenly had to prepare for Shohei Ohtani. He was scheduled for Monday at home against the Rockies after working a season-high five innings on Aug. 27.

Orioles facing Ohtani tonight to begin Dodgers series

Coby Mayo

The Orioles went from missing Shohei Ohtani to facing him tonight to begin a three-game series against the Dodgers at Camden Yards.

Tyler Glasnow was scratched and Ohtani will make tonight’s start. He was scheduled for Monday.

Ohtani has a 4.18 ERA in 11 starts this season. He’s struck out 44 batters in 32 1/3 innings and surrendered only three home runs.

There's nothing wrong with the bat. Ohtani is hitting .279/.387/.606 with 20 doubles, eight triples, 46 home runs and 87 RBIs in 137 games.

The Orioles have faced Ohtani twice, during his time with the Angels, and scored nine runs over 12 innings.

Dundalk native Mike Bielecki recalls his role against Orioles in 2,131

score board after Ripken breaks Gehrig's record

Mike Bielecki was a local guy who needed a favor.

Bielecki grew up in Dundalk and attended Loyola College. He rooted for the Orioles as a kid and a young adult. And right there in front of him, on Sept. 6, 1995, was the chance to throw a pitch in an historic game at Camden Yards.

Cal Ripken Jr. was about to break Lou Gehrig’s consecutive games record, with the milestone becoming official after the top of the fifth inning – known simply as 2,131. The digits do all the explaining.

Bielecki was on the California Angels’ roster, two years before the team changed its name to Anaheim. They were in town to play the Orioles, and Bielecki requested that manager Marcel Lachemann use him in relief behind starter Shawn Boskie. It didn't have to be for long. 

“I had pitched a few days before that,” said Bielecki, who owns a home in Lutherville with his wife and step-daughters, and two others in Ocean City and Bradenton. “That night was supposed to be my side day for a starter, and I asked my manager if there was any way possible he could let me get in the game just for one hitter. I didn’t care. Just let me throw to one hitter so I can get my name in the box score.

McDonald, Mansolino and Wagner weigh in on Ripken's record-breaking streak

Cal Ripken Jr

SAN DIEGO – The Orioles are home this weekend for a three-game series against the Dodgers that would generate a lot of buzz if standing alone. However, there’s much more happening Saturday with the club celebrating the 30th anniversary of Cal Ripken Jr. breaking Lou Gehrig’s supposedly indestructible consecutive games record.

Ripken played his 2,131st in a row Sept. 6, 1995 against the Angels at Camden Yards. In typical Ripken fashion, he homered on the nights that he tied and surpassed Gehrig.

He always rose to the occasion, an Iron Man filled with helium.

Ben McDonald made his major league debut during the “Why Not?” season in 1989, the same year that the Orioles drafted him first overall out of LSU. He appeared in 14 games in 1995, his final season with the club before signing with the Brewers as a free agent.

As an analyst on MASN broadcasts, McDonald provides a link to a distant past on a young team with players who only know what they’ve read, heard and watched on video.

Orioles go back-to-back-to-back as part of today's homer binge to sweep Padres (updated)

Cowser Mountcastle

SAN DIEGO – The Orioles are pulling more players off the injured list, reducing the number to 10 with a little more than three weeks left in the season.

They might need to send out the homer hose for repairs. Maybe chip in to pay the Petco Park water bill.

Jackson Holliday cleared the right-center field fence against former Orioles Rule 5 Draft pick Nestor Cortes to begin today’s game. Colton Cowser, Coby Mayo and Alex Jackson went back-to-back-to-back in the third to send Cortes to the showers, accompanied by a chorus of boos.

The Orioles cleaned up on the Padres, completing the series sweep with a 7-5 victory before an announced crowd of 35,019 at Petco Park.

A 4-2 road trip has left the Orioles with a 64-76 record as they wait for the Dodgers to arrive in Baltimore for a weekend series.

Updating Westburg and O'Neill, more on Rogers winning monthly pitching award

Jordan Westburg leaves injury

SAN DIEGO – A couple of injured Orioles are nearing their returns to the active roster this month. The injured list holds 10 players and can get down to single digits.

Consider it an accomplishment in 2025.

Infielder Jordan Westburg (ankle) is doing full baseball activities and should go on a rehab assignment next week.

Westburg hasn’t played since Aug. 18 in Boston.

“Everything is getting closer and closer,” said interim manager Tony Mansolino.

Trevor Rogers named AL Pitcher of the Month

Trevor Rogers

SAN DIEGO – The rest of baseball also recognizes Trevor Rogers’ brilliance on the mound.

Rogers was named the American League’s Pitcher of the Month for August, while Milwaukee’s Freddy Peralta won the honor in the National League.

Rogers is the 14th Oriole to earn the distinction and the first since Corbin Burnes last September. Erik Bedard was the last left-hander in 2007.

This is the first time that Rogers has won it.

It was fairly predictable.

Orioles' Jeremiah Jackson just keeps hitting

Jeremiah Jackson

SAN DIEGO – It keeps happening. In every game and every start that he makes.

Rookie Jeremiah Jackson slashed .323/.344/.484 last month in 96 plate appearances, his first in the majors. Of course, he stayed in the lineup Monday afternoon at Petro Park, shifting from third base to right field, and tied his brief-career high with three hits.

Batting second again last night, Jackson fell behind 0-2 to Yu Darvish in the first inning and pulled a sweeper into the left field seats. He’s homered in three of his last four games. And his fielder’s choice grounder in the eighth scored Dylan Beavers with an insurance run.

The Orioles won’t try to carry over his rookie status to 2026. He isn’t in any Top 100 prospect rankings. He might not break camp with the team next spring, though he’s making a solid case for it.

Jackson is in a different kind of phase as the season draws nearer to a merciful conclusion. The Orioles aren’t focused as much on exposing him to big league pitching as they are figuring out who he really is and whether he can fill a utility role next season.

Wells makes successful return and Orioles clinch series with 6-2 win

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SAN DIEGO – Tyler Wells waited 508 days to pitch in a major league game. He could handle another 18 minutes.

Padres starter Yu Darvish threw 30 pitches in the top of the first inning, surrendered a home run to Jeremiah Jackson, hit two batters and issued a walk. The three strikeouts extended his stay on the mound while Wells paced in the dugout.

Finally able to pick up the baseball, Wells gave the Orioles five innings with two runs allowed and had teammates waiting to slap hands and hug him after his final batter in a 6-2 victory over the Padres before an announced sellout crowd of 42,536 at Petco Park.

Jackson has homered in back-to-back games and three of the last four. Emmanuel Rivera delivered two-out, two-run singles in the third and fifth innings to tie his career high in RBIs.

The Orioles claimed the series after dropping three in a row, improved their record to 63-76 and made certain that they wouldn’t lose 100 games.

Orioles and Padres lineups for second game of series (updated)

Orioles and Padres lineups for second game of series (updated)

SAN DIEGO – Jeremiah Jackson is in right field again tonight and Dylan Beavers is in left, as the Orioles try to clinch their series against the Padres following last night’s 4-3 win.

Beavers has reached base safely 25 times to begin his career, tied with Glenn Gulliver (1982) for second most in franchise history through the first 15 games behind Curtis Goodwin’s 26 in 1995.

Ryan Mountcastle is the designated hitter and cleanup hitter. Coby Mayo is starting at first base and batting ninth.

Emmanuel Rivera gets another start at third base. Samuel Basallo is catching Tyler Wells.

Jorge Mateo is on the roster and the bench. He wasn’t in the clubhouse during media access.

Wells and Mateo reinstated from 60-day IL

wells pitches grey

SAN DIEGO - Before the Orioles could hand Tyler Wells the ball tonight, they had to reinstate him from the 60-day injured list and do some roster maneuvering.

They also returned infielder/outfielder Jorge Mateo from his rehab assignment and reinstated him from the 60-day IL, a little earlier than they indicated yesterday. He’s also back.

Catcher Maverick Handley was optioned to Triple-A Norfolk after spending one day with the team. Pitchers Corbin Martin and Elvin Rodríguez were designated for assignment. Martin was with the Orioles, and his exit frees up another spot on the 28-man roster.

The 40-man roster is full.

Mateo hasn’t played in the majors since June 6 due to elbow and hamstring injuries. He’s batting .180/.231/.279 with 14 steals in 15 attempts over 31 games.

Wells lands in perfect place to make return from elbow surgery

Tyler Wells

SAN DIEGO – Tyler Wells would have traveled anywhere to finally pitch in a major league game again. The schedule didn’t matter. He waited 17 months. Just hand him the ball and get out of his way.

But if Wells could concoct the ideal scenario, tonight’s comeback start against the Padres at Petco Park might be it.

“You know,” he said, “getting to do it here in Southern California where a lot of my family lives, having my wife (Melissa) and daughter (Ava Faye) with us now, too, it’s pretty special.”

Wells underwent reconstructive elbow surgery in June 2024 and being a new father was a joyous distraction for him. He’d rehab at the Sarasota complex and go home to Melissa and their baby, who arrived in March.

“I mean, I’m just super excited and thankful,” he said. “During this whole process, with her being born and obviously the relationship that me and my wife have continued to grow, it’s just I think a testament to not just the work that I was able to put in the training room and on the field, but also away from the game. It just makes it that much more special.

Beavers breaks tie and Orioles beat Padres 4-3 (updated)

Jeremiah Jackson

SAN DIEGO – The season moved into a new month today, the last before the Orioles can board flights home and begin to put it behind them. They will use it to give Kyle Bradish innings in preparation for a normal offseason and spring training. They will keep evaluating rookie Jeremiah Jackson and whether he can be a piece moving forward in a role that fits. They will expose Dylan Beavers to major league pitching, reap the rewards, and be careful to keep his rookie status intact for 2026.

Bradish’s second post-surgery start lasted four innings, a step back results-wise but still encouraging as he retired the last seven Padres batters and turned up the heat on his fastball. Jackson singled twice and homered to keep suggesting that the bat might play at this level.

Wins have been in short supply, but the Orioles eked one out today, getting a tie-breaking single from Beavers off Robert Suarez in the seventh inning to defeat the Padres 4-3 before an announced crowd of 45,586 at Petco Park.

Rico Garcia retired the side in order in the eighth and Keegan Akin stranded a runner in the ninth for the save, improving the Orioles’ record to 62-76 with their third win in 12 games.

"We hung in there, man," said interim manager Tony Mansolino. "Listen, we’re just trying to piece this together. I’ve told you guys there’s gonna be days where it works and there’s gonna be days where it doesn’t. We’ve got guys kind of pitching up in terms of like roles they’re throwing and today it worked out. I’m proud of the guys. They did awesome, and we were kind of due for a good one, so happy for that.”

O'Hearn and Laureano facing familiar foe in Orioles-Padres series

Ryan O'Hearn, Ramón Laureano

SAN DIEGO - Ryan O’Hearn has a locker set up on one side of the Padres' home clubhouse and Ramón Laureano dresses across the room. The distance between them can’t interfere with how close they are as teammates.

O’Hearn and Laureano were packaged at the trade deadline for six minor league prospects headlined by left-hander Boston Bateman. They walked out of Baltimore and stepped into a pennant race.

Both players are in today’s lineup for the series opener against the Orioles at Petco Park. Manny Machado is batting third, O’Hearn fourth and Laureano fifth. Jose Iglesias, who appeared in 39 games with the club in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, is batting eighth and playing shortstop.

This is the first time that four former Orioles are in a lineup against the club since the Rangers started Mark McLemore, Rafael Palmeiro, Todd Zeile and Gregg Zaun on May 16, 1999, according to STATS.

“I’m enjoying it, it’s been good,” O’Hearn said. “It’s good guys that welcomed me in. It’s a good team. Been having fun, getting after it. Obviously, I miss the boys over there, I miss you guys, but it’s been a good move for me and I’m enjoying my time here.”

Orioles and Padres lineups for series opener in San Diego

Kyle Bradish

SAN DIEGO - The Orioles will stay with three catchers until infielder/outfielder Jorge Mateo is ready for reinstatement from the 60-day injured list.

Maverick Handley was recalled earlier today from Triple-A Norfolk to join Samuel Basallo and Alex Jackson. Mateo is a possibility for this weekend in Baltimore.

Colton Cowser and Ryan Mountcastle are on the bench for today’s series opener against the Padres.

Jeremiah Jackson moves from third base to right field. Dylan Carlson is in center. Samuel Basallo is the designated hitter.

Tony Mansolino is hopeful that reliever Colin Selby will be ready to come off the injured list by the middle of September.