Roch Kubatko

Orioles back on hold while trying to maintain roll

August 02, 2020, 5:13pm

Orioles

The last ounce of certainty is lost for the Orioles today. They don't have a game. Everyone knew about the open date on their schedule that Major League Baseball handed to them over the weekend. But what happens next is a puzzle. The Orioles are supposed to play four games against the Marlins over the next three nights, which requires a doubleheader in order to make the math work. They haven't been told when it's happening or provided any start times. Tropical storm Isaias is expected to...

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Orioles celebrate rare series sweep (updated)

August 02, 2020, 12:03pm

Orioles

Renato NÃºÃ±ez lined a sinker from Rays starter Yonny Chirinos into the left field seats today, rounded the bases and did the social distance celebration. Every team has its own versions of it. NÃºÃ±ez was greeted at the dugout steps by a teammate who mimicked a chest bump, hand slap and spike tap. The high fives were more like waves. The Orioles would be thrilled to hold more air celebrations through the rest of the season. It's like splashing in an empty pool. Tommy Milone shut out...

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Ruiz scratched from lineup, Hays rested (plus other notes)

August 02, 2020, 8:45am

Orioles

Ruiz scratched from lineup, Hays rested (plus other notes)

Rio Ruiz has been scratched from the lineup today for unspecified reasons. He was supposed to play third base and bat cleanup. Pat Valaika, who delivered the walk-off single last night in the 11th inning, has replaced Ruiz at third. Orioles manager Brandon Hyde is sitting Austin Hays today, a decision based on performance rather than health. The center fielder isn't in the same category as first baseman Chris Davis and shortstop JosÃ© Iglesias, who are out of the lineup again due to...

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Orioles lineup vs. Rays

August 02, 2020, 6:40am

Orioles

Chris Davis and JosÃ© Iglesias remain out of the Orioles' lineup this afternoon as they go for their first series sweep since August 2018. Iglesias pinch-hit last night but didn't play in the field. Austin Hays also is on the bench today, with Hanser Alberto leading off. Cedric Mullins is playing center field. Rio Ruiz is batting cleanup and Andrew Velazquez is the shortstop. Renato NÃºÃ±ez replaces Davis at first base. Chance Sisco is the designated hitter. Left-hander Tommy Milone is...

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More thoughts on Bleier trade

August 01, 2020, 8:40pm

Orioles

The Orioles chose to walk off the field after last night's 5-4 win and leave their roster alone. They didn't execute a post-midnight trade and spring a Zoom conference call on an unsuspecting media. How boring. Digesting a Richard Bleier trade requires multiple stomachs. Only cows got it right away. My surface reaction went something like this: "What?" Bleier was a trade chip for sure and July 31 made sense in a normal season, but not necessarily in 2020 after six games. A team in desperate...

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Orioles win in 11 innings on Valaika single (updated)

August 01, 2020, 7:32pm

Orioles

The Orioles almost made it through tonight's game without committing an error, perhaps because they've gotten so good at handling everything thrown at them. Players are lost to injury or trade. Opponents change unexpectedly and games are rearranged like furniture. Manager Brandon Hyde puts out fires and jokes about dressing for the part. This team is only interested in staying hot. The Rays scored three runs in the top of the eighth inning to tie the game, taking advantage of Shawn...

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Notes on Bleier trade, Davis, Harvey, call-ups and more

August 01, 2020, 2:49pm

Orioles

Notes on Bleier trade, Davis, Harvey, call-ups and more

The Orioles have selected catcher Bryan Holaday's contract from the alternate camp site in Bowie, and he replaces reliever Richard Bleier on the 30-man roster. The move gives the Orioles 39 players on the 40-man roster. They're now carrying three catchers on the team. Bleier, 33, was traded to the Marlins late last night for a player to be named later. His production and leadership must be replaced. "Rich was one of our older players. We don't have a ton of them," said manager Brandon...

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Orioles lineup vs. Rays (Davis scratched)

August 01, 2020, 11:49am

Shortstop JosÃ© Iglesias remains out of the Orioles lineup tonight with a sore left quadriceps muscle. Chris Davis makes the start at first base. Dwight Smith Jr. is batting cleanup. He's 4-for-8 lifetime against Rays starter Tyler Glasnow. Chance Sisco is catching and Andrew Velazquez is the shortstop. Glasnow has made three career starts against the Orioles and allowed three runs with no walks and 20 strikeouts in 18 innings. Renato NÃºÃ±ez has a career .311 average (32-for-103)...

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Hyde keeps preaching importance of relievers throwing strikes

July 31, 2020, 8:45pm

Orioles

Hyde keeps preaching importance of relievers throwing strikes

The message that Orioles manager Brandon Hyde keeps preaching to his relievers about throwing strikes right away and getting ahead in counts is heard by everyone on the staff. The words bounce off the walls. It's the execution of that message that varies. And failures that make him want to bang his head on those same walls. Hyde was thrilled with Shawn Armstrong's outing in Wednesday night's series opener against the Yankees. Six up and six down. Only 20 pitches thrown in two innings. Only...

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Orioles get group effort in 6-3 win (Bleier traded to Marlins)

July 31, 2020, 8:10pm

Orioles

Alex Cobb thought he had a strikeout tonight to close the top of the first inning. He took a couple of steps toward the dugout and catcher Pedro Severino stood to join him. But plate umpire Ryan Additon said the split-changeup missed high, an opinion that replays and pitch charts disputed, and Yoshi Tsutsugo lined the next offering into the gap for a run-scoring double. The Orioles put two runners in scoring position with no outs in the bottom of the first and stranded them. These are the times...

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Hyde on Davis, Iglesias, Stewart, Eshelman and more

July 31, 2020, 2:35pm

Orioles

Hyde on Davis, Iglesias, Stewart, Eshelman and more

Now that Chris Davis has rejoined the Orioles after a two-game absence, he's likely to make it back into the lineup Saturday night against Rays right-hander Tyler Glasnow. Davis is on the bench tonight and available to play. And the speculation that swirled while he stayed home can be grounded. He didn't test positive for COVID-19 or opt out. "He feels good," manager Brandon Hyde said on his daily Zoom conference call. "Been texting with him the last couple days, also. It just sounds like...

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Orioles and Rays lineups

July 31, 2020, 1:30pm

Orioles

Chris Davis is out of tonight's lineup, but he's back with the Orioles. Davis confirmed in a Zoom call this afternoon that he had had a low fever due to a sinus infection. He underwent about eight tests for COVID-19 in the past few days that came back negative. Davis is on the bench against Rays left-hander Blake Snell. Shortstop JosÃ© Iglesias remains day-to-day with a sore left quadriceps muscle. Pat Valaika gets the start at first base tonight and Andrew Velazquez is the shortstop. DJ...

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Davis could return to Orioles tonight

July 30, 2020, 8:52pm

Orioles

The Orioles might be back to a full roster for tonight's series opener against the Rays at Camden Yards after playing a man down for the past two games. Chris Davis could be cleared to rejoin the team after being kept at home for precautionary reasons, according to an industry source. Davis hasn't tested positive for COVID-19, but he ran a low fever Wednesday morning and the Orioles placed him in the protocol. From what I've heard, the fever was related to his sinuses and he's undergone...

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Orioles down 5-4 in sixth with game in rain delay (O's lose 8-6)

July 30, 2020, 5:02pm

Orioles

Very little about the 2020 baseball season is going to approach normal, let alone fit the description like an oiled glove. Having John Means start for the Orioles tonight came pretty close. At least the moment that the bullpen gate swung open and he walked onto the field. The strict pitch count and expectations that he'd work three or four innings lent an unusual twist to the story, but the staff ace was back on the mound. Order restored to the rotation in the most literal sense. And then the...

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Notes on Davis, Iglesias, rotation and more

July 30, 2020, 1:04pm

Orioles

Notes on Davis, Iglesias, rotation and more

First baseman Chris Davis remains away from the Orioles as they finish their two-game series against the Yankees at Camden Yards. He also was absent from the ballpark last night. Manager Brandon Hyde isn't allowed to provide specific information on Davis, who's likely under COVID-19 protocol. The Orioles haven't replaced him on the active roster. "C.D. is still unavailable today," Hyde said during his Zoom conference call. "I'm going to leave it at that." Davis worked out with the team...

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Orioles lineup vs. Yankees

July 30, 2020, 11:14am

Orioles

The Orioles reinstated John Means from the 10-day injured list this afternoon and optioned reliever Cody Carroll to the alternate camp. Carroll, who has faced nine batters and retired only one, left the ballpark shortly before 3 p.m. Chris Davis and JosÃ© Iglesias are out of the lineup. The Orioles aren't explaining Davis' absence. Iglesias, who had an RBI double last night, is dealing with some tightness in his quadriceps muscle. Iglesias is a career .359 (42-for-117) hitter against the...

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This, that and the other

July 29, 2020, 8:08pm

Orioles

Orioles reliever Hunter Harvey left the alternate camp site in Bowie yesterday and joined his teammates at Camden Yards for the home opener. He arrived at the ballpark around 3 p.m. and headed through the gate reserved for players. Harvey was placed on the 10-day injured list with a right forearm strain and won't be activated today. However, left-hander John Means is coming off the IL and making the start against the Yankees. Manager Brandon Hyde already knew that Harvey and reliever Dillon...

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Home runs hurt Orioles again in home opener (updated)

July 29, 2020, 6:47pm

Orioles

The orange carpet wasn't unrolled tonight at Camden Yards. Players walked out of the dugouts and lined up sans the traditional introductions. The only bunting used was intended to advance a runner. The Orioles held their home opener in understated fashion, adapting to the new policies implemented because of the coronavirus pandemic. A video played at 7:12 p.m. celebrating baseball's return but also calling for an end to racial injustice and reminding everyone of the importance of wearing...

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Orioles trying to feel normal in unusual home opener

July 29, 2020, 1:54pm

Orioles

The Orioles took batting practice this afternoon on a field that looked as it did for intrasquad games and an exhibition. Nothing to indicate that they were going to hold their home opening day. No pomp due to the circumstances. They didn't need any frills. They just wanted to get settled in their own ballpark after the scare they received earlier in the week in Miami. "We're extremely excited for opening day here," manager Brandon Hyde said during his Zoom conference call. "It's...

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Davis away from ballpark for tonight's home opener

July 29, 2020, 12:48pm

Orioles

Davis away from ballpark for tonight's home opener

Chris Davis admitted last night that his safety concerns increased after seeing reports of the positive COVID-19 tests among Marlins players. He also said he'd probably wear a mask at first base. Davis gave the impression that he'd be playing in tonight's home opener against the Yankees, but he's absent from the lineup and away from the team. Renato NÃºÃ±ez has replaced Davis in the field and the Orioles are short one player. "CD, he's not here today," manager Brandon Hyde said...