Hyun Soo Kim is starting consecutive games tonight for the first time this season and the Orioles are trying to avoid a sweep in Houston before heading to Cleveland for the final series of their road trip.
Kim collected three hits and a walk last night to leave his average at .438 in 37 plate appearances.
Joey Rickard has returned to the leadoff spot after sitting last night. Jonathan Schoop has moved down from second to seventh in the order.
Paul Janish is starting at third base.
Matt Wieters...
There must be something in the Houston water.
Nineteen strikeouts in one game. Four errors in four innings in the next.
My guess is tonight's series finale will include cotton uniforms that shrink.
Orioles manager Buck Showalter shook up the lineup last night, the force causing it to foam at the top. But there isn't much that can be done about Manny Machado and Tyler Wilson each committing two errors.
Fans are pushing for Showalter to put Machado back at third base and play Paul Janish at...
Former Orioles reliever Brian Matusz is back home in Arizona waiting out the waiver process, wondering where he'll pitch next and reflecting on his years in Baltimore.
Emotions are all over the place and Matusz remains in one spot.
The Braves acquired Matusz and the 76th overall pick in the draft on Monday for minor league pitchers Brandon Barker and Trevor Belicek. They designated him for assignment before he could fully process a trade that removed him from the organization that brought him...
The Orioles have made major changes to their lineup tonight, with Manny Machado returning to the leadoff spot and Jonathan Schoop batting second.
Pedro Alvarez is at third base, Hyun Soo Kim is in left field and Nolan Reimold is in right.
Rule 5 pick Joey Rickard takes a seat on the bench.
Schoop is batting second to start a game for only the second time in his career.
For the Orioles Manny Machado SS Jonathan Schoop 2B Adam Jones CF Chris Davis 1B Mark Trumbo DH Matt Wieters C Pedro Alvarez 3B...
The Orioles have settled on two of their three starters for the weekend series in Cleveland.
The third one seems obvious, but isn't official.
Mike Wright (2-3, 4.97 ERA) will take the mound for the series opener Friday night against the Indians, followed by Ubaldo Jimenez (2-5, 6.04 ERA) on Saturday afternoon. The Sunday starter is listed as TBD, but Chris Tillman (6-1, 2.61 ERA) would be working on normal rest after pitching last night in Houston.
Tillman has recorded a career-high seven...
The Orioles no longer are in first place in the American League East, dropping a season-high one game behind the Red Sox.
One game. This is no time to panic.
They struck out 19 times last night, creating a breeze strong enough to blow back Jim Palmer's hair. Manager Buck Showalter found it unacceptable and didn't try to hide it while being interviewed on "O's Xtra" following the game.
Collin McHugh, who starts tonight for the Astros, is averaging 7.2 strikeouts per nine innings.
McHugh has...
Before the Orioles continue their series tonight against the Astros, now one game out of first place in the American League East, they'll pay close attention to Yovani Gallardo's second bullpen session that will be followed by Saturday's simulated game in Cleveland.
Gallardo is nearing an injury rehab assignment that figures to consist of only one or two starts before he's activated from the disabled list and the Orioles must make room for him in the rotation.
If I'm anyone not named Chris...
Chris Tillman continues to bounce back from his disappointing 2015 season.
Tillman turned in his seventh consecutive quality start tonight in Houston. Astros right-hander Doug Fister came within an out of doing the same.
Tillman allowed two runs and three hits over seven innings, one swing from Luis Valbuena in the fifth accounting for all the scoring.
During his streak of quality starts, Tillman has allowed 10 runs over 46 1/3 innings. His ERA remains at 2.61 for the season, exactly where it...
The Orioles announced this afternoon that they selected the contract of left-hander Ashur Tolliver from Double-A Bowie. They have 39 players on their 40-man roster.
Tolliver will wear No. 40.
Ryan Flaherty is starting at third base tonight and Pedro Alvarez is the designated hitter in the series opener against the Astros at Minute Maid Park.
Joey Rickard remains in left field and atop the order.
For the Orioles Joey Rickard LF Manny Machado SS Adam Jones CF Chris Davis 1B Mark Trumbo RF Matt...
The Orioles have chosen Tyler Wilson to make Wednesday night's start against the Astros at Minute Maid Park.
The spot had been listed as TBD.
Chris Tillman starts tonight in the series opener and Kevin Gausman closes it out Thursday night. The Astros are sending Doug Fister, Collin McHugh and Lance McCullers to the mound.
The off-day Monday gave manager Buck Showalter the freedom to adjust the rotation.
Wilson is 2-2 with a 3.68 ERA in eight games, including five starts. He'll be working on...
The Orioles weren't done making moves tonight with the Brian Matusz trade. They also acquired Single-A right-hander Franderlin Romero from the Reds for two international signing bonus slots.
Romero, 23, was 1-4 with a 2.87 ERA in eight starts with the Dayton Dragons. He walked nine batters and struck out 42 in 47 innings.
In seven minor league seasons, Romero is 15-25 with a 3.07 ERA in 78 games (62 starts). He allowed two hits in six scoreless innings in his last start.
The announcement comes...
The Orioles have traded left-hander Brian Matusz, their first-round selection in the 2008 draft, to the Braves for right-hander Brandon Barker and left-hander Trevor Belicek. Atlanta also will receive a Competitive Balance Round B pick (76th overall) in the upcoming draft.
The Braves reportedly will designate Matusz for assignment, essentially making the deal in order to acquire the draft pick and take on the rest of his salary for 2016. Matusz was being paid $3.9 million in the final year of...
Two quality start streaks are on the line tonight in Houston.
Chris Tillman and Astros right-hander Doug Fister each have posted six consecutive quality starts, though the numbers don't exactly match up. That would be quite a coincidence.
Tillman is 6-1 with a 2.60 ERA in nine starts this season. He's allowed eight runs in his last 39 1/3 innings during his streak.
Fister is 4-3 with a 4.22 ERA in eight starts this season and he's allowed 14 runs in 38 1/3 innings during his streak.
Maybe we...
The Orioles have signed left-hander Brian Duensing to a minor league contract and assigned him to Triple-A Norfolk. Executive vice president Dan Duquette confirmed the deal.
Duensing exercised the opt-out clause in his contract with the Royals last week and they subsequently released him. They signed him as a free agent in February, released him in March and re-signed him four days later.
It just wasn't meant to be.
Duensing, 33, was 1-0 with a 3.10 ERA and two saves in 12 relief appearances...
While the Orioles wait for Pat Connaughton to decide on a sport to play, they're getting another chance to watch him throw this week at extended spring training.
Connaughton, 23, has reported to the Ed Smith Stadium complex in Sarasota. I've heard that he's on the field this morning.
This may be temporary. Connaughton is expected to redirect his focus to basketball in the NBA's summer league. However, he'll be in baseball mode for however long he's there.
The Orioles selected Connaughton...
The question regarding Ubaldo Jimenez hasn't changed. Neither has the answer, much to the chagrin of fans who want him removed from the rotation, the roster or the planet.
Jimenez has pitched poorly in his last three starts and four of his last five. He's also out of minor league options and owed the remainder of $13 million this season and $13.5 million in 2017.
I can't stress enough those last points.
The Orioles won't designate him for assignment. They don't seem inclined to move him to...
The Orioles go for the sweep today in Anaheim with Nolan Reimold in left field, Joey Rickard in right field and Mark Trumbo as the designated hitter.
Even with right-hander Jered Weaver pitching for the Angels, Pedro Alvarez is taking a seat on the bench.
Ubaldo Jimenez is pitching for the Orioles, with Caleb Joseph behind the plate. With Joseph as his batterymate, Jimenez has a 3.32 ERA in 39 games.
For the OriolesJoey Rickard RFManny Machado SSAdam Jones CFChris Davis 1BMark Trumbo DHNolan...
The Orioles will go for the sweep today in Anaheim while also hoping for the better version of Ubaldo Jimenez.
In his last two starts, Jimenez has allowed 11 runs (10 earned) and 14 hits in 9 1/3 innings. He's also walked eight batters and is averaging 4.8 per nine innings.
Left-handers are batting .345 against Jimenez this season. Right-handers are hitting .268.
Jimenez is 1-5 with a 4.28 ERA in six career starts against the Angels. He's 1-2 with a 5.68 ERA in three starts in Anaheim.
In...
While the Orioles were in Minnesota earlier this month, players killed time in the visiting clubhouse at Target Field by playing chess. Sharpen the mind before the batting eye.
Manager Buck Showalter challenged reporters in his office to name the best of the bunch, or at least someone who could give the king a run for his money.
Dylan Bundy's name wasn't brought up. To be honest, he wasn't a consideration. He just didn't seem to fit the profile.
Big mistake. The guy's apparently got...
Ryan Flaherty is at third base for the Orioles tonight in their game in Anaheim.
Pedro Alvarez is the designated hitter and Mark Trumbo is in right field.
Matt Wieters is behind the plate again tonight.
For the Orioles Joey Rickard LF Manny Machado SS Adam Jones CF Chris Davis 1B Mark Trumbo RF Matt Wieters C Pedro Alvarez DH Jonathan Schoop 2B Ryan Flaherty 3B
Kevin Gausman RHP
For the Angels Yunel Escobar 3B Kole Calhoun RF Mike Trout CF Albert Pujols DH C.J. Cron 1B Johnny Giavotella 2B...