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BOSTON – Jim Henneman, the longtime Baltimore sportswriter and Orioles official scorer affectionately known as “Henny,” passed away last night. He was 89.
Henneman has been battling health issues but he made it down to Sarasota again for spring training and attended home Opening Day. He was moved into hospice care this week.
The Orioles renamed the press box in Henneman’s honor in January 2024, a gesture that brought him to tears.
“I can’t imagine a better honor,” he said.
The team issued a statement this morning, saying it was “heartbroken” to share the news.
BOSTON - The Red Sox flip-flopped starters for today’s doubleheader, using the rainout to move Brayan Bello ahead of Lucas Giolito. The Orioles are sticking with left-hander Cade Povich for Game 1 but haven’t committed to a starter for the nightcap.
Charlie Morton was listed for tonight before the weather forced a fourth postponement. He could get the ball anyway, or the Orioles could use an opener ahead of him, move Zach Eflin to Game 2 on normal rest rather than wait until Saturday, or choose a pitcher who’s called up as the 27th man.
It won’t be Chayce McDermott because he was optioned Wednesday.
Left-hander Trevor Rogers, also on the 40-man roster, hasn’t started for Triple-A Norfolk since May 16 and he’s listed as tonight’s starter against the St. Paul Saints. He’s allowed 12 earned runs (13 total) and 16 hits with six walks and 15 strikeouts in 13 1/3 innings.
The 40-man isn’t really a consideration because the Orioles have two openings.
BOSTON – With rain in the forecast throughout the day and night, the Orioles must endure their fourth postponement of the 2025 season.
Makes it harder to carry the momentum from yesterday’s 11-inning win in Milwaukee.
The Orioles and Red Sox will play a split doubleheader on Friday, with Game 1 at 1:35 p.m. and Game 2 at 7:10 p.m.
Both teams get a 27th man.
The Orioles already made up two of their first three postponed games, being swept in a doubleheader in Detroit and at home against the Twins. They have a day-night doubleheader against the Blue Jays on July 29 at Camden Yards.
The Orioles avoided a third consecutive series sweep yesterday. They didn’t fold after losing leads in the ninth and 10th innings. Félix Bautista allowed a run in his fourth consecutive appearance, but hey, at least he was cleared to pitch on back-to-back days.
Interim manager Tony Mansolino could enjoy the flight to Boston. The losing streak ended at eight. The Orioles improved to 1-27 when trailing after the seventh.
Can’t make up all the ground in one game. Yesterday was a start.
Let’s tackle a few questions this morning. This time, I’ll do the asking.
* Did the Orioles make the right choice with the rotation?
Reliever Andrew Kittredge is on the verge of finally making his Orioles debut.
The Orioles reinstated Kittredge from the 15-day injured list this morning and optioned Chayce McDermott to Triple-A Norfolk.
Kittredge made only one appearance in spring training before undergoing surgery to repair cartilage in his left knee. He signed for $10 million over the winter.
McDermott allowed three runs and walked five batters in 4 2/3 innings in his third career major league appearance and was optioned after the game.
The bullpen has an extra reliever today as the Orioles try to snap an eight-game losing streak and avoid a third consecutive sweep. They’ve fallen 17 games below .500.
The Orioles lost Game 2 of last Wednesday’s doubleheader against the Twins after former manager Brandon Hyde handed Yennier Cano the ball in the eighth inning and watched him allow three runs. This was an automatic and understandable move, using the primary and rested set-up man to protect a 6-5 lead before passing it on to closer Félix Bautista.
The critics came after Hyde again for no good reason. It was the right decision, it blew up like so many others in 2025, and Cano’s ERA was inflated from 2.70 to 4.40.
Interim manager Tony Mansolino summoned Cano in the eighth inning Monday night with the score tied in Milwaukee. Cano got the first two outs, but a full-count walk and stolen base preceded William Contreras’ ground ball single to give the Brewers a 5-4 win.
First base was open, but the Orioles pitched to Contreras, who finished with four hits.
“We have a ton of faith in Yenni,” Mansolino said. “Yenni’s one of our guys. We really like Yenni, really in any situation. So we bet on our guy, it didn’t work out. We’ll do it again next time.”
The Orioles released Kyle Gibson this afternoon after he cleared waivers. He was designated for assignment on Sunday.
The outcome was predictable with Gibson paid $5.25 million this year.
The door could remain ajar for Gibson’s return to the organization, perhaps agreeing to another deal that allows for the veteran to pitch in the minors in a second attempted ramp-up.
Gibson signed his contract on March 21 and lasted only four starts, compiling a 16.78 ERA and 2.919 WHIP. He allowed 23 runs and 29 hits in 12 1/3 innings, with seven walks and 10 strikeouts.
Ramón Laureano, who’s 11 for his last 19, remains the cleanup hitter tonight. Heston Kjerstad is in left field and batting eighth.
The Orioles are trying to get healthier after injuries hit them early again, and the news on outfielder Colton Cowser leaves them more encouraged.
Cowser is reporting to High-A Aberdeen today for pregame workouts, and his rehab assignment begins Wednesday if the weather cooperates.
Cowser fractured his left thumb in the fourth game of the season while diving into first base at Rogers Centre in Toronto. He was transferred to the 60-day injured list and can be reinstated on May 30.
The loss has been felt all season with the Orioles' offense slashing .230/.298/.388. They’re batting .198 with a .612 OPS with runners in scoring position.
A runner-up finish last season in Rookie of the Year voting in the American League raised expectations for Cowser. He began the season 2-for-16 against the Blue Jays and broke the thumb trying to beat out a ground ball.
As the Orioles try to fight through a disappointing start to their season, fans can more easily check on prospects and other young players in the farm system.
The Mid-Atlantic Sports Network announced this morning that select Orioles and Nationals minor league affiliate games will air live across MASN, MASN2, and MASN+ beginning this month.
“We are excited to announce the addition of these minor league games, which will allow both Nationals and Orioles fans to see the franchises’ stars of tomorrow on MASN today and further connect them to their teams,” Greg Bader, MASN executive vice president and general manager, said in a statement.
MASN announced last month the launching of MASN+, a direct-to-consumer streaming option allowing in-market fans the option to watch Orioles and Nationals baseball with no blackouts and no cable or satellite subscription.
Here are the available games:
One of the most predictable qualities of Orioles teams is the unpredictability of the daily lineup postings.
Pitching splits might influence some decisions or they can go largely ignored. Players rarely camp out in the exact same spot in the order. Hit first in one game and maybe seventh or eighth in the next. A few starts in a row can be followed by a few nights spent leaning on the dugout railing and waiting to spit water after a double.
The Orioles have used seven leadoff, No. 2 and No. 3 hitters this season, nine cleanup, No. 5 and No. 9 hitters, and 10 No. 6 and 7 hitters. Dylan Carlson last night became the 12th player to bat eighth.
The manager has the final say, but the crafting is a collaborative effort with the analytics and advance scouting departments providing data and input. Tony Mansolino, working under the interim tag, isn’t going to be the exact same as Brandon Hyde. He’ll get the same information but try to find ways to stir up a stagnant offense.
Mansolino’s first lineup on Saturday had three left-handed hitters in the first three spots – Jackson Holliday, Ryan O’Hearn and Gunnar Henderson. Hyde wasn’t always comfortable having that many players in a row batting from the same side.
The Orioles have put pitcher Chayce McDermott on their taxi squad tonight in Milwaukee, which likely makes him Tuesday night’s starter against the Brewers. The spot is listed as TBA.
McDermott was the 27th man in Game 2 of Wednesday’s doubleheader against the Twins and allowed four runs in three innings before the Orioles returned him to Triple-A Norfolk. He walked three batters and struck out five.
Being the 27th man allows him to return to the majors without waiting the minimum 15 days.
Jackson Holliday is leading off tonight and Ramón Laureano is the cleanup hitter. Ramón Urías is playing third base, Dylan Carlson is in left field and Maverick Handley is catching.
Adley Ruschman is on the bench.
The emotions running through Tony Mansolino are best described as mixed.
He’s a first-time major league manager but on an interim basis. He’s living the baseball dream but at the expense of friend Brandon Hyde. And he can’t say with any certainty why he’s sitting in that chair inside that office.
“That’s probably a better question for him. I’m not sure,” Mansolino said yesterday, referring to executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias.
“I’ve been here for five years. I feel like I probably built some equity in the building through my time here, so I’m sure that had a little something to do with it.”
It didn’t hurt, but we’re working under assumptions.
Tony Mansolino stood on the top step of the Orioles’ dugout this afternoon with his arms folded. He extended them while leaning against the railing with his fingers locked. He pulled out a card from his back pocket. He did all of it within about a minute in the top of the second inning, while another game got away from the team he now manages.
Like his players, he couldn't get comfortable.
The Nationals hit four homers off Zach Eflin on four different pitches in 1 1/3 innings to tie his career high. They hung seven runs on the board through the second. And they became the latest opponent to sweep the Orioles with a 10-4 victory before an announced crowd of 37,264 at Camden Yards.
The loss is the sixth in a row for the Orioles, 12th in 14 games and 19th in 25 to lower their record to 15-30. They didn’t lose their 30th game last year until June 25.
"I don’t think there’s really any words I can tell you," Eflin said. "It’s frustrating, it sucks. Losing is not fun by any means. We’re not necessarily having fun right now. We want to go out and win every single game that we play, and it’s just not happening right now. Don’t really have much more to elaborate on that."
The Orioles made a significant change in pitchers today, designating veteran Kyle Gibson for assignment and recalling Kade Strowd from Triple-A Norfolk.
The door remains open for Gibson to stay in the organization, but he’s removed from the active roster after compiling a 16.78 ERA and 2.919 WHIP in four starts. He allowed 23 runs and 29 hits in 12 1/3 innings, with seven walks and 10 strikeouts.
The Orioles haven’t named a starter for Tuesday and it could be Chayce McDermott, who served as the 27th man in the doubleheader. Charlie Morton has allowed two runs in his last two relief appearances covering 7 1/3 innings, and he could be a consideration later. He held the Nationals to one run and two hits yesterday in 4 1/3 after replacing Gibson, who surrendered six runs in two-thirds of an inning.
Gibson didn’t blame a short ramp-up for yesterday’s issues, but he signed a $5.25 million contract on March 21, made three appearances in the minors and joined the team that he pitched for in 2023. It never worked out.
The first six batters reached against Gibson yesterday.
Outfielder Tyler O’Neill is back on the injured list, this time with a left shoulder impingement.
The Orioles recalled outfielder Dylan Carlson to replace O’Neill, who was out previously with inflammation in his neck.
O’Neill is batting .188/.280/.325 with three doubles, a triple and two home runs in 24 games. He hasn’t played since Thursday and was scratched from Friday’s lineup.
This is O'Neill's 16th career trip to the IL.
Carlson is recalled for the third time, the last two for O’Neill. He was on the taxi squad this weekend. He’s 0-for-15 with eight strikeouts.
The clubhouse was quiet and sparsely populated yesterday, which didn’t hint at a managerial change by the Orioles or other dramatic move. Most of the players were on the field, and confirmation came later with media access delayed by the firings of Brandon Hyde and major league field coordinator Tim Cossins and a meeting led by executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias.
The price was paid for a free fall after the Orioles split the season-opening four-game series in Toronto. Elias said in a statement that the poor start was “ultimately my responsibility,” and he was tasked with making “difficult changes in order to set a different course for the future.”
The present was where the Orioles wanted to maintain focus as they prepared to play the penultimate game of their latest homestand before flying to Milwaukee and Boston for Tony Mansolino’s first road trip as manager.
The 10-6 loss to the Nationals looked and felt like so many others during his rough stretch. Their concentration was tested. Emotions had to be pushed down. The late rally was encouraging, but no one celebrated anything resembling a morale victory.
They need a lot more of the real ones.
Tony Mansolino carried his own lineup card to home plate this afternoon, decked out in orange from chest to ankles. His first game as a major league manager, and the Orioles put him in an alternate uniform from the early ‘70s. Brightly lit on a dark day after Brandon Hyde’s dismissal.
The alternative for Mansolino would have been to stay in his role as third base coach, but the Orioles fired Hyde this morning and left him in charge of a team that lost 17 of its last 23 games.
As it turned out, only the vantage point changed.
The first six batters reached against Kyle Gibson, with a wild pitch and misplayed line drive dumped into the mix. The Orioles fell behind by six runs after the Nationals batted around, rallied late and lost 10-6 before an announced crowd of 28,208 at Camden Yards that voiced its displeasure in the same manner as before.
Jackson Holliday hit a three-run homer off Zach Brzykcy in the ninth, but the slide has reached five games in a row and 11 of 13 to leave the Orioles' record at 15-29. The Nationals will try for the sweep on Sunday before the Orioles board their charter flight.
The slow and disappointing start to the Orioles’ 2025 season has cost manager Brandon Hyde his job.
The Orioles fired Hyde this morning, the news coming after they lost last night for the 17th time in 23 games. Major league field coordinator and catching instructor Tim Cossins, who worked out of the bullpen, also was relieved of his duties.
Third base coach Tony Mansolino will serve as interim manager of a 15-28 team that sits in last place in the American League East, 10 ½ games behind the first-place Yankees. It was expected to contend for a World Series.
“As the head of baseball operations, the poor start to our season is ultimately my responsibility,” executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias said in a statement. “Part of that responsibility is pursuing difficult changes in order to set a different course for the future.
“I want to thank Brandon for his hard work, dedication and passion all these years, and for returning the team to the playoffs and winning an AL East Championship. His many positive contributions to this organization and to Baltimore will remain, and we wish he and his family the best.”
Brandon Hyde walked into the auxiliary clubhouse again yesterday, also known as “the interview room,” where a table, chair and microphone are set up for him and the media waits for his arrival. Injury updates are a popular topic on this club, and the first questions focused on Tyler O’Neill’s removal from the lineup due to a sore left shoulder, Heston Kjerstad’s right elbow and the lack of a timeline on Gary Sánchez, who wears a brace on his injured right wrist and isn’t doing any baseball activities.
The Orioles had lost nine of their last 11 games and 16 of 22, with another defeat coming later, and it would be neglectful to only take the temperature of the clubhouse as players try to cope with the adversity and search for a way to fix it. The manager’s office also can be a dark place.
Hyde made it through the rebuild, won back-to-back Sporting News Manager of the Year awards and one from the Baseball Writers’ Association of America, guided the Orioles to consecutive playoff appearances and hopped on the speculative hot seat this season.
It doesn’t take long to feel the heat.
Executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias has offered his support of Hyde in numerous interviews in media scrums, on the radio and on podcasts. It felt like a tour except he wasn’t seeking out venues. The requests poured in and he accepted, as if knowing that the subject had to be addressed.
There are moments that in an instant seem to encapsulate the Orioles’ 2025 season. You just have to look for them. They really aren’t hard to find.
The latest example came tonight when they stranded three runners in the first inning and immediately fell behind, a nasty predicament for a team that was 4-19 when the opponent scored first and too often putty in the hands of a lefty starter.
Change is good and the Orioles desperately needed it. They toyed with it. But old issues keep resurfacing.
They collected 10 hits off the Nationals’ MacKenzie Gore in 3 2/3 innings, broke a tie on Ramón Urías sacrifice fly in his third attempt with the bases full, were tied again and lost 4-3 at Camden Yards on a two-out infield single in the ninth inning off Félix Bautista.
Anything that could go wrong did go wrong.
