Sale presents latest challenge for Orioles

Sale presents latest challenge for Orioles
The Orioles get a break today from opposing Cy Young Award winners. The streak ends at two with Red Sox right-hander Rick Porcello and left-hander David Price. It's telling when left-hander Chris Sale represents a break. Sale has finished third, fourth, fifth twice and sixth in Cy Young voting in his eight years in the majors. He's 6-2 with a 2.77 ERA and 0.910 WHIP in his 11 starts this season spanning 78 innings, and his 110 strikeouts lead the majors. Sale is averaging 1.8 walks and 12.7...

Orioles back in third place following 5-2 loss (with quotes)

Orioles back in third place following 5-2 loss (with quotes)
Maybe it was familiarity that bred Dylan Bundy's shortest start of the season. Facing the Red Sox for the fourth time in 52 days, Bundy didn't make it past the fifth inning due to his triple-digit pitch count and the Orioles lost 5-2 before an announced crowd of 35,470 at Camden Yards. Bundy hadn't gone fewer than five innings in 11 starts, but he was pulled with the Orioles behind 2-0. Both runs scored on Hanley Ramirez's homer with one out in the fourth. Ubaldo Jiménez surrendered two...

Showalter on Castillo, Jackson and more (O's down 4-1)

Showalter on Castillo, Jackson and more (O's down 4-1)
Today qualified as a slow news day, which didn't escape manager Buck Showalter. He could sense that the media was searching for pregame topics. Catcher Welington Castillo playing catch before batting practice drew some interest despite his injury centering lower than his right arm. Castillo could be facing his second rehab assignment after making three starts at Double-A Bowie while recovering from right shoulder tendinitis. "I wouldn't commit that he's going to go out and play, but you'd...

Asher's next start and Duquette on Álvarez and Jackson

Asher's next start and Duquette on Álvarez and Jackson
Alec Asher will take his next turn in the rotation and start Thursday night against the Nationals in the makeup game in D.C. Asher gets an extra day of rest due to Monday's off-day. The Orioles had no reason to remove Asher from the rotation after he was charged last night with two runs over 6 1/3 innings for his third quality start in four opportunities. Catcher Welington Castillo played catch in the outfield today, gradually moving back to expand the distance, while he remains on the...

Orioles and Red Sox lineups

Orioles and Red Sox lineups
Trey Mancini is playing first base for the Orioles tonight and Chris Davis is serving as the designated hitter. Joey Rickard is leading off and playing left field against left-hander David Price. The Orioles are 2 1/2 games behind the Yankees for first place in the American League East. They're 21-11 against division opponents. The Orioles own the best home record in the league at 19-8. For the Orioles Joey Rickard LF Adam Jones CF Manny Machado 3B Mark Trumbo RF Chris Davis DH Trey Mancini 1B...

Janish not masking his interest in catching

Janish not masking his interest in catching
When the Orioles had to put utility player Ryan Flaherty on the 10-day disabled list, they also lost their emergency catcher and the first position player that they'd choose to pitch in a pinch. Paul Janish is the ideal substitute. Not only can Janish move around the infield, he's replaced Flaherty as the emergency catcher and twice worked in relief for the Reds back in 2009. He wears many hats, and not just because he's well-traveled. Flaherty pitched the ninth inning of a 12-2 loss to the...

Orioles move into second place with 3-2 win (with quotes)

Orioles move into second place with 3-2 win (with quotes)
Manny Machado must be seeing the ball again. The Orioles didn't see the same Alec Asher who started in Houston last weekend. Machado followed his two-hit game last night with a 465-foot home run off Red Sox starter Rick Porcello in the bottom of the first inning. The ball reached the second deck in left field before falling to the seats below it. Asher rose to the occasion, retiring 16 of the first 17 batters he faced in the Orioles' 3-2 victory before an announced crowd of 33,193 at Camden...

Bullpen remains intact tonight (O's lead 3-2)

Bullpen remains intact tonight (O's lead 3-2)
The Orioles didn't need to make a roster move tonight to bring up another reliever. Though Mike Wright worked on back-to-back nights and won't pitch tonight, Ubaldo Jiménez informed manager Buck Showalter that he's available. Jiménez hasn't pitched since Sunday afternoon in Houston, when he covered the last six innings. Wright threw 17 pitches on Wednesday and 26 last night. "Physically, he was fine. He felt better yesterday," Showalter said. "If he hadn't been able to do that...

Orioles lineup vs. Red Sox

Orioles lineup vs. Red Sox
Hyun Soo Kim is starting in left field tonight as the Orioles continue their series against the Red Sox. Trey Mancini is on the bench. He's hitting .343 (12-for-35) in 11 career games against the Red Sox. Jonathan Schoop is batting .324 (11-for-34) with three home runs, seven RBIs and seven runs scored against the Red Sox this season. His home run last night was his first this season against a left-hander. The Orioles have hit four or more home runs in five games this season, tying them with...

Coolbaugh on Machado's slump

Coolbaugh on Machado's slump
It was a line drive up the middle last night that found the grass in center field for a two-out single in the first inning. Another ball died along the third base line in the sixth - big swing, short distance, another single. Pretty routine unless you're hitless in the last 18 at-bats and your average is down to .205. Manny Machado needed those singles last night. He needed something to go right for him at the plate. The baseball gods kissed his cheek instead of giving him a wet willy. The...

Miley's quality start and four home runs produce 7-5 win (updated)

Miley's quality start and four home runs produce 7-5 win (updated)
Wade Miley broke through the fifth-inning wall. Chris Davis showed more signs of busting out of his slump. Manny Machado caught a break with an infield single that gave him two hits. The Orioles took an early lead and didn't crumble, riding Miley's quality start and four home runs to a 7-5 victory over the Red Sox before an announced crowd of 20,150 at Camden Yards. Jackie Bradley Jr. hit a three-run homer off left-hander Donnie Hart with two outs in the ninth to raise the tension level, but...

Orioles focus on own splits vs. Rodriguez (O's up 7-1)

Orioles focus on own splits vs. Rodriguez (O's up 7-1)
The splits suggest that the Orioles should be stocking their lineup with left-handed hitters for tonight's series opener against the Red Sox. The splits belonging to left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez, their former farmhand. Not necessarily the batters on the Orioles roster. As I wrote this morning, left-handers are hitting .289 against Rodriguez this season and .273 in his career. Right-handers are hitting .190 this season and .232 lifetime. Rodriguez is the ultimate reverse-splits guy, according...

Pregame notes on opt-outs, bullpen, bad blood and more (updated)

Pregame notes on opt-outs, bullpen, bad blood and more (updated)
Pedro Álvarez isn't in Triple-A Norfolk's lineup tonight for the first time, no coincidence on his opt-out date. Álvarez is batting .223/.296/.456 with 12 doubles, 12 home runs and 39 RBIs in 52 games. The experiment in right field hasn't been positive and Álvarez would be a left-handed designated hitter if the Orioles tried to fit him on their roster. "There's some conversation about what direction he's going to go," said manager Buck Showalter, who met earlier today with...

Orioles lineup vs. Red Sox

Orioles lineup vs. Red Sox
The Orioles are breaking out a right-handed heavy lineup tonight against Red Sox left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez. The splits aren't influencing them. Joey Rickard is in left field, Mark Trumbo is in right and Trey Mancini is serving as the designated hitter. Chris Davis, batting fifth, is the only left-hander in the lineup. Trumbo batted .324 (36-for-111) with 15 RBIs in 28 games in May. For the Orioles Joey Rickard LF Adam Jones CF Manny Machado 3B Mark Trumbo RF Chris Davis 1B Trey Mancini DH...

Injuries, suspensions, opt-outs and tonight's game

Injuries, suspensions, opt-outs and tonight's game
The Orioles crammed a lot of news into a few hours yesterday, if a 14-minute rain delay to start the game also falls into that category. It's old news, for sure. Seems to rain here every day. The official mascot should be moss. Catcher Welington Castillo was placed on the disabled list, and it's - you pick the word - that his testicular injury occurred exactly one year after the one sustained by catcher Caleb Joseph. "An eerie coincidence" is three words. So is "a painful reminder." If...

Offense comes alive and O's take series with 10-4 win (updated)

Offense comes alive and O's take series with 10-4 win (updated)
The Orioles know how to take a lead. It's holding a lead - and that's really the most important part of the game - that tends to challenge them. They can raise blood pressure like a salt-based diet. Kevin Gausman lasted only 5 1/3 innings tonight, throwing 106 pitches before manager Buck Showalter turned to his bullpen, but the Orioles navigated through the tense moments and never trailed in a 10-4 victory over the Yankees before an announced crowd of 22,983 at Camden Yards. The Orioles...

Welington Castillo goes on disabled list (O's lead 9-4)

Welington Castillo goes on disabled list (O's lead 9-4)
The Orioles have placed catcher Welington Castillo on the 10-day disabled list with a testicular injury and selected catcher Francisco Peña's contract from Triple-A Norfolk. The 40-man roster is full. Castillo spent much of last night in the emergency room after being hit in the groin by a pitch that first struck Yankees shortstop Didi Gregorius and caromed. "Most of the times, the ones that are really a problem are the angle, when you get a different angle," manager Buck Showalter said...

Castillo may be headed to disabled list again

Castillo may be headed to disabled list again
The Orioles may place catcher Welington Castillo on the 10-day disabled list later today. Castillo spent last night in the emergency room after he was hit in the groin by a deflected pitch that initially struck Yankees shortstop Didi Gregorius on the arm. The head athletic trainers for both teams raced onto the field to attend to the injured players. Castillo stayed in the game, but he later required medical attention. Manager Buck Showalter said Castillo has a "hematoma" and the injury...

Orioles lineup vs. Yankees (Wright recalled)

Orioles lineup vs. Yankees (Wright recalled)
The sun is shining at Camden Yards this afternoon, the field is dry and Adam Jones is in the lineup. He's expected to remain in it rather than be scratched for a third consecutive day. Trey Mancini is in left field. He's batting .362 (25-for-69) in May. Caleb Joseph is catching. For the Orioles Seth Smith RF Adam Jones CF Manny Machado 3B Mark Trumbo DH Chris Davis 1B Trey Mancini LF Jonathan Schoop 2B Caleb Joseph C J.J. Hardy SS Kevin Gausman RHP Here are the starters for the four-game...

Machado first among AL third basemen in All-Star voting

Machado first among AL third basemen in All-Star voting
The slump that's lowered Manny Machado's average to .210 isn't preventing fans from placing him first among American League third basemen in balloting for the All-Star Game. Machado is the only Orioles to hold the top spot as the first round of results are released today by Major League Baseball. He's received 369,069 votes to lead the Twins' Miguel Sanó 363,607 and the Indians' José Ramírez (351,814). Machado is trying to join Hall of Famers Brooks Robinson and Cal Ripken Jr. as...