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The Orioles made another roster move this morning, which is becoming part of their daily routine.
Matt Bowman has his contract selected from Triple-A Norfolk and Kade Strowd was optioned to provide a fresh arm for the bullpen.
Luis F. Castillo was reinstated from the minor league seven-day injured list and designated for assignment.
Bowman has a 4.57 ERA in 18 games with the Orioles. Strowd made back-to-back appearances this weekend and allowed one run in 3 1/3 innings.
The Orioles acquired Castillo from the Mariners on May 8 for cash considerations. He made two appearances with the Florida Complex League team and allowed one run in 2 2/3 innings.
Today marks the ninth consecutive day with an Orioles roster move.
Zach Eflin arrived at the ballpark this morning with the same lower back stiffness that forced his exit yesterday after one inning. He hadn’t gone to the trainers’ room, with the media intercepting him at his locker, and didn’t know whether he’d need another stint on the injured list.
Eflin has experienced back tightness in the past, but yesterday was the first time this season.
“I did it in the pregame bullpen. I felt it the whole time,” he said.
Eflin tried to spare the bullpen and pitch through
“It’s kind of what we do as starters,” he said. “I knew something wasn’t right but I couldn’t necessarily blindside them like that, and I was able to deliver a pitch. It wasn’t comfortable, but kind of gets to a point where once you stop moving around, it locks up and tightens up and you can’t really do much about it at that point. Just tried to keep moving as much as I could from the bullpen to the game and was able to deliver pitches.”
Adley Rutschman (oblique) said he’s feeling better but doesn’t know whether he’ll come off the injured list immediately after the All-Star break.
Jordan Westburg played catch today but remains out of the lineup with a sore left index finger.
Coby Mayo is playing first base, Ryan O’Hearn is the designated hitter and Ramón Urías is at third base.
Dean Kremer has a 4.60 ERA and 1.344 WHIP in 16 games (15 starts). He’s held opponents to two runs in 10 2/3 innings over his last two starts.
The Rays were held to one run in five innings on June 17 in Tampa.
Brandon Lowe is 5-for-11 with a double and home run against Kremer. Yandy Díaz is 1-for-17.
The Orioles have lost five of seven games and are seven back for the last Wild Card. The Rays trail the first-place Yankees by one-half game.
Tampa Bay right-hander Taj Bradley faced the Orioles on June 18 and allowed six earned runs and seven total in 1 1/3 innings before the Rays rallied for a 12-8 win. Colton Cowser and Cedric Mullins homered.
Bradley owns an 8.71 ERA and 1.548 WHIP in five career starts against the Orioles. Gunnar Henderson is 6-for-14 with a double and home run. Ryan O’Hearn is 4-for-9 with a double and home run.
The Rays lead the majors in batting average against right-handed pitchers at .269 after finishing 28th last season.
For the Orioles
Jackson Holliday 2B
Ramón Urías 3B
Gunnar Henderson SS
Ryan O’Hearn DH
Ramón Laureano RF
Colton Cowser LF
Gary Sánchez C
Cedric Mullins CF
Coby Mayo 1B
Dean Kremer RHP
For the Rays
Josh Lowe RF
Brandon Lowe 2B
Yandy Díaz 1B
Jonathan Aranda DH
Jake Mangum LF
Curtis Mead 3B
Taylor Walls SS
Chandler Simpson CF
Danny Jansen C
Taj Bradley RHP
