Roch Kubatko

Short starts resume in second half in 9-2 loss (updated)

July 16, 2021, 7:12pm

Orioles

Short starts resume in second half in 9-2 loss (updated)

The Orioles were comfortable going with a 25-man roster tonight in Kansas City following a four-day break that rested and recharged a tired bullpen. Manager Brandon Hyde didn't want to dip into it early, no matter its condition, but that same break didn't improve the early results of the second-half rotation. Rookie Keegan Akin fell behind by six runs in three innings and the Orioles lost to the Royals 9-2. Cedric Mullins singled in his first two at-bats, the only hits against Royals...

LÃ³pez expected to start Saturday night (and other notes)

July 16, 2021, 2:38pm

Orioles

LÃ³pez expected to start Saturday night (and other notes)

The Orioles are going with a 25-man roster for tonight's game against the Royals in Kansas City. They've decided to leave a spot open for starter Jorge LÃ³pez's anticipated return Saturday from the bereavement list. LÃ³pez would make the start later that night. The three-man taxi squad consists of pitchers Alexander Wells and Conner Greene and catcher Nick Ciuffo, so the Orioles have coverage for LÃ³pez if he's unavailable. "We're hoping that Lopie will be back tomorrow, and if...

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Orioles and Royals lineups

July 16, 2021, 12:26pm

Orioles

Ryan Mountcastle stays in the Orioles lineup tonight as the first baseman in Kansas City after being drilled on the left elbow Sunday and leaving the game in the top of the second inning. Austin Hays is in left field and Anthony Santander is in right. Kelvin Gutierrez is the third baseman and Pat Valaika is playing second. The Orioles haven't revealed their starters for the Royals series beyond rookie left-hander Keegan Akin tonight. Akin gets his eighth start of the season and his 13th...

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Diaz still can't crack crowded Orioles outfield

July 15, 2021, 6:00pm

Orioles

The Orioles begin the non-mathematical second half of their season tonight in Kansas City with six outfielders on the roster if counting Ryan Mountcastle, who's listed as an infielder on the team's website. He's made 31 starts at first base and 18 in left field. Let's just say the Orioles have six players on their roster who can play the outfield - seven if including Trey Mancini, but he hasn't done it since 2019. That's the kind of excess talked about over the winter and in spring...

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Akin gets start Friday night in Kansas City

July 15, 2021, 9:01am

Orioles

Akin gets start Friday night in Kansas City

The Orioles have revealed only a small portion of their rotation plans. Left-hander Keegan Akin is starting Friday night against the Royals in Kansas City, but the next two spots are listed as TBA. Possibilities include Thomas Eshelman and Spenser Watkins. Jorge LÃ³pez is on the bereavement list and veteran Matt Harvey is pushed back to the Rays series. The corresponding roster move for LÃ³pez will be announced on Friday. Dean Kremer started Tuesday night for Triple-A Norfolk and...

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LÃ³pez goes on bereavement list

July 14, 2021, 11:30am

Orioles

The Orioles haven't announced their rotation for the series in Kansas City that begins Friday night, but it won't include Jorge LÃ³pez. LÃ³pez was placed on the bereavement list this afternoon, a move that makes him unavailable until at least the series that follows against the Rays in St. Petersburg. Fla. The bereavement list is used for a player needing to leave the team to attend to a serious illness or death in his immediate family or his spouse's immediate family. The player is...

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Non-roster players keep getting chances with Orioles

July 14, 2021, 4:50am

Orioles

The Orioles drafted a second baseman in the second round, Connor Norby of East Carolina University, but he isn't blocking Jahmai Jones. I already saw and approved that joke on Twitter. Norby is praised by scouts for his solid tools across the board. He's a career .392/.458/.596 hitter at East Carolina. He led the nation with 102 hits this year. But I'm betting that Jones beats him to the majors. Any takers? Jones is batting .279 with an .863 OPS after Tuesday night's single and triple and...

Mullins scores a run in All-Star Game

July 13, 2021, 6:13pm

Orioles

Cedric Mullins was able to serve as a leadoff hitter tonight in the All-Star Game at Coors Field in Denver. Just in a different manner than his usual role with the Orioles. Batting ninth in the American League's order but the first to the plate in the top of the third inning. Mullins struck out against the Brewers' Corbin Burnes and watched from the dugout as the Blue Jays' Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit a long home run to left field for a 2-0 lead. But he got one more chance in the fifth,...

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Orioles enter full-squad reset before second half

July 13, 2021, 4:44am

Orioles

Every Oriole finally is able to take a break. Trey Mancini finished as runner-up Monday night in the Home Run Derby. Cedric Mullins started for the American League and scored a run in last night's All-Star Game. Two days for the team to clear its collective heads and get back to business, which hasn't exactly been a pleasant experience in the first half. The Orioles are 28-61, the worst record in the American League and second behind the Diamondbacks (26-66). "We've been going through a lot...

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Mancini reaches finals of Home Run Derby (updated)

July 12, 2021, 6:47pm

Orioles

Mancini reaches finals of Home Run Derby (updated)

Trey Mancini didn't offer any predictions Sunday afternoon about how he'd fare in the Home Run Derby. He didn't share his expectations. The euphoria of his pinch-hit, two-run homer was still fresh. So was the disappointment of a 10th-inning loss. The derby? He was just happy to be invited. "I'm just going to try to enjoy it," he said on his postgame Zoom call, his last swing blending nicely into tonight's competition. "It's surreal. It's something that I haven't really thought too...

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Quick recap on Colton Cowser selection

July 12, 2021, 11:00am

Orioles

The major league draft is down to its final day and 10 picks. Emotions won't run quite as high with the final announcements. Fans don't typically vent over the 20th selection. The first? Yeah, it gets pretty loud. The Orioles passed on three high school shortstops Sunday who remained on the board as their turn came, the mocks blown up immediately with the Pirates taking Louisville catcher Henry Davis at No. 1. Executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias also shunned Vanderbilt pitcher...

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Mullins starting for AL in All-Star Game

July 12, 2021, 10:59am

Orioles

Mullins starting for AL in All-Star Game

As the Orioles proceeded through the second day of the draft, selecting a fourth outfielder among their first five picks, they also learned that their current center fielder has entered the starting lineup for the American League in Tuesday night's All-Star Game in Denver. Cedric Mullins has been chosen to replace the Angels' Mike Trout, who's on the 60-day injured list. Mullins is batting ninth, the opposite end from his usual spot with the Orioles. As the lone Orioles representative,...

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Orioles select college outfielder Colton Cowser in first round

July 11, 2021, 3:46pm

Orioles

The 2021 First-Year Player Draft is defined by the number of high school shortstops residing near or at the top of boards across the industry. The Orioles helped to steer it in a different direction tonight. Executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias used the fifth-overall selection on Sam Houston State outfielder Colton Cowser. This is the second year in a row that the Orioles chose an outfielder with their first pick, following the University of Arkansas' Heston Kjerstad, who still...

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Mancini comes off bench to tie game, Orioles lose in 10th

July 11, 2021, 12:54pm

Orioles

The All-Star break is a time for rest and reflection, and Orioles manager Brandon Hyde knows exactly why his club has the worst record in the American League. Precisely what he's going to think about before play resumes Friday night in Kansas City. "For me," he said this afternoon, "it just shows you how far away we are, pitching-wise." Spenser Watkins tried to narrow the gap a little, maybe present Hyde with another option and keep earning more chances. He held the White Sox to one run in...

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Orioles and White Sox lineups

July 11, 2021, 7:21am

Orioles

The All-Star break arrives after today's series finale, with the Orioles sending rookie Spenser Watkins to the mound for his second major league start and third appearance. Watkins held the Blue Jays to one run over five innings last week. Ryan McKenna gets the start in left field and Austin Hays is in right. Ryan Mountcastle is the first baseman and Anthony Santander is the designated hitter. Trey Mancini is on the bench before participating Monday in the Home Run Derby. Hot-hitting RamÃ³n...

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Mullins' college coach remembers the outfielder having "that edge"

July 11, 2021, 6:37am

Orioles

Mullins' college coach remembers the outfielder having "that edge"

Before Cedric Mullins could rise to major league All-Star, he had to beat down the perception that he was too small, that he couldn't play in a bigger environment, that his ceiling was as a fourth outfielder. Justin Haire knew better, and his opinion went unchanged after the Orioles adjusted their plans for Mullins, taking him from starting center fielder to minor league project. Haire was Mullins' head coach at Campbell University in Buies Creek, N.C. He was armed with all the necessary...

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Another short start makes for long day in 8-3 loss (updated)

July 10, 2021, 3:29pm

Orioles

Another short start makes for long day in 8-3 loss (updated)

The Orioles held optional batting practice early this afternoon, the cage rolled onto the field and a pitching machine and hitting coach Don Long set up in front of the mound. A team with a roster weighted with established veterans might have attracted a small handful of participants. The Orioles had players coming in waves. The outfield was covered with pitchers willing to shag fly balls. Long worked up a heavy lather in the summer heat. "I don't see anybody not working in here," said...

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DiplÃ¡n the "other" Orioles representative in Futures Game

July 10, 2021, 10:09am

Orioles

The list of participants in the All-Star Futures Game is published and eyes race to the American League catchers. There he is, Adley Rutschman, the top minor league prospect and the face, arm and bat of the Orioles rebuild. Right where he belongs. But double back to the pitchers. Rutschman isn't the lone representative in the organization. Far less heralded and totally unexpected is right-hander Marcos DiplÃ¡n, who plays one level above Rutschman in the system and miles below the surface of...

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Orioles and White Sox lineups

July 10, 2021, 9:41am

Orioles

The Orioles begin the penultimate game before the All-Star break this afternoon with DJ Stewart in left field, Domingo Leyba at second base and Kelvin Gutierrez at third. Austin Wynns is catching today, with Thomas Eshelman getting the start against the White Sox. Eshelman will try to complete the fifth inning for the first time in his five starts. He's allowed 13 runs and 23 hits in 16 1/3 innings. Lucas Giolito has a 4.20 ERA and 1.155 WHIP in 17 starts and has struck out 116 batters in 98...

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Walks and woozy bullpen team to topple Orioles 12-1 (updated)

July 09, 2021, 6:35pm

Orioles

Manager Brandon Hyde can laugh now about the play Wednesday night that began as a blown call on a missed catch by left fielder Ryan McKenna and resulted in a run scoring and no outs recorded rather than the triple play that the Orioles thought might be possible. Catch a break? The Orioles are overdue, as Hyde noted. Anthony Santander slid into second base with an apparent double tonight leading off the fourth inning and removed his shin guard, an umpire signaled home run after the ball bounced...