Roch Kubatko

Comparisons between Rutschman and Wieters keep coming

May 06, 2021, 4:18pm

Orioles

Comparisons between Rutschman and Wieters keep coming

I come to praise Adley Rutschman, not to bury Matt Wieters. The trick is doing one without the other. The comparisons between the first-round catchers and their intensely hyped travels through the minors and anticipated major league debuts are as unavoidable as traffic on I-495. Wieters was dubbed "The baby Jesus," "Jesus in spikes" and "The switch-hitting Jesus," when he simply wanted to be known as "Matt." Teammates at Georgia Tech called him "God." Apparently, he didn't get a...

Tags:

More Means following yesterday's no-hitter

May 05, 2021, 6:12pm

Orioles

More Means following yesterday's no-hitter

A soft liner leaves the opponent's bat, the shortstop catches it and players sprint onto the field to begin a raucous celebration. Teammates surround the starting pitcher. Grown men jump up and down as if reliving their childhood. But enough about the 1983 World Series ... RamÃ³n UrÃas played the role of Cal Ripken Jr. yesterday in Seattle and John Means was Scott McGregor. Except the Orioles didn't win a championship. They just reacted as if a trophy would be hoisted later and champagne...

Tags:

brandon hyde cal ripken jr. felix hernandez john means mike flanagan orioles ramon urias mcgregor ray miller yermin mercedes featured_sidebar frontstory_orioles2

Means throws sixth no-hitter in Orioles history in 6-0 win (updated)

May 05, 2021, 2:07pm

Orioles

After stranding 12 runners last night and continuing to search for a big hit with men in scoring position, the Orioles delivered twice today in the second inning for left-hander John Means, shut down for a while and simply let their ace handle the rest. And boy, did he handle it. Against a team that had no idea what to do with him. That couldn't get ahead in the count or throw a scare into him. That was lucky to graze the ball, weak contract about as much as it could muster. Means threw the...

Tags:

john means orioles pat valaika trey mancini featured_sidebar frontstory_orioles2

Orioles spot starter still a secret

May 05, 2021, 11:24am

Orioles

The Orioles are going to need a spot starter for Saturday night at Camden Yards, the pitcher's identity withheld as they finish their series today in Seattle and board a flight home. Optioning left-hander Bruce Zimmermann has created an opening and the Orioles decided again to move it up, as they did after removing Dean Kremer from the roster. "Right now it's our friend TBA," manager Brandon Hyde said in today's Zoom call. This could indicate a bullpen game, the course chosen after Kremer...

Tags:

adam plutko brandon hyde bruce zimmermann conner greene dean kremer freddy galvis jorge lopez josh rogers keegan akin orioles ray miller spenser watkins wade leblanc zac lowther featured_sidebar frontstory_orioles2

Orioles and Mariners lineups, news of Ray Miller's passing

May 05, 2021, 10:06am

Orioles

Freddy Galvis is out of the Orioles lineup this afternoon for their series finale in Seattle that also concludes their road trip. RamÃ³n UrÃas is the shortstop and Pat Valaika is starting at second base. Cedric Mullins and Austin Hays continue to bat 1-2 in the order. Ryan Mountcastle is the first baseman and Trey Mancini is the designated hitter. Left-hander John Means will try to maintain his roll. He's posted a 1.70 ERA, 0.838 WHIP and .163 average against in six starts and has allowed...

Tags:

austin hays cedric mullins chance sisco dean kremer freddy galvis jahmai jones john means jorge lopez josh rogers matt harvey orioles pat valaika ramon urias ray miller trey mancini tyler nevin lineups frontstory_orioles2

The latest spin on the Orioles rotation

May 04, 2021, 4:52pm

Orioles

The minor league rotations are taking shape, which leaves the Orioles to figure out what to do with their own. Rookie Bruce Zimmermann has been removed from it, with the club optioning him Monday night. A very similar move to the one executed with another rookie, Dean Kremer, following his start on April 17 in Texas. Kremer was coming off his finest outing. The first start after the Orioles recalled him was his worst, with six runs and 10 hits allowed in 4 1/3 innings, but he was outstanding...

Tags:

brandon hyde bruce zimmermann dean kremer gary kendall john means jorge lopez keegan akin matt harvey orioles ron johnson thomas eshelman zac lowther featured_sidebar frontstory_orioles2

The plan for Zimmermann and minors update

May 04, 2021, 4:43pm

Orioles

The plan for Zimmermann and minors update

No longer in the Orioles rotation or on their active roster, rookie left-hander Bruce Zimmermann is reporting to Triple-A Norfolk and tasked with getting back to the majors after he's eligible to return. The Orioles optioned Zimmermann to the alternate training site last night and recalled reliever Isaac Mattson. The camp is shut down with the minor leagues starting tonight and Zimmermann is listed on the Tides roster. Zimmermann isn't immediately available after throwing 87 pitches Sunday...

Tags:

adley rutschman brandon hyde bruce zimmermann cadyn grenier conner greene dean kremer dl hall grayson rodriguez gunnar henderson isaac mattson jahmai jones orioles terrin vavra zach peek featured_sidebar frontstory_orioles2

Orioles and Mariners lineups

May 04, 2021, 3:49pm

Orioles

DJ Stewart is back in the Orioles lineup tonight as they resume their series in Seattle. Stewart was scratched last night with lower back stiffness and multiple changes in positions brought Pat Valaika off the bench. Ryan Mountcastle is the designated hitter. Chance Sisco is catching. Rio Ruiz gets the start at second base. The Orioles are 14-15 overall and trying to reach .500 for the first time since April 10. They're 10-5 on the road. Jorge LÃ³pez is 1-3 with a 7.48 ERA and 1.431 WHIP in...

Tags:

adley rutschman cedric mullins chance sisco dj stewart dl hall gunnar henderson jorge lopez orioles pat valaika rio ruiz ryan mountcastle

Updating Baumann, Kjerstad, Akin, Ciuffo, Baumler and more

May 04, 2021, 10:25am

Orioles

Updating Baumann, Kjerstad, Akin, Ciuffo, Baumler and more

Mike Baumann's exclusion from a break-camp roster is the result of lingering discomfort in his right arm, leaving one of the top pitching prospects in the Orioles organization at extended spring training in Sarasota, Fla. Baumann, ranked No. 8 by MLBPipeline.com and Baseball America, was shut down last summer at the alternate camp site in Bowie due to a right flexor strain. He was able to throw in spring training, though not competitively. The Orioles placed Baumann on the 40-man roster in...

Tags:

carter baumler conner greene heston kjerstad josh rogers keegan akin luis ortiz matt blood mike baumann nick ciuffo orioles spenser watkisn thomas eshelman zac lowther orioles farm report frontstory_orioles3

Remaining Rutschman rumblings and more

May 03, 2021, 5:59pm

Orioles

Adley Rutschman is going to catch DL Hall tonight in Double-A Bowie's opener in Altoona, Pa. He's going to catch a lot of guys. He's the starter and he's lauded throughout the industry for his arm, defensive skills and leadership. But he won't be limited to one position. The Orioles want Rutschman to get some work at first base to keep his bat in the lineup while also giving him a break from the beatings sustained behind the plate. Rutschman played 36 games at first base in his three...

Tags:

adley rutschman bruce zimmermann buck britton cody sedlock dean kremer dl hall isaac mattson orioles orioles farm report frontstory_orioles2

Stewart removed from tonight's lineup, Zimmermann optioned

May 03, 2021, 4:31pm

Orioles

Stewart removed from tonight's lineup, Zimmermann optioned

Removing one player from tonight's Orioles lineup led to a massive shuffling of personnel. Outfielder DJ Stewart is a late scratch due to stiffness in his lower back. Manager Brandon Hyde said Stewart is receiving treatment and is "kind of day-to-day right now." When the dust settled, Pat Valaika wound up at second base rather than sitting on the bench among three reserves. Rio Ruiz moved from second base to third and Maikel Franco is the designated hitter, with Trey Mancini at first base...

Tags:

brandon hyde bruce zimmermann chance sisco dean kremer dj stewart freddy galvis isaac mattson orioles pat valaika ramon urias featured_sidebar frontstory_orioles1

Orioles and Mariners lineups

May 03, 2021, 3:20pm

Orioles

Rio Ruiz, who had a pinch-hit double yesterday in Oakland, is starting at second base tonight for the series opener against the Mariners in Seattle. Ryan Mountcastle is starting at first base. He's hit safely in seven straight games, going 9-for-26 (.346). Trey Mancini is 9-for-28 (.321) with six RBIs in his last seven games. He's the designated hitter. Pedro Severino, who's catching tonight, is 6-for-18 (.333) in his last five games. He's reached base in 10 straight. Freddy Galvis is in...

Tags:

conner greene dean kremer freddy galvis josh rogers orioles rio ruiz ryan mountcastle spenser watkins thomas eshelman trey mancini zac lowther frontfeatured_orioles

Rutschman ready for minor league season and hype

May 03, 2021, 11:16am

Orioles

Rutschman ready for minor league season and hype

Buck Britton knows what's coming. Adley Rutschman knows what's coming. The celebrated return of Minor League Baseball should set off nightly fireworks in Bowie with Rutschman, the top prospect in the Orioles organization and rated among the best in baseball, doing most of the catching in his first full professional season. The attention is going to be intense. It won't worry or distract Rutschman or his manager. "Obviously, I was never at that hype. I was always Zack's brother coming up,...

Tags:

adley rutschman buck britton dl hall grayson rodriguez orioles orioles farm report frontstory_orioles2

This, that and the other

May 02, 2021, 4:32pm

Orioles

The month of April gave left-hander Zac Lowther his first introduction to the majors with a surprise call-up and his scoreless ninth inning on April 25. Optioned back to the alternate training site, he rejoined the Orioles as a member of their taxi squad for the West Coast trip that resumes tonight in Seattle. Good times for the pitcher MLBPipeline.com deems the No. 11 prospect in the organization. The only downside to placing him on the taxi squad was his inability to start Triple-A Norfolk's...

Orioles done in by Athletics defense in 7-5 loss (updated)

May 02, 2021, 3:10pm

Orioles

A 25-pitch first inning for Bruce Zimmermann and the two errors on one play and resulting runs didn't fit a team that sought to sweep a series and extend its winning streak to four games. More appropriate were the two rallies in the first five innings that erased deficits and kept alive the quest to reach .500. And a third RBI for Trey Mancini in the seventh that gave the Orioles their first lead. It didn't last long. And .500 was put on hold in jarring fashion. RamÃ³n Laureano made a...

Tags:

adam plutko austin hays brandon hyde bruce zimmermann cedric mullins dj stewart jahmai jones maikel franco orioles pat valaika paul fry ramon urias richie martin rio ruiz travis lakins sr. trey mancini featured_sidebar frontstory_orioles3

Orioles lineup vs. Athletics (updated)

May 02, 2021, 10:10am

Orioles

Shortstop Freddy Galvis played five innings yesterday in his return from a sore left adductor, and he's in the lineup again today as the Orioles attempt to complete the sweep in Oakland. Ryan Mountcastle is the designated hitter again and Trey Mancini is the first baseman. The outfield corners are the same, too. Austin Hays in left and DJ Stewart in right. Pedro Severino is catching despite being hit on the right wrist yesterday by a foul ball and a pitch in the same inning. Rookie left-hander...

Tags:

austin hays bruce zimmermann dean kremer dj stewart freddy galvis john means jorge lopez orioles ryan mountcastle trey mancini frontfeatured_orioles

Means muting Cy Young murmuring

May 01, 2021, 3:54pm

Orioles

The Baseball Writers' Association of America doesn't begin casting votes for major awards in April and early May. No season is truncated to such a length that it happens. John Means isn't clearing space on a shelf for his Cy Young Award. He's entering a premature discussion without clicking on any links. The talk surrounds him. It's building. And he's doing his best to ignore it. I guess Means has no one to blame but himself. That'll teach him to go 3-0 with a 1.70 ERA, 0.838 WHIP and...

Tags:

john means orioles brandon hyde featured_sidebar frontstory_orioles3

Orioles ride big inning to 8-4 win (updated)

May 01, 2021, 3:18pm

Orioles

Orioles manager Brandon Hyde watched CÃ©sar Valdez wiggle out of a jam last night to preserve the slimmest of leads, tossed a few compliments at his closer and pointed out how it would be easier on everyone if his club didn't skimp on the runs. "It would be nice," Hyde said, "to score a couple more to give a little breathing room in the ninth for all of our pitchers." Matt Harvey stepped out of the dugout for the bottom of the third today with a six-run lead. A direct path to the mound...

Tags:

austin hays brandon hyde cedric mullins cole sulser dillon tate dj stewart freddy galvis maikel franco matt harvey oiroles ramon urias ryan mountcastle trey mancini featured_sidebar frontstory_orioles3

Orioles and Athletics lineups (updated)

May 01, 2021, 10:45am

Orioles

Freddy Galvis has returned to the Orioles lineup today, batting seventh against the Athletics in Oakland. Galvis, previously out with a sore left adductor, is batting .348/.400/.630 (16-for-46) in his last 15 games. He slashed .115/.179/.154 (3-for-26) in his first seven. "He got off to a slow start offensively," manager Brandon Hyde said today in his Zoom call. "Really, like the last week to two weeks before he had a little bit of the groin soreness, I think you started seeing better...

Tags:

austin hays cedric mullins dj stewart freddy galvis john means maikel franco matt harvey orioles ryan mountcastle trey mancini zach muckenhirn frontfeatured_orioles lineups pat valaika

Leftovers for breakfast

April 30, 2021, 4:19pm

Orioles

Not only has Orioles hitting coach Don Long noticed, along with everyone else, the spike in offensive production from center fielder Cedric Mullins, he's also enjoyed the changes that aren't evident in box scores. "I was really proud of him last year for his personality emerging," Long said yesterday on his Zoom call with the media. "The first year that he was here, kind of getting to know him, he was fairly quiet. He's not a real boisterous guy anyway, but you could see his personality...