Roch Kubatko

Today's pitching matchup and an assortment of notes

April 23, 2016, 7:43pm

Orioles

Today's pitching matchup and an assortment of notes

Mike Wright continues to be linked to Tyler Wilson, no matter where they are and what roles they handle. Wright is starting today's series finale in Kansas City after Wilson allowed three runs in five innings last night and picked up the win. Wright faced the Royals once last year and surrendered four runs and four hits over five innings in a Sept. 11 start at Camden Yards. Lorenzo Cain homered twice in three at-bats against Wright, who's 1-1 with a 5.73 ERA in two starts this...

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Orioles place Gallardo on DL and activate Matusz (updated)

April 23, 2016, 12:02pm

Orioles

The Orioles have placed pitcher Yovani Gallardo on the 15-day disabled list with "right shoulder bicep tendinitis," according to the team. Gallardo's spot on the 25-man roster will be filled by reliever Brian Matusz, who comes off the disabled list. Gallardo worked only two innings last night in Kansas City and threw 45 pitches before exiting the game. He flew back to Baltimore and underwent an examination from team orthopedist Dr. Michael Jacobs. An MRI will be performed tomorrow. The bicep...

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Orioles' lineup tonight includes Hyun Soo Kim

April 23, 2016, 11:32am

Orioles

Tyler Wilson makes his first start of the 2016 season tonight and his sixth in the majors, as the Orioles continue their series in Kansas City. Wilson has never faced the Royals, who did all of their scoring last night in the first two innings in a 4-2 victory. Hyun Soo Kim is in left field tonight, his first start since April 13, with Joey Rickard moving to right and Mark Trumbo serving as the designated hitter. Pedro Alvarez, in a 4-for-34 slump, is on the bench. Right-hander Kris Medlen is...

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How will the Orioles create spots for their returning pitchers?

April 23, 2016, 7:54am

Orioles

The Orioles apparently are determined to make up for lost time after going 15 games without changing their opening day roster. Yovani Gallardo is expected to land on the disabled list after returning to Baltimore and undergoing an examination of his right shoulder. It would be a shock if he's simply day-to-day or pushed back one start after leaving last night's game before the bottom of the third inning. Gallardo told reporters in Kansas City that his shoulder "just didn't feel right." He...

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Chris Davis on his defense

April 22, 2016, 7:28pm

Orioles

Chris Davis knows what you're thinking. (Don't get embarrassed. It's baseball-related.) Big guy, big muscles, hits really long home runs, strikes out a lot, can't possess the athleticism to play first base at an elite level. This is why we have scouts and defensive metrics and, if blessed with it, the ability to see and comprehend. Davis is playing an outstanding first base. He's got to be averaging at least one play a night that warrants an asterisk on your scoresheet. Or whatever symbol...

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Orioles and Royals lineups

April 22, 2016, 12:34pm

Orioles

The Orioles are going with a mostly predictable lineup tonight in Kansas City, with Joey Rickard leading off and playing left field, Mark Trumbo in right field and Pedro Alvarez back as the designated hitter after sitting out last night's game. Caleb Joseph is catching instead of Matt Wieters. That's the component that isn't predictable. For the Orioles Joey Rickard LF Manny Machado 3B Adam Jones CF Chris Davis 1B Mark Trumbo RF J.J. Hardy SS Jonathan Schoop 2B Pedro Alvarez DH Caleb Joseph...

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Orioles announce starting time for makeup game

April 22, 2016, 10:28am

Orioles

The Orioles announced today that their makeup game against the Rangers on June 20 in Arlington, Texas, will start at 8:05 p.m. ET. The game was supposed to be played last Sunday, but heavy rain early in the morning caused an early postponement. The weather improved by first pitch and the teams actually could have taken the field. The Orioles are squeezing in one game between home series against the Blue Jays and Padres. Hardly an ideal setup, but they otherwise don't return to Globe Life...

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Tonight's pitching matchup in Kansas City

April 22, 2016, 7:44am

Orioles

Tonight's pitching matchup in Kansas City

Yovani Gallardo's quest to record an out beyond the sixth inning continues tonight in Kansas City. Twenty starts have passed since Gallardo's done it. He came close again Saturday night in Texas, but failed to retire the two batters he faced in the seventh as a 4-2 lead dissolved into an 8-4 loss. Gallardo is 1-0 with a 5.63 ERA and 1.500 WHIP in his first three starts as an Oriole, with 10 runs and 18 hits allowed over 16 innings. He's worked five, five and six innings. Gallardo's never...

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Orioles getting ready to make roster moves

April 21, 2016, 8:04pm

Orioles

The Orioles embark on their second road trip of the season and are another day away from their first roster move. They're going to make it through 15 games and two postponements, destroying another Baltimore tradition. First Natty Boh and now a stagnant roster. Reliever Brian Matusz is expected to come off the disabled list on Saturday while the Orioles are in the middle of their three-game series in Kansas City. Kevin Gausman is expected to be activated on Monday when the Orioles begin a...

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Matt Wieters on ejection: "Temper got the best of me and boiled over"

April 21, 2016, 7:52pm

Orioles

Matt Wieters on ejection: "Temper got the best of me and boiled over"

Orioles catcher Matt Wieters had calmed down considerably tonight as reporters approached him for comment on his second career ejection. A game was won. That's what truly mattered. "I don't like to get them, but I said some things I probably shouldn't have," said Wieters, who was tossed by plate umpire Dan Bellino after the bottom of the fifth inning for arguing that he checked his swing. "He just hit a nerve a little bit, especially the checked swing, because they do have the option to...

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Showalter and Tillman on tonight's challenges and a 3-2 win

April 21, 2016, 7:23pm

Orioles

Showalter and Tillman on tonight's challenges and a 3-2 win

Everyone was in agreement that plate umpire Dan Bellino presented an assortment of unwanted challenges for the Orioles in tonight's game against the Blue Jays. All they could do was push ahead and try to focus on winning their fourth series. They did it, disposing of the Blue Jays 3-2 before an announced crowd of 17,644 at Camden Yards. Chris Tillman had a bad first inning. Bellino had a bad game, punctuated by an ejection of catcher Matt Wieters for arguing a strikeout that ended the fifth...

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Matt Wieters ejected from tonight's game (O's win 3-2)

April 21, 2016, 5:25pm

Orioles

Matt Wieters ejected from tonight's game (O's win 3-2)

Both teams have objected tonight to the floating strike zone of plate umpire Dan Bellino. However, it was a disputed check swing that brought the game's first ejection. Matt Wieters was tossed after striking out to end the fifth and strand two runners- raising the Orioles total to eight. Wieters was convinced that he stopped his swing and barked at Bellino while heading back to the dugout, also gesturing with his arm for emphasis. Before reaching the bench, Wieters did a little tossing of his...

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Keeping the defense together, and other notes (updated)

April 21, 2016, 2:39pm

Orioles

Keeping the defense together, and other notes (updated)

The Orioles' defense continues to make plays on a nightly basis that grab the attention of manager Buck Showalter, his coaching staff and the media. Showalter wondered today how many times catcher Matt Wieters, third baseman Manny Machado, shortstop J.J. Hardy, second baseman Jonathan Schoop and first baseman Chris Davis were in the same lineup last season at their normal positions - as they are tonight to close out their series against the Blue Jays. The magic number is 18. Wieters was...

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Early notes on Matusz, Worley, Gausman, Paredes, Alvarez and more

April 21, 2016, 12:53pm

Orioles

Early notes on Matusz, Worley, Gausman, Paredes, Alvarez and more

Though it isn't official, the Orioles appear set to activate left-hander Brian Matusz from the disabled list on Saturday and give the start to Vance Worley. Manager Buck Showalter said Matusz is a possibility for Friday night in Kansas City, but the reliever is more likely to be activated the following day. He worked four innings Tuesday night at Single-A Frederick and probably could use the extra recovery period. Worley's status depends on whether he's needed out of the bullpen in the next...

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Orioles lineup vs. Blue Jays

April 21, 2016, 11:05am

Orioles

Mark Trumbo is serving as the designated hitter tonight as the Orioles close out their brief homestand against the Blue Jays. Slumping Pedro Alvarez is on the bench against Toronto right-hander Marco Estrada. Nolan Reimold is in right field. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Rule 5 pick Joey Rickard is one of only two players in the last 50 seasons (1967-2016) to make his major league debut on opening day and reach base in his team's first 13 games. The most recent players to do it were...

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Can Tillman build off his last start against the Jays?

April 20, 2016, 7:35pm

Orioles

Can Tillman build off his last start against the Jays?

Bring up Chris Tillman's struggles against the Blue Jays and he'll quickly mention his last start against them. That's going out on a high note. And the improvement ... wait for it ... strikes a chord with him. Tillman held the Blue Jays to two runs and five hits over 7 1/3 innings on Sept. 28 at Camden Yards. He needed it to lower his season ERA against them to 11.72 in six starts, to go with an 0-4 record and 2.013 WHIP. For his career, Tillman is 4-10 with a 5.79 ERA and 1.383 WHIP in 20...

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Showalter speaks after a 4-3 10-inning win

April 20, 2016, 7:20pm

Orioles

Showalter speaks after a 4-3 10-inning win

Few moments in sports rival the walk-off passed ball for pure excitement. It never happened for the Orioles before tonight. They were in a celebratory mood after Caleb Joseph raced home with two outs in the bottom of the 10th inning to give them a 4-3 win over the Blue Jays before 15,404 at Camden Yards. With Adam Jones at the plate, a pitch from Rule 5 pick Joe Biagini scooted past catcher Josh Thole, who earlier had handled knuckleballer R.A. Dickey without incident. According to STATS, it's...

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Pedro Alvarez trying to join the hit party in Baltimore (O's win in 10th)

April 20, 2016, 3:30pm

Orioles

Pedro Alvarez trying to join the hit party in Baltimore (O's win in 10th)

Before the clubhouse opened to the media today and before the Orioles took batting practice, Pedro Alvarez performed drills at first base to sharpen his footwork and skills at digging throws out of the dirt. The Orioles set up a JUGS machine at the shortstop position and launched the ball across the infield, some reaching his glove on the fly and some short-hopping him. Alvarez also is focused on his offense, a 4-for-28 start leaving his average at .143 heading into tonight's game. He's drawn...

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Showalter on Matusz, Jones and the rotation

April 20, 2016, 2:07pm

Orioles

Showalter on Matusz, Jones and the rotation

The Orioles did a nice job of bumping up Brian Matusz's innings total after he was limited to two in spring training due to a strained muscle in his lower back. Matusz worked 10 innings in his five appearances on his injury rehab assignment, including four last night at Single-A Frederick. He went three innings in his previous appearance with the Keys. "It's good for him to get stretched out two or three outings," said manager Buck Showalter. Matusz, drafted as a starter with the fourth...

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Updating Matusz, Gausman, Jones, Lohse and more

April 20, 2016, 1:00pm

Orioles

Updating Matusz, Gausman, Jones, Lohse and more

Left-hander Brian Matusz is expected to be activated from the disabled list on Saturday while the Orioles are in Kansas City. Matusz allowed one hit and struck out nine batters over four scoreless innings last night at Single-A Frederick. He's made five appearances on his minor league rehab assignment. "It felt good to be able to get extended to four innings," Matusz said today. "Threw all four pitches. It was a positive outing. "The strikeouts are great. But I think ultimately the key was...