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Tony Mansolino delivered the news Wednesday afternoon, first on the lineup posted and then in his daily dugout media session. The interim manager was given the freedom to write in Gary Sánchez’s name. Among another flurry of Orioles roster moves, an activity that qualifies as cardio on this team, they wouldn’t need a sixth catcher this season.
Not yet, anyway. It would be dumb to think that only five players will wear the tools of ignorance.
The Orioles broke camp with the expected pairing of Sánchez and Adley Rutschman. The competitions didn’t spill behind the plate. Only an injury would disrupt the duo.
And then, it happened. Again and again.
Sánchez went on the IL April 29 with right wrist inflammation. Maverick Handley was involved in a home plate collision June 22 in New York and remains on the concussion list. Handley was recalled because Rutschman strained his oblique the previous day during batting practice.
Chadwick Tromp was summoned again to replace Handley, and the Orioles put him on the IL with a lower back strain caused by a swing Monday that produced a line drive and nagging pain. They selected Jacob Stallings’ contract and he started Wednesday.
You can’t make up this stuff. It’s real and it’s a spectacular example of how everything seems to be going against the Orioles in their pursuit of a third consecutive playoff berth.
Giving birth would be less painful.
So you can understand Mansolino’s reaction when Sánchez tried to block a ball in the dirt Tuesday – Gregory Soto threw three wild pitches in the eighth inning – and was nailed on his finger. Sánchez pulled back his hand and shook it, and he told Mansolino, “You might need to get somebody to hit.”
“I don’t think any of us want to bring up another catcher,” Mansolino said.
Well, not unless you’re into club records. Those can be fun.
According to STATS, the most catchers used by the Orioles in a season is six in 1986, 1962 and 1960.
1986: Rick Dempsey (121 games), John Stefero (50), Al Pardo (14), Floyd Rayford (10), Larry Sheets (six), Carl Nichols (five)
1962: Gus Triandos (63), Hobie Landrith (60), Charlie Lau (56), Darrell Johnson (six), Nate Smith (three) and Andy Etchebarren (two)
1960: Gus Triandos (105), Clint Courtney (58), Joe Ginsberg (14), Valmy Thomas (eight), Jim Busby (one), Del Rice (one)
(Note: I’m offering cash to anyone who finds a fan wearing a Hobie Landrith or Valmy Thomas jersey at the ballpark.)
The Orioles have used five catchers in 11 different seasons, including the World Series winning team in 1983. Can you name them? Answer below.
Five players also caught in the wire-to-wire 1997 season – Lenny Webster (97), Chris Hoiles (87), Tim Laker (seven), Charlie Greene (four) and Mel Rosario (four).
Before this season, the Orioles hadn’t used five catchers since 2007 with Ramón Hernández, Paul Bako, Alberto Castillo, J.R. House and Gustavo Molino. They used Hernández, Javy López, Raúl Chávez, Chris Widger and Danny Ardoin in 2006. The Orioles drafted Ardoin’s son, Silas, in the fourth round in 2022 and he’s playing at Double-A Chesapeake.
Could the Orioles make it to six in 2025? At this rate, they might get to seven.
If the X-rays on Sánchez’s finger revealed more than just swelling, the Orioles might have placed a call to David Bañuelos at Triple-A Norfolk. He’s spent considerable time on the taxi squad the past two seasons. And their No. 1 prospect is 20-year-old catcher Samuel Basallo, who had a .947 OPS yesterday with 16 home runs in 55 games.
Asked about the possibility of Basallo reaching the majors this summer, executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias replied, “I hope that he debuts this year.”
Many fans would agree. And media wouldn't mind writing and talking about it.
“I think it’s really hard to nit-pick anything offensive right now and he’s still getting better," Elias said. "He’s still refining his approach. … There’s a lot of people really excited about his bat. Catching is the area that there’s still a lot of development left for him, and not all of that’s gonna be in the minors. But his bat is more ready than the catching and that tends to happen, and it’ll be developing in the majors, too. But I think the experience that he’s getting, catching in Triple-A right now, is still really, really valuable. The game-calling, the handling veteran pitchers.
“It’s getting closer and closer by the day, knock on wood. It keeps moving in the right direction every day. But there’s still a lot for him to learn.”
Like staying healthy. Basallo has endured his share of injuries, as well.
Answer: Dempsey (128), Joe Nolan (65), John Stefero (nine), Dave Huppert (two) and Lenn Sakata (one).
Funny how more people will remember Sakata, an infielder, moving behind the plate Aug. 24 than the fact that Dave Huppert, an actual catcher, was on the roster for two games and played four innings. Must be the three Blue Jays runners Tippy Martinez picked off in the 10 inning while Sakata was catching.
* The Orioles optioned outfielder Dylan Carlson after Wednesday night’s game against the Rangers.
The corresponding move is coming before tonight’s game in Atlanta. Tyler O’Neill will be reinstated from the injured list.
O’Neill has been sidelined twice this season with injuries, including the neck inflammation. He’s played in only 24 games and batted .188/.280/.325.
Carlson was the only logical move and it had nothing to do with his performance. The Orioles can’t remove infielder Luis Vázquez while Jorden Westburg is slow to return from the left index finger soreness, and he’s also one of their best relievers.
* Corbin Martin tossed 1 1/3 scoreless innings with two strikeouts Wednesday in his Orioles debut, and his first major league appearance since 2022 with the Diamondbacks. He also became the 49th player used by the Orioles, beating Stallings by one day.
Stallings caught Martin, who struck out Jake Burger on a 96.7 mph fastball after replacing Tomoyuki Sugano with two outs in the fifth. Martin topped at 96.8, and his final pitch was an 88.4 mph curveball to strike out Corey Seager.
“It was good,” Mansolino said. “The fastball had some life to it and the breaking pitch was sharp, it was hard. It was interesting when he was out there. Kind of opened my eyes, and (Ryan) Klimek and Frenchy (Drew French as he’s kind of rolling through that inning and a third. It was impressive.”
* Ryan O’Hearn can put All-Star on his resume, but also this:
His double Wednesday was his 500th hit.
O’Hearn is batting .300 in his last 35 games since May 21.
* Reliever Keagan Gillies, chosen to the All-Star Futures Game, made his Norfolk debut last night and tossed a scoreless inning with two walks.
Outfielder Dylan Beavers had three more hits and is batting .314 with an .899 OPS in 63 games. His major league debut could come in the second half.
Also, keep an eye on infielder Jeremiah Jackson, 25, who had three hits to raise his average to .370 with eight doubles, eight home runs and a 1.094 OPS in 24 games with Norfolk since his bump from Chesapeake. The Orioles signed him in November and he’s never played in the majors, but if Vázquez can get the call, why not this guy?
Meanwhile, Chayce McDermott had another difficult outing last night, allowing four runs and six hits in five innings to leave his ERA at 7.75. He walked two batters, struck out two and surrendered two home runs against Durham.
* Here are the probables for the Braves series in Atlanta:
Friday: RHP Charlie Morton vs. RHP Spencer Strider
Saturday: RHP Dean Kremer vs. TBA
Sunday: LHP Trevor Rogers vs. RHP Grant Holmes
