Colin Selby threw two scoreless relief innings last night in Tampa and he’s headed back to Triple-A Norfolk.

Another swap of arms has brought left-hander Grant Wolfram to the Orioles. They recalled Wolfram today and optioned Selby.

Wolfram has appeared in two games with the Orioles and allowed two runs and three hits in 1 1/3 innings. He pitched in back-to-back games in Detroit on April 26-27.

Wolfram has a 4.87 ERA and 1.426 WHIP in 18 appearances with Norfolk. His stay with the Orioles could be as brief as Selby’s, since they need a starter for Wednesday night.  

Dean Kremer has allowed nine runs and 13 hits this month in 12 1/3 innings and he gets the ball tonight. He was used in bulk relief in his last outing, covering seven innings and allowing four runs in the fourth.

The Orioles have made the following roster moves: 

• Recalled LHP Grant Wolfram from Triple-A Norfolk.
• Optioned RHP Colin Selby to Triple-A Norfolk.

As he contemplated Monday night’s game roughly 30 minutes after it ended, Nationals manager Davey Martinez kept pointing out the positive developments he saw from a number of his players, especially young players.

Brady House looked comfortable in his major league debut. Daylen Lile looked great in his second big league stint, launching his first career homer. CJ Abrams made one of the best defensive plays of his career. James Wood had another big night, doubling, homering and drawing a walk. Jake Irvin overcame another first-inning mistake to deliver a quality start. Brad Lord was lights out in two innings of relief.

“We played really well,” Martinez said to open his postgame press conference.

The end result, of course, was a loss. Maybe the biggest gut-punch loss of the season after Kyle Finnegan gave up two home runs in the top of the ninth to turn a 4-3 lead over the Rockies into a 6-4 loss to far and away the worst team in baseball.

That’s nine straight losses, by the way, matching the second-longest streak in club history. Every other one of this length, including the club-record 12-game losing streak from August 2008, has come from a team that ultimately lost 100-plus games.

The Orioles are back on the road and my mailbag is adamant about missing the Tampa portion of it. No Trop, no trip.

Let’s do some dumping and count how many questions are related to the trade deadline and whether the Orioles will buy or sell. That’s a popular one these days.

The answer isn’t as clear anymore.

You ask, I answer, and we have the latest sequel to the beloved 2008 original. I was gonna edit for clarity, length and style, but decided against it. I edited that idea. Sorry to disappoint again. And that's what I said.

Also, you should know that my mailbag receives the most All-Star votes and your mailbag is confused by the ballot.

TAMPA – The Rays and Orioles entered play tonight as two of the hotter teams in baseball. The Florida heat only added to their rising temperatures. 

Tampa Bay had won 18 of their last 25 and were on the heels of a three-game sweep of the New York Mets. The Orioles went 15-10 over that same stretch, 11-4 in their last 15, and were fresh off a three-game sweep of the Angels. 

Something had to give. 

Tonight, it was the O’s starting pitching that gave in a 7-1 loss. The pillar of their recent stretch of success was anything but. 

Tampa Bay struck early and they struck often. On Zach Eflin’s fourth pitch of the game, Josh Lowe skied a ball to right field that found some outfield seats. At 334 feet with a 97.9 mph exit velocity, it was hit just well enough to get out of the ballpark. 

The Nationals promoted Brady House from Triple-A Rochester today not because they believed their 2021 first-round pick was going to singlehandedly snap their eight-game losing streak, but because they believed his presence would at least help the cause.

There was nothing, of course, House could do about what transpired during a nightmare top of the ninth with Kyle Finnegan on the mound, one that sent the home team to the worst yet of its nine consecutive losses.

Serving up a pair of home runs to Hunter Goodman and Mickey Moniak, Finnegan turned a one-run lead into a 6-4 loss to the worst-in-the-majors Rockies, leaving a season-low crowd of 11,370 stunned and dismayed at the new depths the Nats have now reached.

"When you get a chance to put your closer in for the ninth, that's what you want," manager Davey Martinez said. "Today, we just came out on the wrong side of the field. I'm excited about the way the kids played. ... Those guys are going to be all right. They'll help us win games. This was a tough one."

Finnegan took the mound with a 4-3 lead in hand, made possible by homers from Daylen Lile and James Wood, a quality start from Jake Irvin and two perfect innings of setup by Brad Lord. He needed merely to record three outs against a weak Colorado lineup. That was easier said than done. Goodman, who had already homered off Irvin way back in the top of the first, mashed a 97 mph fastball to left-center for the game-tying homer.

TAMPA – For the second consecutive road series, the Orioles find themselves in a minor league park. 

The Rays’ temporary home of George M. Steinbrenner Stadium, though, has a bit more familiarity than the Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento. 

“I mean, it’s Yankee Stadium, it’s just in Florida,” Tony Mansolino said today. “So, we kind of know the stadium.” Just a bit hotter than New York. 

“I do think actually playing in Sacramento kind of prepared you to come here because it got you out of the big league stadium, and the energy and atmosphere that a big league stadium gives you,” Mansolino added. “Understanding that we’ve kind of got to create that ourselves, we definitely learned that in Sacramento.” 

Getting two key pieces back in the lineup is certainly cause for a boost in energy. 

Brady House had just left Innovative Field, taking his girlfriend to the Rochester airport and then making plans to get dinner and pack his bags for an expected week playing in Lehigh Valley when his phone rang. He was told he needed to turn around and come back to the ballpark for a meeting, and suddenly the 22-year-old had a hunch what this was all about.

“I had an idea, but obviously you don’t want to get yourself too excited in case it doesn’t happen,” he said. “I was just trying to get ready for whatever that meeting was.”

House’s hunch was right. Red Wings manager Matt LeCroy told the young third baseman he was getting called up by the Nationals and would be making his major league debut tonight. His girlfriend wouldn’t be boarding that flight. The two of them would be driving together to D.C., with the rest of his family making last-minute plans to fly here and witness a moment they’ve long anticipated.

“I was, honestly, getting ready to go get some dinner and do laundry and all that stuff,” he said. “And then that was the best surprise.”

House will bat sixth and start at third base tonight against Rockies left-hander Carson Palmquist. Manager Davey Martinez says he’ll be out there every day, perhaps bumped down a slot when facing a righty but here to play alongside the organization’s other top prospects who arrived in the majors ahead of the 2021 first-round pick.

Colton Cowser and Ryan O’Hearn are back in the Orioles’ lineup for tonight’s game against the Rays in Tampa. Cowser hasn’t played since slamming into the center field fence on Thursday and O’Hearn didn’t play in the last two games because of a sore left ankle. He was scratched from Saturday's lineup.

Jordan Westburg is batting cleanup and serving as designated hitter. O’Hearn follows as the first baseman, and Cowser is batting eighth and playing left field. Dylan Carlson is in right.

Jackson Holliday is leading off again. Coby Mayo is on the bench.

Gunnar Henderson is slashing .326/.408/.419 (28-for-86) with five doubles, a homer, seven RBIs, 15 runs scored and 11 walks in his last 23 games since May 21. He has a nine-game hitting streak.

Orioles relievers have posted a 1.91 ERA (17 earned runs in 80 innings) in the last 21 games since May 24, the third-lowest mark in the majors.

It’s a big day for the Nationals, who will see their latest top prospect make his major league debut. Sadly, the arrival of Brady House comes with the team as a whole reeling, having just been swept over the weekend by the Marlins, their worst losing streak in two years now up to eight games. House should not be considered the savior. No prospect should, but he in particular isn’t supposed to be the kind of player who changes the entire fortunes of a lineup.

That said, House should provide a much-needed offensive boost at a position of great need. Nats third basemen have combined for only two homers this season (both by Amed Rosario). House hit 13 of them in 65 games at Triple-A Rochester. Even if the 22-year-old is half as good as that, it’ll still be an improvement for the team at large.

House should have a favorable matchup tonight in his debut. The Rockies were supposed to start veteran Kyle Freeland, but he was placed on the injured list, so it’ll be rookie left-hander Carson Palmquist making his sixth career start. Palmquist, 24, is 0-4 with a 7.77 ERA and 1.818 WHIP in the previous five starts. The Nationals absolutely need to do damage tonight against him, and right from the get-go.

Jake Irvin, meanwhile, needs to be at his best after three straight less-than-stellar starts in which he allowed 13 runs and 23 hits over 15 innings to the Diamondbacks, Cubs and Mets. Irvin was excellent when he pitched at Coors Field back in April, allowing two runs on three hits and striking out nine over 6 1/3 innings.

By the way, here’s the full list of transactions before today’s game: House and outfielder Daylen Lile were promoted from Triple-A, with infielder José Tena and outfielder Robert Hassell III optioned to Rochester. And in order to clear a 40-man roster spot for House, the Nationals designated Juan Yepez for assignment, the first baseman/DH having produced only a .575 OPS at Triple-A this season.

The Washington Nationals announced the following roster moves on Monday. Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcements.

• Selected the contract of third baseman Brady House from Triple-A Rochester
• Recalled outfielder Daylen Lile from Triple-A Rochester
• Optioned outfielder Robert Hassell III and infielder José Tena to Triple-A Rochester
• Designated infielder Juan Yepez for assignment

House, 22, leads Washington’s Minor League system in nearly every offensive category, including home runs (13), RBI (41), slugging percentage (.519), OPS (.872), hits (79), extra-base hits (29) and runs scored (42) in 65 games with Triple-A Rochester this season. He has hit .304 with a .353 on-base percentage and has also added 15 doubles, one triple and 20 walks to his season totals. Defensively, he boasts the “Best Infield Arm” in the organization, according to Baseball America.

House joins the Nationals after having hit safely in 15 straight games for the Red Wings, the second-longest active streak in all of Minor League Baseball. He hit .375 (24-for-64) with four doubles, four homers, 13 RBI, five walks and 10 runs scored. He posted a .420 on-base percentage and a .625 slugging percentage during the streak.

The No. 3 prospect in Washington’s system and one of the top 100 prospects in all of baseball according to MLB Pipeline (No. 91) and Baseball America (No. 98), House is in his fifth professional season after being selected 11^th overall in the 2021 First-Year Player Draft out of Winder-Barrow High School in Winder, Georgia. He has been one of the best overall hitters in Washington’s system throughout his career, posting a .280/.338/.453 slash line with 68 doubles, five triples, 51 RBI, 96 walks, 16 stolen bases and 200 runs scored in 343 professional games.

The Orioles have made the following roster moves:

• Recalled RHP Colin Selby from Triple-A Norfolk.
• Placed LHP Cade Povich (left hip inflammation) on the 15-day Injured List.

Left-hander Cade Povich, who tossed 3 2/3 innings of scoreless relief yesterday in a bulk role behind opener Scott Blewett, won’t pitch for at least 15 days.

The Orioles put Povich on the injured list this afternoon with left hip inflammation and recalled reliever Colin Selby from Triple-A Norfolk.

Povich has a 5.15 ERA in 13 games, including 12 starts. He retired 10 batters in a row yesterday and didn’t show any signs of an injury.

Asked whether pitching in relief instead of starting helped him mentally, Povich replied, “Maybe. I think I was a little amped up. I think my velo was a little higher today. I think I was letting it eat a little early.”

Selby has allowed two runs in 3 2/3 innings and struck out five batters with the Orioles over three appearances. He has a 3.24 ERA in 16 games with Norfolk.

From the moment his flight arrived at Reagan National Airport this weekend, Wilson Ramos felt a tug at his heart. It only grew Sunday morning when he pulled up to Nationals Park, the place he used to call home, the place he now was revisiting one final time to officially announce his retirement from baseball.

“It’s very, very emotional to be here, around the stadium, into the stadium,” he said. “It's very emotional.”

As the current version of the Nationals was limping to its eighth straight loss, with the club making plans to promote top hitting prospect Brady House in hopes of re-energizing a languishing lineup, the sight of Ramos (not to mention fellow former teammates Adam LaRoche and Daniel Murphy) in the house brought back some much needed fond memories of a more successful period of franchise history.

Who’s the best catcher in Nats history? Ramos has to be the consensus choice. He’s the club’s all-time leader in games (578), homers (83), RBIs (320) and OPS (.743) as a catcher. He won a Silver Slugger Award, made an All-Star team, finished fourth in National League Rookie of the Year voting, was behind the plate for the only three no-hitters in team history, not to mention Max Scherzer’s 20-strikeout game.

For parts of seven seasons (2010-16), he was a steady presence in the lineup and in the catcher’s box for the franchise as it grew from a consistent loser to a consistent winner.

The increase in wins has again transformed the Orioles’ home clubhouse into more of a nightclub setting after games. The music is blaring, the strobe lights flashing. The only difference is that IDs aren’t checked at the door.

The smoke machines are creating a dense fog that makes it hard to see across the room. Players had three of them cranked up Saturday. It’s like being inside a van at a Grateful Dead concert.

This is a team that’s riding the high of being competitive again and keeping hopes alive that it can make a run at the postseason. Only six games separate it from the last Wild Card.

The Orioles didn’t quit on former manager Brandon Hyde. They played hard and were racked with guilt over his dismissal. But the fun returns when games aren’t lost in bundles.

The vibe improved along with the level of play. It’s a natural reaction.

Desperate for a jolt following a weekend sweep at the hands of the Marlins that extended their worst losing streak in two years to eight games, the Nationals decided to call up the last remaining top offensive prospect they’ve got waiting in the wings in the upper levels of their farm system.

Brady House is being promoted from Triple-A Rochester and is expected to make his major league debut at third base Monday night when the Nats open a four-game series against the Rockies, a source familiar with the decision confirmed. The same source confirmed the team is also recalling outfielder Daylen Lile, who made his big league debut last month but was sent down after going 6-for-31 in 11 games.

The club has not yet formally announced the two promotions – someone will have to be removed from the 40-man roster to clear a space for House, with several players available for transfer to the 60-day injured list – but two hours after the conclusion of today’s loss the team did announce infielder José Tena and outfielder Robert Hassell III had been optioned to Triple-A.

House’s arrival alone probably isn’t going to be enough to resurrect a dormant Nationals lineup that has scored only 31 runs in 13 games this month, but the promotion of the organization’s 2021 first-round pick is nevertheless a significant development, one that has been anticipated for some time.

House, who recently turned 22, put up impressive numbers in 65 games with Rochester over the season’s first 2 1/2 months. After going 2-for-4 with a double and two RBIs this afternoon, he raised his batting average to .304, his on-base percentage to .353 and his slugging percentage to .519. With 15 doubles, 13 homers and 41 RBIs, the right-handed hitter gives the team a much-needed bat with power potential. (Nationals third basemen have collectively hit only two homers this season, second-fewest in the majors.)

As the innings passed by and scoring opportunity after scoring opportunity passed by without the Nationals converting, the reality began to sink in. This team was about to be swept by the Marlins and extend its interminable losing streak to eight games.

There was nothing novel about today’s 3-1 loss before an unenthused crowd of 28,983 on South Capitol Street. MacKenzie Gore pitched well enough to win but did not. A fast-fading lineup that hasn’t hit in two weeks once again did not hit. There wasn’t even the token ninth-inning rally that comes up just short to lament.

No, nothing is going right for the Nationals these days. And on the heels of this lifeless weekend sweep at the hands of one of the worst teams in the majors, the only remaining question is: What happens now?

Is there a dramatic change coming, whether to the roster or the coaching staff? If not, how is this current, underperforming group going to flip the switch and start playing again like it did only a couple weeks ago when it was making a run at the .500 mark?

"We're looking at different options, for sure," manager Davey Martinez said. "But we've won before with these guys. They see what it's like to win games, a few in a row. I know they don't come to the ballpark thinking they're going to lose. They thought again we had a chance to win today. We've got to keep battling. We've got 26 guys in that clubhouse that are going to give me everything they've got every day. We'll focus on those 26 guys right now."

Bring on the left-handed starters. Line up the opponents. Crank up the music, colored lights and smoke machines.

The 2025 Orioles are only 10 games below .500.

It used to be a lot worse.

Cade Povich tossed 3 2/3 scoreless innings out of the bullpen and Seranthony Domínguez inherited a bases-loaded jam in the seventh and protected a three-run lead. Gary Sánchez inflated it until the seams popped with a grand slam, and the Orioles completed their latest sweep with an 11-2 victory over the Angels before an announced crowd of 33,370 at Camden Yards that sat through a light steady rain.

The Orioles (30-40) haven’t ventured this close to .500 since May 14. They got here by sweeping three of their last five series.

In search of a desperately needed offensive spark, Davey Martinez is trying something today he’s never tried before: Batting CJ Abrams third in his lineup.

For the first time in his career, Abrams will bat third today as the Nationals try to avoid getting swept by the Marlins and snap a seven-game losing streak. The team’s usual leadoff hitter, one of the few currently producing, will bat behind Alex Call and James Wood in hopes of driving in more runs than he can from the No. 1 spot in the lineup.

“Just trying to get something going,” Martinez said. “CJ’s hitting the ball well. Wood is hitting the ball well. Trying to put Alex up there and get something going, and try to score some runs early. We’re scoring late. I want to see if we can try to score some runs early. And having (Wood and Abrams) maybe with guys on base will definitely create that.”

It’s the first time Abrams has ever batted third in 437 career big league games. He also hasn’t started a game in the fourth or fifth spot in the order. In spite of the team’s recent woes, the 24-year-old shortstop has been producing, batting .409 (9-for-22) with two doubles and a homer over his last five games.

“I talked with him first, and he was excited about it,” Martinez said. “He said he’ll maybe get a chance to drive in some runs. It’s all based on conversations. I talked to Alex about maybe bumping him up. He’s done it before; he does like hitting leadoff. I told him your job is just to get on base for these guys and see if we can create a little length for our lineup.”

Ryan O’Hearn and Colton Cowser are available to come off the bench this afternoon for the finale of the series against the Angels at Camden Yards that also completes the latest homestand.

O’Hearn injured his left ankle Friday night when Zach Neto clipped him on a play at first base in the seventh inning. He was scratched from yesterday's lineup. And Cowser is sore after slamming into the center field fence Thursday while chasing a home run ball.

“A lot better,” said interim manager Tony Mansolino. “I think if it’s September, playing for the division right now, I think there’s a really good chance.”

O’Hearn confirmed earlier today that he’s ready to play.

“Feels good today, feels better than yesterday, so I’ll be available off the bench and ready to rock tomorrow,” he said.