Early notes on Jones, defense and Britton (O's lose 10-8)

Early notes on Jones, defense and Britton (O's lose 10-8)
The rain has stopped at Camden Yards, the sun is shining and the tarp is peeled back off the infield. It remains folded in the outfield. I'd feel better if it were rolled up. Adam Jones is back in the lineup tonight after missing two of the last three games with "general soreness," as manager Buck Showalter put it. Mostly in his legs. "Better," Showalter said. "He's ready to go. We'll see. He got shortened up a couple games in New York, so I'm hoping he's over some of that Toronto...

Orioles and Red Sox lineups

Orioles and Red Sox lineups
Pedro Álvarez is the designated hitter tonight and Austin Hays is in right field, as the Orioles begin their final homestand with a three-game series against the Red Sox. Adam Jones has returned to the lineup and is batting cleanup. Xander Bogaerts is 7-for-20 (.350) with two doubles and a home run against Dylan Bundy. Doug Fister had allowed two runs or fewer in four consecutive starts before surrendering six in four innings against the Athletics on Wednesday. He held the Orioles to two...

Orioles keep reaching down to Double-A for reinforcements

Orioles keep reaching down to Double-A for reinforcements
The Orioles just concluded a road trip that only felt like it lasted a month. The game count was 10 with no off-days. But it was the ultimate grind. Sausage could be made out of this trip. Players won't concede the season. They're just not wired that way. Being 5 ½ back for the second wild card and four below .500 spells October vacation, but they firmly believe that they have another run in them. Not scoring one run. Hold the jokes. No one knows whether the Orioles are done fiddling with...

Wrapping up a 6-4 win

Wrapping up a 6-4 win
NEW YORK - Orioles manager Buck Showalter had to pick his poison today. The club lived to tell about it. Showalter ordered an intentional walk to rookie slugger Aaron Judge in the bottom of the ninth inning with Jacoby Ellsbury on third base, two outs and the Orioles clinging to a 6-4 lead over the Yankees. Gary Sánchez batted as the potential winning run against closer Zach Britton and struck out. The Orioles won for only the second time in their last 11 games, avoided a sweep in the Bronx...

Orioles avoid sweep in Bronx with 6-4 win

Orioles avoid sweep in Bronx with 6-4 win
NEW YORK - Tim Beckham was slumping, the Orioles were sinking, and their shortstop figured he just needed to keep swinging. It felt good to get back to winning. Beckham's three-run homer off Sonny Gray in the top of the fourth gave the Orioles a little breathing room and Ubaldo Jiménez struck out 10 batters in five innings in a 6-4 victory over the Yankees before an announced crowd of 38,189. It didn't qualify as a Bronx beating, with the Yankees rallying to within two runs, but the...

Scott promoted: "Wow, I wasn't expecting that" (O's up 6-4)

Scott promoted: "Wow, I wasn't expecting that" (O's up 6-4)
NEW YORK - Tanner Scott had returned to his home in Ohio following the Eastern League playoffs, figuring that his next pitch would come in the Arizona Fall League. He never expected to receive a phone call informing him of his promotion to the Orioles. Director of player development Brian Graham delivered the news, which led to Scott's placement yesterday on the taxi squad. The Orioles selected his contract this morning from Double-A Bowie and he's in the bullpen for the series finale at...

Orioles DFA Richard Rodriguez (plus notes and lineups)

Orioles DFA Richard Rodriguez (plus notes and lineups)
NEW YORK - The Orioles selected the contract of left-hander Tanner Scott this morning, removing him from the taxi squad, and designated pitcher Richard Rodriguez for assignment. The club will know by 1 p.m. whether Rodriguez cleared waivers. He posted a 14.29 ERA in five relief appearances this month. Adam Jones is out of the lineup again today due to some soreness in his legs. The turf in Toronto wasn't kind to him. Austin Hays is in center field. Trey Mancini is batting fourth. The Orioles...

Showalter says Tillman still "in the options" to start

Showalter says Tillman still "in the options" to start
NEW YORK - As another game in the Bronx spiraled out of control for the Orioles, Chris Tillman rose from his seat in the visiting bullpen in the bottom of the eighth inning and began to warm up. Tillman didn't pitch in Friday night's 8-2 loss, but he came close. Manager Buck Showalter was getting ready to make the move. Richard Bleier served up a home run to Greg Bird before recording the final out, and Tillman sat down. Yesterday provided another chance for Tillman, who replaced starter...

More bad times in Bronx for Orioles in 9-3 loss (with quotes)

More bad times in Bronx for Orioles in 9-3 loss (with quotes)
NEW YORK - Jeremy Hellickson walked Chase Headley today with two outs in the bottom of the third inning and received a group visit from head athletic trainer Richie Bancells, manager Buck Showalter and pitching coach Roger McDowell. Only three of them returned to the dugout. Hellickson stayed on the mound without throwing a single warmup pitch. Whatever happened to initiate the meeting must have passed. If only the same could be said for everything that's ailing the Orioles over the final...

Orioles' young pitchers lectured this morning (O's down 9-0)

Orioles' young pitchers lectured this morning (O's down 9-0)
NEW YORK - Orioles manager Showalter and pitching coach Roger McDowell met with four of their young pitchers before today's game to stress the importance of holding runners and increasing times to the plate. Miguel Castro was in the group after Aaron Judge stole second base off him in Friday night's 8-2 loss. Rookie Jimmy Yacabonis also attended the meeting. "I said, 'You're not going to survive up here if you're that slow to the plate. You're not going to,' " Showalter said. "Go talk...

Showalter on Scott's arrival and today's lineup

Showalter on Scott's arrival and today's lineup
NEW YORK - Left-hander Tanner Scott had a work day this morning and will come off the taxi squad before Sunday afternoon's series finale against the Yankees. The Orioles are discussing the corresponding 40-man roster move necessary to create a spot for Scott, 23, who went 0-2 with a 2.22 ERA in 24 starts at Double-A Bowie. He allowed 45 hits, walked 46 batters and struck out 87 in 69 innings. "Tanner is in the building," said manager Buck Showalter. "He hasn't pitched in a week, so he's...

Orioles and Yankees lineups

Orioles and Yankees lineups
NEW YORK - Left-hander Tanner Scott has arrived at Yankee Stadium, though he's expected to be on the taxi squad today before the Orioles select his contract from Double-A Bowie on Sunday. J.J .Hardy is in today's lineup, his first appearance since coming off the disabled list Sept. 8. He hasn't started since June 18. Tim Beckham is the designated hitter against left-hander Jordan Montgomery and Austin Hays is in right field. Mark Trumbo and Chris Davis are on the bench. Adam Jones is back in...

J.J. Hardy on sitting, mentoring and final homestand

J.J. Hardy on sitting, mentoring and final homestand
NEW YORK - The first sign that Orioles manager Buck Showalter was ready to empty his bench Thursday night came in the bottom of the sixth inning when Austin Hays headed out to center field as the replacement for Adam Jones. Showalter would step out of the dugout again before the top of the seventh to alert plate umpire Brian O'Nora of more changes. As the bottom half unfolded, Hays shifted over to right field and Joey Rickard took over in center. Rule 5 pick Anthony Santander played left...

Orioles fall four games below .500 with 8-2 loss (with quotes)

Orioles fall four games below .500 with 8-2 loss (with quotes)
NEW YORK - The leash on Gabriel Ynoa tonight stretched only into the fifth inning, giving him enough slack to throw 64 pitches. He came out of a tie game at Yankee Stadium following a one-out walk. Miguel Castro got busy again. Castro also got burned. Didi Gregorius hit a two-run homer off Castro to put the Yankees in front, and the Orioles continued their freefall with a 8-2 loss before an announced crowd of 40,460. The Orioles (72-76) have lost eight of nine games, moving four below .500 for...

Showalter on Jones, Hays, Hardy and Ynoa (O's down 4-2)

Showalter on Jones, Hays, Hardy and Ynoa (O's down 4-2)
NEW YORK - Orioles manager Buck Showalter decided to rest Adam Jones tonight. Or more specifically, the center fielder's legs. Austin Hays is playing center field in his first major league start. Jones is expected back in the lineup on Saturday afternoon. "The turf bit him pretty good over in Toronto, and the couple pickoff plays at second that kind of made him wince a little bit," Showalter said. "I thought it was best to give him a day, especially with the 4 o'clock and 1 o'clock. He's...

Tanner Scott likely to have contract selected over weekend

Tanner Scott likely to have contract selected over weekend
NEW YORK - The Orioles aren't done bringing up their top prospects over the final weeks of the season. Left-hander Tanner Scott is expected to join the club in New York this weekend, according to an industry source. Scott would join catcher Chance Sisco and outfielder Austin Hays as additions to the expanded roster. Scott, 23, went 0-2 with a 2.22 ERA in 24 starts at Double-A Bowie, with 17 runs and 45 hits in 69 innings. He walked 46 batters and struck out 87, and opponents batted .188...

Orioles and Yankees lineups

Orioles and Yankees lineups
NEW YORK - Austin Hays is making his first major league start tonight, replacing Adam Jones in center field. Manager Buck Showalter wants to give Jones a night off before the two day games that follow. Pedro Álvarez is serving as the designated hitter in his first start of 2017. Trey Mancini leads all rookies with 42 multi-hit games. Tim Beckham is 10-for-54 (.185) this month. Chris Davis is 6-for-45 (.133) with 21 strikeouts. The Orioles and Rays are tied for third place in the American...

Wondering what's next and a look at tonight's matchup

Wondering what's next and a look at tonight's matchup
NEW YORK - Last night's 13-5 victory assured the Yankees of their first season series win over the Orioles since 2013. Must be all those runs. Aaron Judge has hit 11 home runs against the Orioles, the most by a Yankees player versus any opponent in a single season since Roger Maris had 13 against the White Sox and Mickey Mantle had 11 against the Senators in 1961. Judge has scored 27 runs against the Orioles, the most by any player against any team in a single season since Willie Mays' 28...

O's take beating in the Bronx with 13-5 loss (with quotes)

O's take beating in the Bronx with 13-5 loss (with quotes)
NEW YORK - If a starter falls on hard times in the Bronx and doesn't make a sound, did it really happen? Left-hander Wade Miley turned in the shortest outing of his career tonight, allowing six runs and retiring only one batter, and the Orioles suffered another embarrassing defeat to the Yankees, 13-5, before an announced crowd of 37,128. The PA system was on the fritz until Miley was on the bench, his 19th and final pitch resulting in Todd Frazier's three-run homer. Miley faced seven batters...

Jiménez starting on Sunday (O's down 13-2)

Jiménez starting on Sunday (O's down 13-2)
NEW YORK - Ubaldo Jiménez is expected to start Sunday afternoon's series finale against the Yankees after the Orioles had listed the spot as TBD. Manager Buck Showalter wants to give Dylan Bundy extra rest again, pushing back the right-hander to the home series against the Red Sox that begins Monday night. The choice basically came down to Jiménez or Chris Tillman. "We've got really only two options there," Showalter said. "Ubaldo's coming off a good start, so it will probably be...