Roch Kubatko

Roster moves, draft pick updates, Kjerstad, Diaz and Rutschman

July 21, 2021, 1:10pm

Orioles

Roster moves, draft pick updates, Kjerstad, Diaz and Rutschman

The painful blow delivered to the Orioles yesterday with a walk-off loss to the Rays concluded a trip that made them settle for .500 and kept them busy with roster activity. The Orioles dropped their 11th series in a row at Tropicana Field dating back to July 24-26, 2017. They're 2-14 in their last 16 games against the Rays. Their 29 losses in day games lead the majors. And then there's the roster activity. They had to put pitcher Keegan Akin and outfielder Anthony Santander on the COVID-19...

Tags:

Wells solid in first start, Rays with walk-off win (updated)

July 21, 2021, 11:07am

Orioles

Wells solid in first start, Rays with walk-off win (updated)

The baseball side of Alexander Wells' life came at him hard again, with little interest in his comfort or convenience. The short notice that he'd make his first major league start this afternoon. The leadoff home run by Randy Arozarena. The two walks that followed in the inning and the run-scoring triple before an out was recorded in the second. Wells doesn't get flustered. He doesn't crumble beneath the pressure. He was wearing the uniform and living the dream. Maybe the quality of some...

Akin and Santander placed on COVID-19 injured list

July 21, 2021, 7:17am

Orioles

Akin and Santander placed on COVID-19 injured list

The Orioles had to place pitcher Keegan Akin and outfielder Anthony Santander on the COVID-19 injured list this morning, following protocols laid out by Major League Baseball. Manager Brandon Hyde could only share a few details on his Zoom call with the media, saying he learned late last night about the situation. There is no minimum stay on the COVID list, which enables Akin and Santander to perhaps be reinstated in fewer than 10 days. At this point, there hasn't been evidence whether the...

Tags:

alexander wells anthony santander brandon hyde chris davis jorge lopez keegan akin orioles ryan mckenna spenser watkins coronavirus featured_sidebar frontstory_orioles3

Akin and Santander on injured list (plus lineups)

July 21, 2021, 6:24am

Orioles

Akin and Santander on injured list (plus lineups)

The Orioles placed left-hander Keegan Akin and outfielder Anthony Santander on the injured list this morning and recalled left-hander Alexander Wells and outfielder Ryan McKenna from Triple-A Norfolk. Wells is making his first major league start. Akin was supposed to start this afternoon to close out the series against the Rays at Tropicana Field. He's 0-5 with an 8.19 ERA and 1.800 WHIP in 13 games (eight starts). He's allowing 12.5 hits per nine innings. Santander has been playing on a sore...

Tags:

alexander wells anthony santander austin hays austin wynns dj stewart keegan akin orioles ryan mckenna featured_sidebar frontstory_orioles1

Orioles get back Means, but can't extend win streak (updated)

July 20, 2021, 6:11pm

Orioles

John Means made his return to the Orioles and their rotation tonight and didn't immediately slip into his ace attire. A proper fit wasn't a reasonable expectation given the long layoff. The velocity was fine. The hard contact was not. And there was more of it than usual. Starting his first major league game since June 5, Means allowed two runs in the first inning, Randy Arozarena's solo homer in the third and Francisco MejÃa's two-run shot in the fourth, and the Rays erupted again late...

Wells wrestling ninth inning away from Orioles relievers

July 20, 2021, 5:03pm

Orioles

Sometimes, a manager's plans for a player become more evident through actions rather than words. Brandon Hyde isn't proclaiming that Rule 5 selection Tyler Wells is the Orioles' unopposed and unchallenged closer. He doesn't put that much emphasis on the role during a rebuild, though he understands how crushing it is to lose a lead in the ninth inning - like what happened in Anaheim after Cedric Mullins, named to the All-Star team earlier in the day, homered in the top half. Wells has...

Tags:

anthony santander brandon hyde cedric mullins cesar valdez cole sulser dillon tate hunter harvey mac sceroler orioles paul fry spenser watkins tanner scott tyler wells featured_sidebar frontstory_orioles3

Akin starting Wednesday (plus lineup and other notes)

July 20, 2021, 1:25pm

Orioles

Akin starting Wednesday (plus lineup and other notes)

Left-hander Keegan Akin is starting Wednesday afternoon's series finale against the Rays at Tropicana Field, the last road game before the Orioles enjoy an off-day and then host the Nationals over the weekend. Akin is 0-5 with an 8.19 ERA and 1.800 WHIP in 13 games, including eight starts. He faced the Royals on Friday and allowed six runs and eight hits with three walks in three innings. Thomas Eshelman stays in the bullpen for long relief. The current rotation sets up as Akin, Jorge...

Tags:

anthony santander austin hays brandon hyde cedric mullins dj stewart freddy galvis hunter harvey john means keegan akin maikel franco orioles ramon urias ryan mckenna ryan mountcastle thomas eshelman trey mancini lineups frontstory_orioles3

McKenna optioned to Triple-A Norfolk (and other notes)

July 20, 2021, 12:10pm

Orioles

McKenna optioned to Triple-A Norfolk (and other notes)

The Orioles reinstated John Means from the injured list and he's starting tonight, his first in the majors since June 5. Outfielder Ryan McKenna was optioned again to Triple-A Norfolk as the corresponding roster move, again leaving the Orioles with a three-man bench. McKenna is 13-for-72 (.181) in 46 games. Norfolk could use an extra outfielder with Yusniel Diaz still unable to play due to turf toe. And the Orioles like having the extra bullpen arm, especially while they handle Means carefully...

Tags:

austin hays brandon hyde dan hammer john means maikel franco orioles ryan mckenna ryan mountcastle trey mancini zac lowther featured_sidebar frontstory_orioles3

Trying not to overthink the UrÃas situation

July 19, 2021, 6:24pm

Orioles

Trying not to overthink the UrÃas situation

Among the many improbable and insane developments in the 2021 season is the suggestion, as phrased in manager Brandon Hyde's postgame Zoom call following Sunday's win in Kansas City, that RamÃ³n UrÃas could be a "long-term" solution at shortstop. In no way is this meant to slight UrÃas, but he seemed to have a slippery grip on a 40-man roster spot earlier this year and now he's trying to turn Freddy Galvis into Wally Pipp. UrÃas had just registered his seventh multi-hit game in...

Tags:

brandon hyde freddy galvis gunnar henderson jordan westburg orioles ramon urias featured_sidebar frontstory_orioles3

Watkins has career highs in innings and Ks in 6-1 win (updated)

July 19, 2021, 6:19pm

Orioles

Watkins has career highs in innings and Ks in 6-1 win (updated)

Everyone has a story. Spenser Watkins isn't satisfied with closing the book on his own after a 28-year-old rookie finally reaches the majors. He has more to tell. Watkins isn't going anywhere except back to Baltimore in a few days while waiting for his next start. He keeps getting outs and more chances, impressing again tonight in a 6-1 win over the Rays at Tropicana Field. The Orioles improved to 31-62 overall and 1-7 against the Rays, with Watkins carrying a shutout into the sixth before...

Tags:

anthony santander austin hays brandon hyde kelvin gutierrez orioles pat valaika pedro seveirno ramon urias ryan mountcastle spenser watkins trey mancini featured_sidebar frontstory_orioles3

Means' goal is to "keep doing what I did in the first half"

July 19, 2021, 1:24pm

Orioles

Means' goal is to "keep doing what I did in the first half"

John Means remains the Orioles' listed starter for Tuesday night, saying in today's Zoom call that his left shoulder has felt "great." The ace returns to make his first appearance since June 5. "It hasn't flared up at all," Means said on his Zoom call, "so, yeah, I'm ready to go tomorrow." More than six weeks have passed since Means pitched, outside of three injury rehab games in the minors. "I was more frustrated that it had to happen," he said. "I didn't really want to take time...

Tags:

brandon hyde cedric mullins john means orioles trey mancini featured_sidebar frontstory_orioles3

Orioles and Rays lineups

July 19, 2021, 12:05pm

Orioles

Cedric Mullins is on the bench tonight as the Orioles begin a three-game series against the Rays at Tropicana Field. Ryan McKenna is in center field. Austin Hays is in left and batting first. Anthony Santander is in right field and hitting cleanup, followed by shortstop RamÃ³n UrÃas. Ryan Mountcastle is starting at first base and Kelvin Gutierrez is at third. Spenser Watkins earned another start, his third in the majors. He's allowed two runs and seven hits in 10 1/3 innings, walking six...

Tags:

anthony santander austin hays cedric mullins orioles ramon urias ryan mckenna ryan mountcastle spenser watkins trey mancini frontstory_orioles1

This, that and the other

July 18, 2021, 2:35pm

Orioles

The Orioles finally can hand the ball to John Means again when he's reinstated from the injured list Tuesday in St. Petersburg, Fla. It's only been, like, seven weeks. His bullpen session Saturday afternoon in Kansas City proved that his left shoulder is sound. Forget the numbers on his rehab assignment - five earned runs and seven total with 11 hits in eight innings. How he's feeling physically is most important, along with the Orioles stretching him out to where they don't need to put him...

Tags:

austin hays austin wynns brandon hyde john means matt harvey orioles shaun anderson thomas eshelman trey mancini featured_sidebar frontstory_orioles3

Harvey with six scoreless, first win in two months (updated)

July 18, 2021, 1:16pm

Orioles

Harvey with six scoreless, first win in two months (updated)

Six pitches thrown in the first inning. Only 18 through the second and 28 through the third. Eleven of 12 first-pitch strikes. No runs against him. Matt Harvey was having himself a day. Manager Brandon Hyde was having visions of a starter plowing through the early and middle innings, removing one of the hardest decisions he routinely makes during the season, which inevitably fuels second-guessing as a first reaction to it. A hit batter, walk and infield single in the fourth, with Domingo...

Orioles and Royals lineups (updated)

July 18, 2021, 7:51am

Orioles

DJ Stewart remains in the cleanup spot today, serving as the designated hitter for the series finale against the Royals in Kansas City. Austin Hays is in right field and Ryan McKenna in left, with Trey Mancini the first baseman. No Ryan Mountcastle or Anthony Santander. Domingo Leyba gets the start at second base and Kelvin Gutierrez is at third. Austin Wynns is catching. Shortstop RamÃ³n UrÃas has six multi-hit games in his last nine, going 12-for-34 (.353) after being 5-for-36 (.139) in...

Tags:

austin hays austin wynns dj stewart domingo leyba john means kelvin gutierrez matt harvey orioles ramon urias ryan mckenna spenser watkins trey mancini frontfeatured_orioles

Early production from Stewart and UrÃas leads Orioles to win

July 17, 2021, 6:13pm

Orioles

Orioles manager Brandon Hyde told the media prior to the break that DJ Stewart would get more chances to play, that their conversation included instructions to keep his head up. A crowded outfield wouldn't push Stewart out the door or too far down the bench. "It's a long season left," Hyde said, "and he's going to get plenty of at-bats here in the second half." In the lineup for only the third time this month, Stewart singled twice and had an RBI and two runs scored by the third inning....

Tags:

anthony santander brandon hyde cedric mullins dillon tate dj stewart domingo leyba freddy galvis john means jorge lopez orioles paul fry pedro severino ramon urias ryan mountcastle tanner scott trey mancini tyler wells featured_sidebar frontstory_orioles3

Does Akin keep auditioning in Orioles rotation?

July 17, 2021, 1:26pm

Orioles

Without an official clock to check, I'm guessing that a week to 10 days have passed since someone asked Orioles manager Brandon Hyde whether Keegan Akin would be more effective and valuable as a bulk reliever. A week to 10 days since Hyde had to execute the tricky maneuver of pointing out the obvious without being condescending. Akin would be a big help to the Orioles in a bullpen role based on his ability to consume innings and perhaps avoid going through a lineup more than once. But there's...

Tags:

brandon hyde bruce zimmermann cesar valdez john means keegan akin orioles featured_sidebar frontstory_orioles3

Orioles sign Cowser, tonight's lineups (updated)

July 17, 2021, 12:55pm

Orioles

The Orioles signed outfielder Colton Cowser, their first-round selection in the draft out of Sam Houston State. Cowser received a $4.9 million bonus. The slot value with the fifth pick is $6,180,700. Cowser was in the Baltimore area for his physical, with an announcement of his signing expected over the weekend. He joins infielder Connor Norby, the second-rounder out of East Carolina University, as Orioles draft selections under contract in the last two days. With Cowser and Norby signing...

Tags:

anthony santander austin hays colton cowser connor norby dj stewart domingo leyba grayson rodriguez jorge lopez kevin smith matt harvey orioles ryan mountcastle lineups frontstory_orioles3

LÃ³pez rejoins Orioles to make tonight's start

July 17, 2021, 9:11am

Orioles

The Orioles reinstated right-hander Jorge LÃ³pez from the bereavement list and he's starting tonight against the Royals in Kansas City. The active roster is full again. A player on the bereavement list must be away from the team for a minimum of three days, not three games. LÃ³pez is eligible to come back today. LÃ³pez has returned to Kauffman Stadium, where he's 1-6 with a 7.93 ERA and 1.672 WHIP in 21 games (11 starts). He pitched for the Royals from 2018-20, when the Orioles claimed...

Tags:

colton cowser conner norby john means jorge lopez orioles pedro severino featured_sidebar frontstory_orioles1

Pitching prospects lined up at Norfolk, but how long do they stay?

July 16, 2021, 7:53pm

Orioles

Pitching prospects lined up at Norfolk, but how long do they stay?

As pitching prospects move up or down to Triple-A Norfolk, getting the bump from Double-A Bowie or the boot from the Orioles, the Tides are stringing them together in a rotation that earlier was patched with minor league free agents. Dean Kremer took the ball Tuesday and left-hander Zac Lowther the next night. John Means, on his injury rehab assignment, interrupted the flow on Thursday and pushed back Kyle Bradish to last night and lefty Kevin Smith to tonight. Alexander Wells' placement on...