Notes on minor league movement and All-Star voting

Notes on minor league movement and All-Star voting
The Orioles are moving up another pitching prospect. Left-hander Kevin Smith, acquired from the Mets last summer in the Miguel Castro trade, has been promoted to Triple-A Norfolk. Smith, 24, had a 1.04 ERA and 1.08 WHIP in six games (five starts) with Double-A Bowie. He struck out 37 batters in 26 innings. MLBPipeline.com rates Smith as the No. 15 prospect in the Orioles minor league system. Smith joins a Norfolk rotation that includes Zac Lowther (No. 9) and Kyle Bradish (No. 12). Infielder...

Pitching importance rotating to bullpen

Pitching importance rotating to bullpen
While the Orioles concentrate on building a rotation primarily through the draft, with gradual introductions to the majors that have led to resets at Triple-A, they also understand how a lockdown bullpen would tie together the whole process. The Rays keep providing examples that the Orioles don't need or request. They get it. No reason to beat them over the head. Or to keep beating them, the latest sweep occurring over the weekend at Tropicana Field. Michael Wacha was an opener yesterday, a...

Rays relief dominates again as Orioles are swept (updated)

Rays relief dominates again as Orioles are swept (updated)
The Orioles were able to get into the Rays bullpen early today, which is good news against most teams. Not this one. Michael Wacha served as the opener, Tampa Bay's relievers didn't give an inch and the Orioles lost 7-1 to complete the sweep at Tropicana Field. César Valdez inherited two runners from Travis Lakins Sr. in the seventh, and a strikeout and intentional walk were followed by Randy Arozarena's grand slam. The Orioles are 22-42 and have lost 15 consecutive road games, the streak...

Orioles and Rays lineups (updated)

Orioles and Rays lineups (updated)
DJ Stewart is leading off this afternoon and Cedric Mullins is on the bench as the Orioles close out their series against the Rays and hop on a flight to Cleveland. Austin Hays moves to center field. Austin Wynns stays behind the plate. Ryan Mountcastle is the designated hitter. Pat Valaika is playing second base. Rookie left-hander Bruce Zimmermann - yes, a local product - is 4-3 with a 4.83 ERA and 1.463 WHIP in 11 games (10 starts) over 54 innings. He's allowed five runs in his last three...

Items on Galvis, Leyba, Zimmermann, Wynns and Cumberland

Items on Galvis, Leyba, Zimmermann, Wynns and Cumberland
The Orioles pretty much knew what they were getting with shortstop Freddy Galvis after signing him to a one-year contract in January. At the plate and on the field. They had the video, statistics, impressions made while watching from the opposite dugout. The rest could be culled in discussions with former teams, the people closest to him professionally. From how he interacted with teammates in the past. His influence inside the clubhouse. But it still had to be seen and heard. Galvis was one of...

Wynns' grand slam can't snap Orioles' road losing streak (updated)

Wynns' grand slam can't snap Orioles' road losing streak (updated)
What could pitching coach Chris Holt say to Jorge López in the first inning after approaching the mound? What could catcher Austin Wynns say as López sat in the dugout with three runs against him? More strikes were needed, but so was much better luck. The Rays rode four groundball hits, a slow mode of transportation, to an early lead that they held throughout, withstanding Wynns' grand slam in the fifth in a 5-4 victory over the Orioles at Tropicana Field. Left-hander Rich Hill faced the...

Orioles and Rays lineups (updated)

Orioles and Rays lineups (updated)
Austin Hays moves over to right field this afternoon against the Rays after leaving the injured list yesterday and playing left field. Ryan Mountcastle goes from first base to left field and Trey Mancini switches from designated hitter to first base. Anthony Santander is the DH. Hays leads the club with four outfield assists. Mancini hit his 98th career home run last night in his 522nd game. Only four players who began their careers with the Orioles have reached 100 homers in their first 600...

Leftovers for breakfast (updated)

Leftovers for breakfast (updated)
Yesterday's announcement that reliever Shawn Armstrong cleared waivers and was assigned to Triple-A Norfolk had me checking the terminology to make sure I didn't read too much into it. As it turns out, Armstrong being "assigned" is the same as "outrighted." He's reporting to the Tides. I was checking whether he could decline and become a free agent. Armstrong was outrighted by the Mariners in 2018 and could have refused yesterday's assignment, though he'd forfeit his salary. The...

Mancini homer a lone bright spot for Orioles in 4-2 loss (updated)

Mancini homer a lone bright spot for Orioles in 4-2 loss (updated)
The game within the game begins early, shortly after the final note is struck in the anthem. Wondering how much length the starter can provide. How many calls must be made to the bullpen. The piecing together of nine innings doesn't come with an easy set of instructions. Keegan Akin moved past the fifth inning once as a rookie in 2020, recording an out in the sixth. He completed the fifth in his previous start this month. Like other young pitchers on the staff, the Orioles are trying to safely...

Hyde on outfield depth, Hays, Mullins and Harvey

Hyde on outfield depth, Hays, Mullins and Harvey
The outfield surplus that the Orioles carried into spring training finally has regained its proper weight. Austin Hays has been reinstated from the injured list and gets the start in left tonight against the Rays. Cedric Mullins is in center and Anthony Santander is in right. Trey Mancini is the designated hitter and rookie Ryan Mountcastle is playing first base. They occupy the first five spots in the order, with manager Brandon Hyde finding a way, as he kept promising months ago. But tonight...

Orioles and Rays lineups

Orioles and Rays lineups
Austin Hays has been reinstated from the injured list today, and he's in left field for tonight's series opener against the Rays at Tropicana Field. Hays is batting fifth behind first baseman Ryan Mountcastle. Trey Mancini is batting second as the designated hitter, followed by right fielder Anthony Santander. Reliever Shawn Armstrong cleared waivers and was assigned to Triple-A Norfolk. Cedric Mullins has a nine-game hitting streak. Mountcastle has an eight-game hitting and RBI...

More on Harvey and the Orioles rotation

More on Harvey and the Orioles rotation
The Orioles resume their season tonight after yesterday's break and reset following a 14-1 loss to the Mets, now faced with a stretch of playing 20 days or nights in a row. Seriously, who's responsible for a schedule that keeps lumping off-days together and then withholding them as if the commissioner's office is hoarding? The latest off-day had to be savored, and it allowed the bullpen to recover after Matt Harvey worked just three innings Wednesday night. Manager Brandon Hyde said...

Orioles option McKenna to Triple-A Norfolk (updated)

Orioles option McKenna to Triple-A Norfolk (updated)
Outfielder Austin Hays isn't in Triple-A Norfolk's lineup for tonight's game in Jacksonville. The Orioles just announced that they optioned outfielder Ryan McKenna to the Tides. The dots seem fairly easy to connect unless a curve is thrown while the outfield picture is adjusted. Hays has been on an injury rehab assignment after his left hamstring healed. He strained it during a May 23 game in D.C. This is the second appearance for Hays on the injured list. He suffered a strained right...

This, that and the other

This, that and the other
One of manager Brandon Hyde's favorite descriptions for Ryan Mountcastle's at-bats is how the rookie "snorkels" the ball. Which leads to one very important question: What exactly is snorkeling a ball? Hyde couldn't provide a demonstration yesterday because an afternoon storm canceled batting practice and stuck the media on another Zoom call. Otherwise, he gladly would have grabbed a bat and swung into action. "I guess I use it as when someone throws a breaking ball or slider or...

Harvey hit hard again in 14-1 loss (updated)

Harvey hit hard again in 14-1 loss (updated)
Matt Harvey placed a hand on his hip and stared at the ball landing in the left field seats. Reliever Adam Plutko reached down for his glove in the bullpen, the call coming for him to warm up. Actions done almost simultaneously. Actions that signaled another abbreviated start for Harvey. A second chance at his former team produced a near identical result with seven runs and eight hits allowed, though tonight's outing fell 1 1/3 innings short of Harvey's return last month to Citi Field. An...

Orioles rotation unsettled after Akin

Orioles rotation unsettled after Akin
The Orioles rotation is undergoing more changes with John Means on the injured list and another off-day approaching on Thursday. Rookie left-hander Keegan Akin is starting Friday night against the Rays at Tropicana Field. The Orioles are listing the next two starters as TBA. Jorge López could get the ball Saturday afternoon on an extra day of rest, followed by rookie left-hander Bruce Zimmermann on his normal turn. However, the Orioles could decide to plug in a fifth starter earlier than...

Orioles lineup vs. Mets

Orioles lineup vs. Mets
The Orioles close out their homestand, and attempt to go 6-1 in June, with Matt Harvey again facing his original team. Harvey received a warm ovation at Citi Field on May 12 and allowed seven runs and eight hits in 4 1/3 innings. The rematch is tonight at Camden Yards. Cedric Mullins has an RBI in a career-high three straight games. He brings an eight-game hitting streak into tonight, going 17-for-32 (.531) with nine extra-base hits. Freddy Galvis is 7-for-14 in his last three games. He's...

Hits keep coming for Orioles in 10-3 win (updated)

Hits keep coming for Orioles in 10-3 win (updated)
The Orioles have reached the 60-game mark in their season, the same point where they packed up and headed home last fall while the playoffs unfolded. There's nothing truncated in 2021 besides a manager's patience if the losses mount and mistakes aren't corrected. The praise, however, can be expanded to cover pretty much everyone during the good times. A 4-1 start to the month brought a sense of relief and plenty of smiles, and the arrival yesterday of the first-place Mets didn't change the...

Wells working toward bigger bullpen role with Orioles

Wells working toward bigger bullpen role with Orioles
The return of Rule 5 pitcher Mac Sceroler yesterday has left two Orioles on the 10-day injured list. Outfielder Austin Hays began his rehab assignment last night with Triple-A Norfolk and hit a solo home run. Pitcher John Means is with the team but shut down due to a strained left shoulder. Hays should be activated later this week. Means won't be back in games for a while, the Orioles taking every precaution with their ace and aiming for no further interruptions in his status over the second...

Hyde's bullpen stocked again with two Rule 5 picks (with lineups)

Hyde's bullpen stocked again with two Rule 5 picks (with lineups)
Orioles manager Brandon Hyde leaned against the dugout railing this afternoon at Camden Yards and had his first face-to-face interaction with the media since spring training shut down on March 12, 2020. No more Zoom interviews during his pregame session. And for Hyde, no mask. The return to pre-pandemic days is creeping along. The key is how it's moving forward. "This feels normal," Hyde said as his players took batting practice. "It's been strange, for you, too, doing everything through...