Stevie Wilkerson hasn't batted in the leadoff spot in the majors until tonight. However, he isn't a novice.
Wilkerson has been perched atop the order at Clemson University and in the minors.
"I've hit almost everywhere one through nine at some point in my career," he said. "I do have some experience hitting leadoff."
It won't change his approach - a question that's always asked when someone rises to the top.
"Not really," he said. "A lot of it is still dictated by the situation in...
The Orioles are switching leadoff hitters again tonight, with Stevie Wilkerson getting the call for the first time.
Rio Ruiz is batting cleanup and Hanser Alberto has moved down to eighth after collecting a career-high four hits last night while atop the order.
Jonathan Villar is playing shortstop and batting fifth. Chris Davis returns to first base after sitting out last night's 10-7 loss. Austin Wynns is catching.
Alberto is 10-for-22 (.455) in seven games against the Yankees this season and...
Orioles manager Brandon Hyde can envision how he'd like to line up his bullpen, though some of the names could change. How he'd want an innings-eater or two in long relief, a couple of left-handers and sturdy bridges to closer Mychal Givens, who in an ideal setting would be saved for the last inning.
The games and certain individuals won't allow it to come to fruition.
Gabriel Ynoa allowed one run in his first 11 1/3 innings after the Orioles selected his contract, I wrote about him and now...
The fundamentals that Orioles manager Brandon Hyde demands of his team, no matter how far away it sits from contention, disappeared tonight along with a late-inning lead. And the outcome was predictable.
The Yankees scored four runs in the ninth while taking advantage of poor throws and a missed pop up and produced a 10-7 win over the Orioles before an announced crowd of 16,457 at Camden Yards.
Mychal Givens couldn't get the four-out save. The Orioles couldn't rescue him while falling to...
The Orioles needed a fresh bullpen arm tonight to begin a four-game series against the Yankees and they brought Josh Lucas to the majors for the second time this season.
His contract has been selected again from Triple-A Norfolk and he's available to pitch in relief.
Lucas has made only four appearances with the Tides since the Orioles designated him for assignment on April 22.
"Just trying to be more repeatable, just get my mechanics right," he said. "Tinkered with a couple things here and...
The Orioles have replaced Yefry Ramirez with Josh Lucas in their latest attempt to find a fresh and productive bullpen arm.
Lucas had his contract selected this afternoon from Triple-A Norfolk, with pitcher Nate Karns moving to the 60-day injured list to free up room on the 40-man roster.
Lucas made three appearances with the Orioles before they designated him for assignment and outrighted him. He allowed two earned runs (three total) and four hits in 4 1/3 innings before coming off the 40-man...
The Orioles concluded a road trip yesterday that didn't cooperate in any fashion.
The weather worked against them. The opponents worked against them. Pitching, hitting and defense broke down at various stages, leading to five losses in the six games and a 15-31 record heading into a four-game series against the Yankees that begins tonight at Camden Yards.
The Yankees swept a doubleheader Wednesday that followed back-to-back postponements due to unplayable field conditions and the threat of...
The Orioles close out their four-game series today against the Indians, and their road trip, with Hanser Alberto at second base and Jonathan Villar playing shortstop.
Renato Núñez is the designated hitter while Trey Mancini goes back to right field.
Stevie Wilkerson continues to play center field and bat fifth.
Austin Wynns is catching Yefry Ramirez.
Indians right-hander Shane Bieber is 2-2 with a 3.81 ERA and 1.087 WHIP in nine games (eight starts) covering 49 2/3 innings. He's...
The Orioles flirted with the idea of switching to a six-man rotation earlier in the year and now they're doing it - for one game.
The doubleheader in New York forced manager Brandon Hyde to find another starter today in Cleveland instead of using someone on short rest and he's chosen right-hander Yefry Ramirez.
The alternative would have been an opener or recalling a starter from the minors, with left-hander Josh Rogers one of the possibilities.
Gabriel Ynoa threw 54 pitches in relief...
Joey Rickard is in right field today and Trey Mancini is the designated hitter as the Orioles try to build on last night's 5-1 win over the Indians.
Chris Davis continues to bat cleanup, with Stevie Wilkerson behind him. Richie Martin is the shortstop and Pedro Severino is catching.
John Means is making his seventh start and 11th appearance. He's 5-3 with a 2.33 ERA and 1.034 WHIP in 38 2/3 innings.
Left-handers are 3-for-28 with 12 strikeouts against Means, who's allowed one earned run in...
Austin Hays indulged a reporter yesterday by taking inventory of his health.
"I feel really good," he said, having unfortunately grown accustomed to the initial line of questioning. "My legs feel good, my thumb feels good, my ankle still feels good, like it did during spring training. So my body's healthy and I'm moving in the right direction."
This is the most important aspect of Hays' professional life. Not the one hit in 18 at-bats through four games of his injury rehab assignment at...
Richie Martin is playing shortstop tonight and Chris Davis is batting cleanup again as the Orioles continue their series in Cleveland.
Austin Wynns is catching right-hander Dylan Bundy.
Indians right-hander Jefry Rodriguez is 1-2 with a 2.92 ERA and 1.176 WHIP in four starts over 24 2/3 innings. He's surrendered only two home runs.
Rodriguez's last three starts have been quality by definition and he came within one-third of an inning in his season debut. His first major league start came...
Dylan Bundy was supposed to open the four-game series in Cleveland last night until two days of rain in New York necessitated an adjustment of the Orioles' pitching plans.
Dan Straily took the mound last night after missing the Yankees and allowed four runs and six hits in 3 1/3 innings. Bundy goes tonight, knowing that the radar readings at Progressive Field will garner most of the attention.
Manager Brandon Hyde removed Bundy from his last start after only 80 pitches, the right-hander losing...
Chris Davis is batting in the cleanup spot again tonight as the Orioles start their four-game series in Cleveland.
Jonathan Villar is playing shortstop, with Richie Martin again moving to the bench. Martin has been sitting frequently against right-handers and the Indians are starting four of them in the series.
Pedro Severino is catching.
Dan Straily gets another chance to reverse a tough start with the Orioles. He's appeared in seven games and posted an 8.23 ERA and 1.829 WHIP over 27 1/3...
The Orioles have made a significant adjustment to reliever Richard Bleier's pitching schedule.
He won't report to Triple-A Norfolk as planned.
He won't stay in the minors.
Bleier was removed from his injury rehab assignment at Single-A Frederick this afternoon and activated from the 10-day injured list, giving the bullpen a second left-hander along with Paul Fry as the Orioles begin a four-game series tonight in Cleveland.
The corresponding roster move again involves reliever Jimmy...
NEW YORK - The Orioles had become roster move slackers after lots of early activity, but they're trying to pick up the pace again.
They optioned reliever Evan Phillips on Saturday, recalled him yesterday as the 26th man for the doubleheader, returned him to Triple-A Norfolk after Game 2 and were prepared to recall left-hander Josh Rogers.
Rogers was on standby for a flight to Cleveland, where the Orioles begin a four-game series tonight. The Tides are in Toledo, making for a short trip. But it...
NEW YORK - Following a game that featured four more home runs hit off Orioles pitching, Andrew Cashner seemed to find a solution in the nightcap by limiting the contact against him.
Can't drive the ball over the fence if you can't touch it.
Cashner struck out six of the first nine batters he faced. A four-seam fastball averaging 93.87 mph, according to brooksbaseball.net, was sitting at 96.
The Yankees didn't get their first hit until DJ LeMahieu's comebacker with two outs in the third...
NEW YORK - Catcher Austin Wynns didn't intend to serve as a team spokesman this afternoon as he stepped outside of the visiting clubhouse and met the media. But he was asked about the 88 home runs surrendered by Orioles pitching in 41 games, putting them on pace to shatter the major league record. A question placed on a tee.
Wynns expressed feelings that no doubt are shared in every corner.
"We lead the league in home runs," he said following a 5-3 loss to the Yankees in the first game of...
NEW YORK - Dwight Smith Jr. is the Orioles' designated hitter for the nightcap of today's doubleheader, with Joey Rickard moving from center field to left and Trey Mancini staying in right.
Stevie Wilkerson is in center field.
Jonathan Villar is the shortstop and Hanser Alberto is playing second base.
Chris Davis is the cleanup hitter after batting seventh in the opening game.
For the Orioles Jonathan Villar SS Dwight Smith Jr. DH Trey Mancini RF Chris Davis 1B Stevie Wilkerson CF Rio Ruiz 3B...
NEW YORK - David Hess had to wait two days to make his start against the Yankees. The sun came out, the field dried and he was able to pitch in ideal conditions.
Little else seemed to go right for Hess. Mostly the weather.
Hess surrendered a career-high four home runs while taking over the major league lead, and the Orioles lost the first game of the doubleheader 5-3 at Yankee Stadium.
The 14 home runs off Hess are one more than the Angels' Trevor Cahill has allowed this season. The Yankees...