Roch Kubatko

Losing streak puts Orioles in position for first pick in 2022 draft

August 19, 2021, 4:03pm

Orioles

Moving below the Diamondbacks for the worst record in the majors has put the Orioles in front of everyone else for the No. 1 pick in the 2022 amateur draft. There must be a reward for enduring such agony. Baseball America's early mock draft, published last month, has IMG Academy outfielder Elijah Green as the top choice. It noted his "special combination of elite physicality, electric tools and an impressive underclass track record of hitting." Former Orioles bench coach John Russell, a...

LÃ³pez removed early, O's losing streak at 15 games (updated)

August 19, 2021, 12:00pm

Orioles

LÃ³pez removed early, O's losing streak at 15 games (updated)

Jorge LÃ³pez walked to the mound today in the bottom of the second inning, still trying to process what happened in the first. Or perhaps wishing he could forget about it and treat his return as a fresh start. Something his teammates desperately need right now. What came next, most unfortunate for the Orioles, represented what's happening to them this month. There are no fresh starts or quality ones. Just more of the same, with the occasional sprinkling of intrigue. And for LÃ³pez, an...

Tags:

brandon hyde dean kremer fernando abad fredi gonzalez jorge lopez jorge mateo konner wade marcos diplan orioles pedro severino ramon urias richie martin ryan mountcastle featured_sidebar frontstory_orioles3

Orioles and Rays lineups (updated)

August 19, 2021, 7:06am

Orioles

Trey Mancini and Anthony Santander have returned to the Orioles lineup this afternoon. Mancini is the designated hitter and batting second. Santander, who pinch-hit last night, is the right fielder and batting sixth. A loss today would push the Orioles to a season-high 15-game streak, the second-longest in franchise history behind the 21 in a row that opened 1988. It also will guarantee a fifth consecutive season below .500. They aren't likely to run the table. Their 38 wins are two fewer than...

Tags:

anthony santander cedric mullins jorge lopez orioles ramon urias ryan mountcastle trey mancini frontfeatured_orioles

Wondering what's next for Hunter Harvey

August 18, 2021, 6:28pm

Orioles

Hunter Harvey moved closer to his reinstatement from the 10-day injured list by working the sixth inning last night with Triple-A Norfolk. The one run allowed won't matter as long as felt good afterward and this morning. The Charlotte Knights loaded the bases with no outs on three consecutive soft singles, beginning with former Orioles farmhand YermÃn Mercedes. Harvey induced three ground balls, getting a force at home on the first. A 4-3 putout plated the run. Harvey threw 20 pitches, 13...

Tags:

adam plutko brandon hyde hunter harvey maikel franco orioles featured_sidebar frontstory_orioles3

Orioles tie longest losing streak of season at 14 games (updated)

August 18, 2021, 6:20pm

Orioles

The Orioles bolted to an early lead tonight and lost their offensive touch. Their starter ran up a high pitch count that threatened his removal by the middle innings. Manager Brandon Hyde tries to find new methods to pull the Orioles out of their old ways, whether it's with his personnel or how he gets them to the ballpark. Tonight's lineup underwent drastic changes based more on health than a hunch. What's it going to take to form a congratulatory line after the final out rather than...

Orioles and Rays lineups, Burdi claimed off waivers (updated)

August 18, 2021, 12:41pm

Orioles

Is this going to be the night? The Orioles' losing streak has reached 13 games, one short of their season high that closed out May. Rookie Spenser Watkins will try to be the stopper while making his third appearance against the Rays. Watkins held them to one run in six innings and struck out seven batters on July 19 at Tropicana Field and allowed four earned runs (five total) and eight hits in six innings on Aug. 7 in Baltimore. Yandy DÃaz and Nelson Cruz homered off Watkins in the rematch....

Tags:

austin hays hunter harvey jorge mateo orioles pedro severino ramon urias ryan hartman spenser watkins trey mancini zack burdi frontstory_orioles1

Orioles announce spring training schedule and report dates

August 18, 2021, 9:35am

Orioles

The Orioles already can plan ahead to 2022 spring training, with their first exhibition game played on Saturday, Feb. 26 against the Yankees at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota. Fla. They travel to Port Charlotte the following day to face the Rays. Pitchers and catchers are set to report to the complex on Feb. 15, with the full squad due five days later. This is the Orioles' 13th spring training in Sarasota after moving out of Fort Lauderdale. More than one million fans have attended games at Ed...

Tags:

orioles spring training featured_sidebar sarasota frontstory_orioles3

Mistakes and homers doom O's as skid reaches 13 (updated)

August 17, 2021, 6:05pm

Orioles

Mistakes and homers doom O's as skid reaches 13 (updated)

Only the pitch count was threatening John Means tonight. At least for a while. Means carried a two-hit shutout into the fourth inning at Tropicana Field, but he already threw 66 pitches - 12 to strike out Kevin Kiermaier in the third. A bigger issue arose when Jorge Mateo's error led to three unearned runs, the last two coming on Mike Zunino's homer. Means was at 80 pitches heading into the fifth, Nelson Cruz hit a three-run homer and the Orioles' losing streak reached 13 games with the Rays...

Tags:

adam plutko austin hays grayson rodriguez gunnar henderson hunter harvey jahmai jones john means marcos diplan orioles ryan mountcastle tanner scott terrin vavra featured_sidebar frontstory_orioles3

This, that and the other

August 17, 2021, 1:59pm

Orioles

As the oddities of the 2021 season stack up like bar Jenga, though they never crash to the floor, I have to admit that I didn't anticipate how running out of first basemen would be one of the pieces. I must have blocked it out. The Orioles were criticized for having too many corner outfield/first base types. OK, perhaps. I've probably said it a few times. But Ryan Mountcastle goes on the concussion injured list, Trey Mancini suddenly is starting every night at first after settling in as the...

Tags:

anthony santander austin wynns brandon hyde dj stewart fredi gonzalez jahmai jones jorge mateo orioles pat valaika ryan mckenna ryan mountcastle stevie wilkerson trey mancini featured_sidebar frontstory_orioles3

Orioles and Rays lineups (updated)

August 17, 2021, 12:49pm

Orioles

Trey Mancini is out of the Orioles lineup after fouling a ball off his left calf and left foot last night and leaving the game following his run-scoring double. Ryan Mountcastle is starting at first base after his reinstatement from the concussion injured list. Mountcastle has an RBI in seven consecutive games, the longest active streak in the majors and the second-longest of his career behind an eight-game stretch from May 31-June 9. He leads the Orioles with 15 RBIs since the All-Star break...

Tags:

chris shaw claudio custodio john means jorge mateo mickey jannis orioles ramon urias richie martin ryan mountcastle trey mancini frontstory_orioles1

Mountcastle reinstated from concussion list

August 17, 2021, 8:17am

Orioles

Mountcastle reinstated from concussion list

The Orioles will have a healthy first baseman on their roster for tonight's game against the Rays. With Trey Mancini hobbling and Ryan Mountcastle moving past concussion protocol, the rookie has been reinstated from the injured list and likely will be in the lineup as the Orioles attempt to end a 12-game losing streak. Outfielder Ryan McKenna was optioned again to Triple-A Norfolk to make room for Mountcastle, who left an Aug. 6 game against the Rays at Camden Yards after absorbing a hard tag...

Tags:

john means orioles ramon urias ryan mckenna ryan mountcastle stevie wilkerson trey mancini featured_sidebar frontstory_orioles3

Another promising start for Orioles leads to loss (updated)

August 16, 2021, 6:03pm

Orioles

Taking a lead has come easily to the Orioles over the past few games. It's holding the lead that's proven to be too difficult. The offense goes cold again, a price is paid for pitches that miss their marks and a losing streak refuses to die. Matt Harvey cruised into the fourth inning and by the fifth had allowed more than three runs for the only time since the All-Star break. Kevin Kiermaier and Brandon Lowe homered off Harvey, who didn't complete the fifth. Brett Phillips had an...

Tags:

austin wynns brandon hyde cedric mullins cole sulser fernando abad jorge mateo matt harvey orioles paul fry richie martin trey mancini featured_sidebar frontstory_orioles3

Bannon on Rutschman: "Everybody was excited to have him"

August 16, 2021, 5:52pm

Orioles

Bannon on Rutschman: "Everybody was excited to have him"

On the same day that Baseball America upgraded the Orioles farm system to No. 2 behind the Mariners, their highest ranking since the publication began keeping count 37 years ago, the club announced a boatload of minor league promotions headed by 2021 first-round draft pick Colton Cowser moving up from the Rookie-level Florida Complex League to low Single-A Delmarva. Infielder Jordan Westburg advanced from high Single-A Aberdeen to Double-A Bowie, leaving behind infielder Gunnar Henderson. They...

Tags:

adley rutschman blaine knight cody sedlock colton cowser grant anders gunnar henderson jahmai jones jordan westburg orioles rylan bannon ryna fuller tim gibbons orioles farm report tim kunkel frontstory_orioles2

Orioles lineup vs. Rays (updated)

August 16, 2021, 12:08pm

Orioles

The Orioles begin a four-game series against the Rays tonight at Tropicana Field with Jorge Mateo at second base, Richie Martin at shortstop and RamÃ³n UrÃas at third. Mateo has hit safely in eight of his nine games since joining the Orioles, going 10-for-35 (.286). Austin Wynns is catching. Anthony Santander, who's the designated hitter, has registered a .378 average (17-for-45) in 12 games this month. He has a .318 average (21-for-66) with six walks in 18 games since the break. DJ...

Tags:

anthony santander austin wynns dj stewart jorge mateo marcos diplan matt harvey orioles ramon urias richie martin trey mancini zac lowther frontstory_orioles1

Hard work and good health rescuing lost season for Bannon

August 15, 2021, 5:08pm

Orioles

Hard work and good health rescuing lost season for Bannon

Rylan Bannon has been hearing the same message from his hitting coach upon returning to the dugout after launching another home run for Triple-A Norfolk. "This is who you are." This isn't how Bannon played earlier in the season, but the turnaround has picked up speed like a tornado. Bannon came to the plate yesterday with the bases loaded in Game 1 of a doubleheader against Memphis and cleared them with a double. He had two hits and was 7-for-11 with five home runs and nine RBIs in his last...

Tags:

coby mayo maikel franco orioles rylan bannon tim gibbons tyler burch orioles farm report frontstory_orioles3

Orioles swept for 14th time with 6-2 loss (updated)

August 15, 2021, 12:20pm

Orioles

The Orioles had their brief moment this afternoon. The early rally, the hit with a runner in scoring position, a lead against the Red Sox. Keegan Akin took his turn on the mound in the bottom of the first inning and surrendered a three-run homer to J.D. Martinez among his 22 pitches. The next three innings saw Akin bend but not break, keeping the Orioles in the game, unsure whether it keeps him in the rotation. But the losing streak is rolling into St. Petersburg, Fla., for the next stop on the...

Tags:

adam plutko anthony santander austin hays brandon hyde cedric mullins dusten knight fernando abad keegan akin konner wade orioles pedro severino ramon urias trey mancini featured_sidebar frontstory_orioles3

Orioles add Abad and Wade to bullpen, plus lineups (updated)

August 15, 2021, 7:18am

Orioles

The expected bullpen changes came today, with the Orioles designating Adam Plutko for assignment and optioning Dusten Knight to Triple-A Norfolk. In their place, the Orioles selected the contracts of Konner Wade and veteran left-hander Fernando Abad from Norfolk. They made room on the 40-man roster by transferring left-hander Bruce Zimmermann to the 60-day injured list. Plutko allowed home runs in a club-record six relief appearances in a row. He posted a 6.71 ERA and 1.633 WHIP in 38...

Tags:

adam plutko austin hays bruce zimmermann dusten knight fernando abad jorge mateo keegan akin konner wade orioles pedro severino ramon urias ryan mckenna trey mancini featured_sidebar frontstory_orioles3

Adding only two players in September expands challenges

August 14, 2021, 4:11pm

Orioles

Adding only two players in September expands challenges

The new rule in 2021 that September rosters expand to just 28 players creates another headache for baseball's front offices. As if more were needed. I never liked the idea of stuffing 40 players on a club for the final month and completely altering how the game is managed. The strategy of matching up is destroyed. Benches and bullpens are bursting at the seams. It just doesn't make sense. The sport shouldn't morph into something so unrecognizable while teams are trying to reach the...

Tags:

alexander wells dean kremer jahmai jones jorge mateo kelvin gutierrez maikel franco mike baumann orioles ryan hartman rylan bannon tyler nevin zac lowther featured_sidebar frontstory_orioles3

Orioles allow season-high 16 runs in latest loss (updated)

August 14, 2021, 3:23pm

Orioles

If it really does start with starting pitching, as baseball folks preach, the Orioles really are having a rotten weekend in Boston. Spenser Watkins allowed six runs last night in four innings, the sweat making it harder to find his grip on the ball. Manager Brandon Hyde revealed earlier today that left-hander Bruce Zimmermann must remain on the injured list after spraining his ankle in a training mishap, which prohibits the rookie from joining the rotation on Sunday. Jorge LÃ³pez loaded the...

Tags:

adam plutko austin hays austin wynns brandon hyde bruce zimmermann cedric mullins cesar valdez jorge lopez keegan akin orioles paul fry pedro severino ramon urias spenser watkins trey mancini featured_sidebar frontstory_orioles3

Zimmermann unable to start due to injury

August 14, 2021, 10:38am

Orioles

Zimmermann unable to start due to injury

Orioles left-hander Bruce Zimmermann no longer is a candidate, and the overwhelming favorite, to make Sunday afternoon's start in Boston. Zimmermann was expected to be reinstated from the injured list, but an ankle sprain is keeping him off the active roster. Manager Brandon Hyde provided the surprising update in today's media Zoom call while also naming left-hander Keegan Akin as Sunday's starter to close out the series. "Bruce Zimmermann had a training accident," Hyde said. "He sprained...