masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgTrey Mancini returns to the Orioles lineup tonight for the first time since Sunday, batting cleanup and serving as the designated hitter.
Austin Hays and Ramón Urías are on the bench.
DJ Stewart is in left field and batting fifth. The double play combination remains Jorge Mateo at shortstop and Jahmai Jones at second base.
Ryan Mountcastle’s 26 home runs are the third-most by an Orioles rookie in a single season, trailing Cal Ripken Jr. (28 in 1982) and Eddie Murray (27 in 1977).
Hays…

Trey Mancini returns to the Orioles lineup tonight for the first time since Sunday, batting cleanup and serving as the designated hitter.

Austin Hays and Ramón Urías are on the bench.

DJ Stewart is in left field and batting fifth. The double play combination remains Jorge Mateo at shortstop and Jahmai Jones at second base.

Ryan Mountcastle’s 26 home runs are the third-most by an Orioles rookie in a single season, trailing Cal Ripken Jr. (28 in 1982) and Eddie Murray (27 in 1977).

Hays extended his hitting streak to 15 games last night and he’s batting .357 (20-for-56) during that stretch. He’s driven in a run in five consecutive games, tying the longest stretch of his career.

Thumbnail image for Means-Throws-White-Sidebar.jpgLeft-hander John Means is 0-3 with three no-decisions in his last six starts. He followed back-to-back quality starts by allowing two runs and three hits over five innings Friday night at Yankee Stadium.

Means has made two career starts against Kansas City and allowed four earned runs (five total) in 12 innings.

The Orioles are trying to win back-to-back series for the first time since May 31-June 6 against the Twins and Indians. They’ve won four of their last five games and are 7-7 since their 19-game losing streak.

Last night marked their 21st comeback victory of the season. They’re now 21-45 at home this season, 6-72 when trailing after the seventh inning and 10-69 when being outhit by their opponent.

The nine-run eighth inning was their highest total since Sept. 14, 2020 versus the Braves.

The Royals are trying to avoid their sixth consecutive series loss at Camden Yards since 2015.

In his last 38 games against the Orioles, Andrew Benintendi is hitting .303 (44-for-145) with 10 doubles, two triples, seven home runs and 34 RBIs. He homered and drove in five runs last night.

Rookie Carlos Hernández is 5-1 with a 3.57 ERA and 1.217 WHIP in 21 games (eight starts). He’s walked 31 batters and surrendered six home runs in 70 2/3 innings.

Hernández’s only loss this season came in a July 18 start against the Orioles. He allowed two runs and three hits in four innings and struck out six batters.

For the Orioles
Cedric Mullins CF
Ryan Mountcastle 1B
Anthony Santander RF
Trey Mancini DH
DJ Stewart LF
Pedro Severino C
Jorge Mateo SS
Jahmai Jones 2B
Kelvin Gutiérrez 3B

John Means LHP

For the Royals
Whit Merrifield 2B
Nicky Lopez SS
Salvador Pérez C
Andrew Benintendi LF
Carlos Santana 1B
Adalberto Mondesi DH
Michael A. Taylor CF
Hanser Alberto 3B
Hunter Dozier RF

Carlos Hernández RHP

Chris Ellis starts Friday night against the Blue Jays at Camden Yards. Keegan Akin is starting one game of Saturday’s doubleheader and the other two spots are TBA.

The Blue Jays are listing their starters as Robbie Ray on Friday, TBA and Hyun Jin Ryu on Saturday, and Steven Matz on Sunday.

Update: Urías is available again tonight after his pinch-hit RBI single last night in the eighth inning, but the discomfort in his upper right leg is limiting his mobility.

“He’s still just not feeling great,” manager Brandon Hyde said during his pregame media session. “It’s something we’re going to have to monitor the rest of the year. But he got a huge hit for us last night and hopefully it continues to trend in the right direction.”

Hyde indicated that the Orioles haven’t made a final decision on the extra player who can join them for the doubleheader.

“I think we’re going to have to wait to see where we are on Saturday,” he said. “I think there are still some question marks with a few guys, so we’ll wait to see then. We’ve talked about our options Saturday. I would think it’s more likely that it’s a pitcher. We’ll see, though.”