BOSTON – Those moments during the season when it felt like the Orioles were scrambling to fill out their roster have disappeared like one of Samuel Basallo’s home run balls in the minors.
The crab cake analogy fits again – less filler makes for a better product.
Manager Tony Mansolino has a plan, devised by the group, and it’s going to get Basallo, Dylan Beavers and Coby Mayo in the lineup on most nights. Mayo and Adley Rutschman sat last night because Basallo needed to catch and Ryan Mountcastle needed to get some reps at first base. Players can rotate into the designated hitter role, with Jeremiah Jackson taking his turn against the Red Sox.
“It’s exciting,” Mansolino said. “It’s a good problem to have.”
Much better than those constant headaches.
Basallo collected his first extra-base hit last night and he scored on Beavers’ first RBI. He added a two-run single in the ninth and became the first Oriole with two RBIs in each of his first two games. Beavers became only the third Oriole to reach base four times or more in a game within his first three career appearances, joining Cedric Mullins and Nick Markakis. Jackson singled twice and is batting .341.
Of course, a last-place team can’t always have nice things. Jordan Westburg exited last night’s game in the first inning with a sore right ankle after rounding second base on Mountcastle’s single and slamming on the brakes. The hope, as Mansolino stated, is that it’s mild. That was the initial expectation.
I’m predicting an update later this afternoon that calls Westburg “day-to-day.”
Tyler O’Neill started baseball activities yesterday, and though he’d like to return later this month, the Orioles could wait until roster expansion in September.
A crowd is forming. Jorge Mateo and Gary Sánchez are supposed to return next month. Or they’re supposed to be ready. What the Orioles do with them is unknown.
Kyle Bradish will be reinstated from the injured list after making one more rehab start, the estimate being Aug. 25-27 during the series against the Red Sox at Camden Yards. The Orioles are considering a six-man rotation and I don’t know how they’d avoid it with Dean Kremer, Trevor Rogers, Tomoyuki Sugano, Cade Povich and Brandon Young.
What the heck would they do if Zach Eflin didn’t have back surgery? Maybe trade him at the deadline.
In case you missed it last night, Rogers’ 1.41 ERA is the lowest in franchise history in a starter’s first 12 games. His 10 consecutive starts with two runs or fewer ties the record held by Milt Pappas in 1964. He’s gone at least six innings and allowed two runs or less in eight consecutive starts, the longest stretch since Jim Palmer also went eight in 1978. He’s never recorded 10 quality starts until this season.
Kremer has made six starts of seven innings or more and with three hits or fewer, which ties him with the Tigers’ Tarik Skubal and Padres’ Nick Pivetta for the most times in the majors this season.
Those six games for Kremer are the most in a season by an Orioles starter since Erik Bedard in 2007. The only Oriole with more is Wally Bunker, who had seven in 1964, per STATS.
Kremer threw a career-high 114 pitches Sunday, the most by an Oriole since Chris Tillman’s 125 on July 4, 2012 in Seattle.
It's becoming easier to understand why the rotation has posted a 3.06 ERA in 29 games since July 19 that's the lowest in the majors.
Tyler Wells appears destined to work in relief rather than give the Orioles two starters returning from reconstructive elbow surgery, and it’s easier to create a spot for him. He might be the closer. No one has a firm grip on the job. But Albert Suárez also is lurking, with one more rehab start followed by a few relief appearances to get him ready for bullpen duty.
Rico Garcia, the opener Sunday, is out of options and perhaps vulnerable to another move. Dietrich Enns seems to have earned a spot, and he provides the bullpen with another left-hander and someone who can offer length. Kade Strowd has allowed three runs in 12 1/3 innings in his 10 appearances. There’s also Corbin Martin, who’s out of options, Yaramil Hiraldo and Grant Wolfram.
Yennier Cano was optioned earlier this season, and the run he allowed last night in the ninth left his ERA at 5.52.
Among the reasons to keep paying attention to this team despite the standings is what happens to the roster and how much better it is with the call-ups and returning players from the IL. You've stuck it out this long. You deserve the excitement.
Reliever Colin Selby is one of the 12 players remaining on the injured list, with his left hamstring strain keeping him off the mound since July 28. He accompanied the Orioles on their road trip.
Selby ran Sunday at about 60 percent and didn’t notice any discomfort. He played catch yesterday for the fourth or fifth time, also without pain.
“I think I’m progressing pretty well,” he said. “I do feel like my hamstring is getting stronger. We’re still lacking a little bit in the flexibility part of it.
“If anything, it’s more just a little like timid to do some things. I ran two days ago probably 30-40 percent for the first time and I was a little scared to kind of go over that, and then the very next day we did the same running and I was able to go 50 or 60 percent, so I think it’s just a little bit of time and gain a little bit of confidence in the exercises I’m doing. I think we’re on the right track. Just got to get healthy.”
Selby has made nine appearances with the Orioles, allowing five runs and 15 hits in 11 innings. The bullpen has undergone constant changes, especially after the trade deadline. Selby is hoping to get back in the mix.
“We haven’t really talked specifics about an exact return date, but we’ve just been progressing a little bit each week,” he said. “I’d imagine once I get close to 80 percent running is when I start throwing on a mound. I don’t know, maybe two weeks, maybe three weeks, start touching the mound.”
The hamstring popped on Selby’s last pitch in a scoreless seventh inning against the Blue Jays at Camden Yards. Addison Barger fouled out to left field.
“If that ball didn’t stay in the yard, I probably would have gotten taken out,” Selby said, adding that he had the same injury his freshman year at Randolph-Macon College.
“Walking up that ramp to go to the players’ lot at home was a little challenging the first two days, but that kind of went away pretty quick after."