Roch Kubatko

Kjerstad: "I'm feeling like my old self again"

November 05, 2021, 7:37am

Orioles

Kjerstad: "I'm feeling like my old self again"

Heston Kjerstad doesn't know the reasons why he contracted myocarditis, a condition that causes inflammation in the heart and halts the career of a young baseball player. It could have been related to COVID-19. It could have been something else. What's indisputable is how it wrecked his professional life and changed him personally. Maybe for the better in the long run. Kjerstad certainly believes so, and he carries that positive attitude into his daily workouts at the Orioles' fall...

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Because You Asked - Analyze That

November 04, 2021, 1:10pm

Orioles

With the 2021 season officially over and baseball moving into full offseason mode, important dates on the calendar crossed off one at a time, the mailbag again is inflating like my ego. My new wife is only available to deflate the ego. Not the mailbag. That one is up to me. Just to review: You, my wonderful followers - which unfortunately sounds like a cult that will be documented on Netflix - ask me many questions that I attempt to answer. Some of you ask the same ones as if I ignored you. And...

Orioles outright Severino, Greene and DiplÃ¡n

November 03, 2021, 5:43pm

Orioles

The Orioles did some heavy work today on their 40-man roster, including outrighting catcher Pedro Severino to Triple-A Norfolk. Severino and relievers Conner Greene and Marcos DiplÃ¡n cleared waivers and were outrighted. They can become free agents after going through a procedural process that might take a couple of days. Left-hander Fernando Abad entered free agency this afternoon and the Pirates claimed reliever Eric Hanhold off waivers. The moves have left the Orioles with 30 players on...

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Which relievers are returning to Orioles in 2022?

November 02, 2021, 1:10pm

Orioles

Are there any guaranteed returns among Orioles relievers beyond Rule 5 pick Tyler Wells? Is it weird that Wells is the first and perhaps only mention? This is quite the commentary on Wells, who emerged as the most likely closer candidate next spring, and the state of the bullpen. Left-handers Paul Fry and Tanner Scott are eligible for arbitration and projected by MLBTradeRumors.com to make $1.1 million and $1 million, respectively. Teams expressed interest in both relievers at the trade...

This, that and the other

November 02, 2021, 10:50am

Orioles

As the Orioles discuss which players to protect in the Rule 5 draft and how to create the necessary space on the 40-man roster, they're expected to again bypass catcher Brett Cumberland and roll the dice that he'll go unclaimed or return later to the organization. Gambling in baseball can be done without placing actual bets. Cumberland remains under team control and could continue his development at Triple-A Norfolk, where he appeared in 84 games while sharing time at various points of the...

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Latest on Orioles' coaching searches

November 01, 2021, 12:23pm

Orioles

The Orioles remain in the market for a new hitting coach and a replacement for JosÃ© HernÃ¡ndez as assistant hitting coach as he moves into a different role, and they've progressed to the point of conducting multiple interviews. Many of the exterior dominos might need to fall with so many jobs open throughout baseball. I've heard that the Orioles interviewed "several people" from other teams, as well as coaches who currently are free agents trying to land with a new club, which doesn't...

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Can Nevin power his way into Orioles' plans?

October 31, 2021, 6:19pm

Orioles

If Tyler Nevin wanted to leave a nice impression on the Orioles heading into the offseason, hitting a 442-foot home run on the last day seemed like a solid idea. Nevin, 24, reached the third deck in left field at Rogers Centre against Blue Jays starter Hyun Jin Ryu for his first career home run in his sixth major league game. It was the longest first homer by an Oriole since the Statcast era. I should point out that the Statcast era dates back only to 2015, so we're not taking a deep dive into...

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Gibbons praises Cullen as "a throwback" player

October 28, 2021, 12:29pm

Orioles

Gibbons praises Cullen as "a throwback" player

By assigning players to the Arizona Fall League, the Orioles can find at-bats that were missing due to various injuries. For infielder Greg Cullen, it was his hamstring that turned his promotion to Double-A Bowie into a challenge to stay on the field. Getting on base isn't an issue when he's healthy. Cullen came out of Tuesday's game with the Mesa Solar Sox due to soreness in his leg, but he received clearance the next day to resume activities. His two stops on the IL with the Baysox limited...

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Mancini, Mountcastle and Belanger honored by MLBPA (updated)

October 28, 2021, 7:38am

Orioles

Mancini, Mountcastle and Belanger honored by MLBPA (updated)

Though grinding through a rebuilding process that has left them with the first overall draft pick for the second time in four years, the Orioles made out wonderfully tonight in the Major League Baseball Players Association's Players Choice Awards. Trey Mancini was chosen as the American League's Comeback Player of the Year and Ryan Mountcastle was selected as Outstanding Rookie. The awards are especially meaningful to players because they're voted on by their peers. Mancini seemed to be the...

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Gibbons on Diaz, Stowers and Neustrom

October 27, 2021, 4:59pm

Orioles

There are plenty of people inside the Orioles organization who are convinced that, if Yusniel Diaz could stay healthy and play in an uninterrupted stretch of games, he'd be a major league outfielder and a hitter capable of occupying a spot in the middle of the order. Diaz also has some doubters, but the argument is moot if injuries keep dragging him down. Viewed as the jewel of the 2018 Manny Machado trade with the Dodgers, Diaz left a May 9 game in Jacksonville with a right quadriceps strain...

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How Orioles pitched in to craft a love story

October 27, 2021, 1:06pm

Orioles

The first tweet sent to me was ignored. The second elicited a response that, upon review, still makes me cringe. Emily contacted me in early 2014, requesting an interview for a freelance writing class at Towson University. She needed a "local celebrity" and was a big fan of the Orioles and my work. I wrote back, "I'm sure we can work something out." Better than a "no," but still pretty cold given where this story leads. She was coming to spring training in Sarasota, Fla., staying with a...

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Orioles confident in Wells as closer

October 27, 2021, 12:58pm

Orioles

The chiseling of the Orioles' 40-man roster needs to get it down to a size that can accommodate at least one new player from the Rule 5 draft. The Orioles seem to have struck gold last winter with reliever Tyler Wells. You just never know. Among the few safe projections for the 2022 season is naming Wells the closer. He gets the initial save chances. How many are available on a rebuilding team isn't the point. Someone needs to protect a slim lead in the ninth inning and Wells has become the...

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Who starts at third base while Orioles wait for Mayo?

October 26, 2021, 3:41pm

Orioles

If the Orioles can implement their prospect plan at third base, Coby Mayo will be handling the hot corner and hitting long home runs for many years. They can figure out how to occupy the middle infield with the batch of shortstops who crash their top 30 prospects lists, including Gunnar Henderson and Jordan Westburg among the first 10. Henderson could be the shortstop and Westburg the second baseman. They could reverse roles. One of them could move over to third, but good luck trying to budge...

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More on Silver Sluggers and the outrighted Orioles

October 25, 2021, 3:53pm

Orioles

Did anyone really predict before the season that Cedric Mullins would be a finalist for a Silver Slugger Award? If you were told that one Oriole would be honored, would you have chosen Trey Mancini, Anthony Santander or Ryan Mountcastle ahead of Mullins? I don't know what's left to say about the guy who decided to bat only from the left side. Mullins was the easy choice as Most Valuable Oriole and no one in the media ventured outside the box and denied him a first-place vote. He's going to...

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Mullins chosen as Silver Slugger finalist

October 25, 2021, 1:06pm

Orioles

Mullins chosen as Silver Slugger finalist

No Orioles player has won a Silver Slugger Award since Mark Trumbo in 2016. Cedric Mullins will attempt to break the streak. Mullins is among eight American League outfielders nominated for the honor, which recognizes the top offensive players at every position. Three are chosen for the outfield, whether in left, center or right. Recognition keeps coming to Mullins, the first player in Orioles history with 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases in the same season. He's also a finalist for the Major...

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Lukewarm takes on a few Orioles topics

October 24, 2021, 4:46pm

Orioles

The Orioles could break camp with firm plans to play Ryan Mountcastle at first base and use Trey Mancini as their designated hitter, which is how they routinely appeared in the lineup over the second half. Mountcastle is making steady progress as a defender, going back to his third position while the Orioles are covered in the outfield corners. They'd prefer to keep a player that young from pulling regular DH duty. But there's a complication to an otherwise solid plan when Adley Rutschman...

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More on Orioles' 40-man moves, plus Stowers note

October 23, 2021, 3:29pm

Orioles

As the participants in the World Series begin to come into focus, the Orioles are busy doing their own heavy lifting with moves to clear room on their 40-man roster. They needed a big broom. The season concluded with a full 40-man. Putting reliever Zack Burdi on waivers, and he was claimed by the Diamondbacks, was just the first attempt. They're down to 35 after outrighting catcher Austin Wynns, infielder Pat Valaika, and pitchers Thomas Eshelman and Konner Wade. That leaves space for the five...

Orioles outright Valaika, Eshelman and Wade

October 23, 2021, 6:16am

Orioles

The Orioles outrighted four players off their 40-man roster yesterday to reduce the total to 35, as they continue to perform one of the more important offseason tasks leading into the Rule 5 draft in December. In addition to catcher Austin Wynns, whose disposition was reported yesterday, the Orioles also outrighted pitchers Thomas Eshelman and Konner Wade and infielder Pat Valaika, per the transactions page at MLB.com. The club hasn't announced the moves. Valaika was eligible again for...

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Leftovers for breakfast

October 22, 2021, 4:09pm

Orioles

Different reasons exist for candidates to qualify for Comeback Player of the Year in the majors. It can be a productive return from a down season. It can be a return from a serious injury. Trey Mancini is a finalist in the Major League Baseball Players Association's Players Choice Awards after missing the 2020 season with Stage 3 colon cancer. Just typing that sentence makes him feel like the favorite over teammate Cedric Mullins and the Mariners' Mitch Haniger, but we'll find out Thursday...

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Orioles outright Austin Wynns

October 22, 2021, 10:07am

Orioles

The Orioles performed more work on their 40-man roster this afternoon, outrighting catcher Austin Wynns after he cleared waivers, according to sources. Wynns can become a free agent. The 40-man is down to 38 players, the most recent move before today coming last week when the Diamondbacks claimed reliever Zack Burdi off waivers. Wynns, 30, batted .185/.232/.308 in 45 games, with four doubles, four home runs and 14 RBIs in 139 plate appearances. He threw out 11 of 29 runners attempting to steal...