Roch Kubatko

Trying to understand roster, Wells' bad luck and Davis' bad back

March 21, 2021, 12:23pm

Orioles

Trying to understand roster, Wells' bad luck and Davis' bad back

Turning in a perfect NCAA basketball tournament bracket is easier than figuring out the Orioles' opening day roster. Not knowing whether the Orioles carry 13 or 14 pitches is a complication, but there are others. The confusion isn't subsiding. It's actually increasing daily. The growing possibility of DJ Stewart going on the 10-day injured list has created more roster turmoil. It's March madness. If the Orioles carry 13 position players, they can hold onto outfielders Ryan Mountcastle,...

Franco begins ramping up with two-run double in 12-7 loss

March 21, 2021, 12:14pm

Orioles

Franco begins ramping up with two-run double in 12-7 loss

The recipe for ramping up a player in 2021 spring training includes a dash of hitting, a dash of fielding, a dash of baserunning. The exact amount depends on the individual and team. A later signing could require handfuls. The Orioles are going to keep Maikel Franco busy with less than two weeks remaining until opening day. Workouts on the back fields for a couple of days, an intrasquad game yesterday and his first exhibition game this afternoon. More starts at third base and maybe swings as...

Tags:

brandon hyde chance sisco cole sulser eric hanhold evan phillips jorge lopez maikel franco orioles paul fry richie martin ryan mountcastle spring training tanner scott featured_sidebar frontstory_orioles3

Stewart nearing exclusion from opening day roster

March 21, 2021, 8:37am

Orioles

Stewart nearing exclusion from opening day roster

Orioles outfielder DJ Stewart hasn't played since March 5 due to a hamstring injury. He isn't in today's lineup and could remain out at least during the early portion of the week. A "mild tweak," as it was described, is taking a significant amount of time to heal. Stewart is cleared to bat in intrasquad games. However, the Orioles don't want to turn him loose on the bases and risk a setback. Hamstrings require patience. Opening day is less than two weeks away and Stewart has appeared in...

Tags:

brandon hyde cesar valdez chris davis dj stewart felix hernandez hunter harvey john means mac sceroler maikel franco orioles pat valaika ramon urias rio ruiz spring training stevie wilkerson tyler wells yolmer sanchez featured_sidebar frontstory_orioles3

Orioles lineup vs. Twins

March 21, 2021, 5:14am

Orioles

Third baseman Maikel Franco is making his Orioles debut this afternoon, batting second against the Twins in Sarasota. Franco played in yesterday's intrasquad game and is ready to move up to the next spring level. Richie Martin also is in the lineup, as expected. He's playing second base in his debut while Yolmer SÃ¡nchez leads off and starts at shortstop. Pat Valaika is the first baseman, Stevie Wilkerson is in right field and Ryan McKenna is in center. Cedric Mullins, Austin Hays and...

Tags:

anthony santander austin hays cedric mullins cole sulser eric hanhold jorge lopez orioles pat valaika paul fry ryan mckenna stevie wilkerson tanner scott yolmer sanchez frontstory_orioles1

This, that and the other

March 20, 2021, 6:26pm

Orioles

While evaluating reliever Fernando Abad's spring training, Orioles manager Brandon Hyde must separate bad pitches from bad luck. Abad, trying to make the club as a non-roster invite, has appeared in five games and allowed five earned runs (eight total) and nine hits in 4 1/3 innings for a 10.38 ERA. He's walked two batters and struck out five. The defense behind him has been brutal in at least two of those games. Abad replaced Dean Kremer on Friday night after two errors were committed in the...

Tags:

austin wynns brandon hyde bruce zimmermann dean kremer dillon tate fernando abad freddy galvis john means keegan akin orioles pedro severino ramon urias rio ruiz spring training featured_sidebar frontstory_orioles3

Harvey's strong outing strengthens bid for rotation spot

March 20, 2021, 5:13pm

Orioles

Harvey's strong outing strengthens bid for rotation spot

Matt Harvey looks like he's moving away from his uncertain status and toward a locker in the visiting clubhouse at Fenway Park. Harvey was signed by the Orioles to a minor league deal in order to compete for a job, not simply to get ready for opening day. A disastrous spring would have put him back on the market. The results keep getting better. Harvey held the Yankees to one run and hit - Gio Urshela's solo home run - over four innings in a 2-1 win at Ed Smith Stadium. Rule 5 pick Mac...

Tags:

brandon hyde chance sisco dillon tate freddy galvis mac sceroler matt harvey orioles pat valaika ramon urias spring training tyler wells featured_sidebar frontstory_orioles2

Means: "It feels like such a blessing and just so humbling"

March 20, 2021, 11:32am

Orioles

Means: "It feels like such a blessing and just so humbling"

John Means used to be a fringe prospect in the Orioles' minor league system or completely ignored by outside evaluators, an anonymity that he relished. A status that no longer applies to him. You can't be chosen as your team's opening day starter two years in a row and fly under the radar. "It definitely did (motivate), but it was also kind of nice, too, to be honest," Means said today on his Zoom call. "You're not the face, you're not getting interviewed from low A all the way to the...

Tags:

brandon hyde conner greene dillon tate felix hernandez john means jorge lopez mac sceroler matt harvey orioles spring training tyler wells featured_sidebar frontstory_orioles2

Orioles and Yankees lineups

March 20, 2021, 10:07am

Orioles

Trey Mancini is in the lineup again tonight at first base against the Yankees after hitting his first home run of the spring last night. Richie Martin and DJ Stewart are marked absent again. RamÃ³n Urias is starting at second base and Freddy Galvis at shortstop. Cedric Mullins is in center field, Austin Hays in left and Anthony Santander in right. Manager Brandon Hyde wants to start playing his regulars in consecutive games. Rio Ruiz is the designated hitter and Pat Valaika is the third...

Lingering questions about the lineup

March 19, 2021, 6:15pm

Orioles

If it's too early to make final calls on the Orioles' 26-man roster, the same rule should apply to the opening day lineup. The mind starts to work on it with the announcement that the Red Sox are starting left-hander Eduardo RodrÃguez on April 1 at Fenway Park. Begin building the right-handed order. The Orioles could go left-on-left from the leadoff spot with center fielder Cedric Mullins abandoning switch-hitting. He homered off a southpaw last night, but also was batting ninth. They...

Mancini hits first home run in 11-9 win

March 19, 2021, 6:02pm

Orioles

Trey Mancini wasn't going to become a singles hitter in 2021. He's getting back into baseball shape and still trying to tap into the power that was so prevalent two years ago. Mancini collected his first extra-base hit tonight and it was a long home run to left-center field off the Pirates' Edgar Santana in the fourth inning in the Orioles' sloppy 11-9 win in Bradenton. Santana threw six consecutive sliders to Mancini and the last hung over the plate and was tattooed. It sounded loud on the...

Tags:

anthony santander austin hays brandon hyde cedric mullins dean kremer fernando abad freddy galvis orioles pedro severino ramon urias rio ruiz ryan mountcastle spring training trey mancini wade leblanc yolmer sanchez featured_sidebar frontstory_orioles3

Means named Orioles' opening day starter

March 19, 2021, 1:49pm

Orioles

The anticipated became official this afternoon. The Orioles are starting left-hander John Means on opening day against the Red Sox at Fenway Park. Means has been expected to take the ball on April 1, but manager Brandon Hyde waited until today to announce it. If at first you don't succeed ... Means was supposed to start the 2020 opener in Boston, but had to work through some shoulder fatigue. Veteran Tommy Milone was named the surprise starter. Hyde gave Means the news a couple of days...

Tags:

alexander wells brandon hyde bruce zimmermann chance sisco felix hernandez john means maikel franco matt harvey orioles richie martin spring training wade leblanc featured_sidebar frontstory_orioles1

Orioles and Pirates lineups

March 19, 2021, 9:53am

Orioles

Austin Hays is in right field and batting first tonight and Cedric Mullins is in center and at the bottom of the order, as the Orioles head to Bradenton again to play the Pirates. Ryan Mountcastle is the left fielder and Anthony Santander is the designated hitter. DJ Stewart is at least a day away from getting back in the lineup as he recovers from a hamstring injury and gets at-bats on the back fields. Infielder Richie Martin also isn't in the lineup. Maybe on Saturday. Rio Ruiz is the third...

Tags:

anthony santander austin hays cedric mullins dean kremer dj stewart eric hanhold fernando abad maikel franco orioles richie martin rio ruiz ryan mountcastle shawn armstrong wade leblanc frontstory_orioles1

Orioles lose Goudeau on waiver claim

March 18, 2021, 3:27pm

Orioles

The Orioles cleared a spot on their 40-man roster this afternoon in preparation for opening day in two weeks. The Giants have claimed right-hander Ashton Goudeau off waivers from the Orioles, paring the 40-man to 39 players. Goudeau appeared in two exhibition game, the most recent on Saturday against the Blue Jays in Dunedin, and allowed two runs and one hit in four innings. He walked two batters and struck out five. A rotation spot didn't seem available to Goudeau, but he was a candidate to...

Tags:

ashton goudeau austin wynns felix hernandez fernando abad hunter harvey maikel franco matt harvey orioles spring training wade leblanc featured_sidebar frontstory_orioles3

MASN airing two Orioles exhibition games in final week

March 18, 2021, 7:08am

Orioles

The final week of spring training is going to include four games broadcast on the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network - two Orioles and two Nationals. MASN is airing the following: March 23: Orioles vs. Rays, 1:05 p.m. March 25: Orioles vs. Pirates, 6:05 p.m. March 28: Nationals vs. Cardinals, 1:05 p.m. March 29: Nationals vs. Astros, 1:05 p.m. Orioles games also can be accessed on MLB.TV. Unless there's a sudden pitching shortage, the Orioles are playing nine innings for the rest of the spring. The...

Tags:

brandon hyde john means orioles spring training featured_sidebar frontstory_orioles3

Rutschman versus Witt setting up as fascinating follow

March 18, 2021, 5:04am

Orioles

Rutschman versus Witt setting up as fascinating follow

Here's a summer activity that might interest some fans. Track the performances of Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman and Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. Then stay on it through the rest of their professional careers. Rutschman is going to play for Double-A Bowie after games begin in early May. The Royals are suggesting that Witt could break camp with the team at 20 and with no experience beyond rookie ball. General manager Dayton Moore is on record as saying the team will be "very open-minded"...

Tags:

adley rutschman alan mills darell hernaiz gunnar henderson jordan westburg mike elias orioles featured_sidebar spring training frontstory_orioles3

Means and Hays the primary stars in Orioles' 5-2 win

March 17, 2021, 5:05pm

Orioles

The math is intertwined with logic to make left-hander John Means the opening day starter for the Orioles. It just isn't official. Means held the Braves to one run and two hits tonight in four innings, with no walks and four strikeouts. He's allowed two runs and four hits with eight strikeouts in his last two appearances covering eight innings. Putting him on the mound every fifth day aligns him to pitch on April 1 against the Red Sox at Fenway Park to begin the 2021 season. Done deal. Means...

Tags:

anthony santander ausitn hays brandon hyde cedric mullins cole sulser freddy galvis john means maikel franco orioles paul fry rio ruiz ryan mountcastle spring training tanner scott travis lakins sr. trey mancini featured_sidebar frontstory_orioles2

HernÃ¡ndez receiving treatment on sore elbow (plus other notes)

March 17, 2021, 12:54pm

Orioles

HernÃ¡ndez receiving treatment on sore elbow (plus other notes)

The early news on FÃ©lix HernÃ¡ndez is more encouraging than his premature exit yesterday. HernÃ¡ndez tossed a 1-2-3 first inning against the Rays and departed with soreness in his right elbow. "He came out of the game with elbow discomfort, he still has a little bit, we're just treating him today," manager Brandon Hyde said in his Zoom call. "He was in the training room just getting treatment on his elbow this afternoon." The Orioles aren't ready to speculate on whether...

Tags:

brandon hyde chris davis cole sulser dean kremer dj stewart felix hernandez john means maikel franco orioles paul fry pedro severino richie martin spring training tanner scott travis lakins sr. trey mancini featured_sidebar frontstory_orioles1

Orioles and Braves lineups, plus hearing from Franco

March 17, 2021, 10:11am

Orioles

The Orioles are breaking out a lineup tonight against the Braves that could come close to duplicating the opening day order. Cedric Mullins is in center field and batting first, with Trey Mancini following at first base. Anthony Santander is in right field and Ryan Mountcastle is in left and batting cleanup. Freddy Galvis and Yolmer SÃ¡nchez form the double play combination and Rio Ruiz is starting at third base. Austin Hays is the designated hitter, which is one of many combinations this...

Tags:

john means maikel franco orioles richie martin spring training frontstory_orioles3

Alan Mills eager to manage again

March 17, 2021, 5:05am

Orioles

Alan Mills is ready to manage again. The former Orioles reliever didn't leave baseball. It sort of left him. Hurricane Dorian washed away the end of the Gulf Coast League's regular season and playoffs in 2019, making the Orioles owners of the best record at 38-15 and Mills the choice as Manager of the Year. The minors were canceled last summer due to COVID-19. Mills stayed home in Lakeland, Fla., with no offer to serve as an instructor at the alternate camp site in Bowie or in the fall...

Tags:

alan mills kevin bradshaw orioles spring training featured_sidebar frontstory_orioles2

How the latest news jumbles the roster analysis

March 16, 2021, 4:13pm

Orioles

How the latest news jumbles the roster analysis

Make opening day roster plans and duck the wrenches thrown at them. The Orioles intended to carry first baseman Chris Davis, but he hasn't played since Feb. 28 due to a lower back injury. The result is likely a trip to the injured list, whether 10 or 60 days. Hunter Harvey was a candidate to serve as closer, or at least a high-leverage reliever, but he's on the 60-day injured list with a left oblique strain. FÃ©lix HernÃ¡ndez was signed to a minor league deal and penciled into the...